Sentry Industries Sentry Xpress 4.0 manual Lost Wax Burnout, Editing the Target Temperature, Alarm

Editing the Target

Temperature

While the kiln is firing, you can change the target tem- perature of the current segment. (Ramp-Hold: You can edit only the segment that is firing. So if the first segment is the current one, you can edit only the first segment. To edit other segments, wait until the firing has progressed to those segments.)

Even if the current segment has already started its hold time, you can still edit the segment's target temperature. The controller will go back out of hold and fire to the new target temperature at the original rate. (You cannot edit the rate, however.)

During a firing, press the repeatedly until appears.

Press . The target temperature for the cur- rent segment will appear.

Use the arrow keys to change the target tempera- ture.

Press . The normal kiln temperature will ap- pear, and the kiln will begin firing to the new target temperature.

The Alarm

While the kiln is firing, you can set the alarm, which sounds when the kiln reaches the alarm temperature. Use the alarm as a reminder to look at the glass during fusing or slumping, to look at witness cones, to close the lid from vented position, etc.

You can enter only one alarm temperature at a time. However, after the alarm beeps, you can set the alarm for another temperature,as many times as you want, during the firing. Entering an alarm temperature automatically erases any previous alarm temperature.

Note: The alarm temperature that you set during a fir- ing must be higher than the current display tempera- ture. The alarm is designed only for higher tempera- tures and not for cooling temperatures.

During a firing, press the repeatedly until appears.

Press . The current alarm temperature will appear.

Use the arrow keys to change the alarm tempera- ture.

Press . The normal kiln temperature will ap- pear.

To silence the alarm when it sounds, press any key.

Note: If you do not want to use the alarm, set the alarm temperature to 32°F / 0°C. This setting will turn off the alarm feature.

Lost Wax

Burnout

CAUTION: Only kilns with vent holes are designed for lost wax burnout. However, you may be able to use a kiln without the vent hole provided that you open the door ½” during venting.

CAUTION: Always use a wax tray.

Note: These instructions apply to injection wax that melts at 200°F, not pattern waxes and plastics that melt at higher temperatures. If smoke appears during wax elimination, turn off the kiln. Smoking wax means the kiln fired hotter than 300° / 148°C.

Overview

Lost wax casting is the process of carving a shape in wax, making a mold, and then casting that shape in metal. After the wax has been carved, a mold is made of the wax shape. The mold is a negative image of the wax. The wax is later melted out of the mold through hollow channels called sprues.

Lost wax burnout is the process of preparing a casting mold for the melted metal that will be poured into it. The steps in lost wax burnout:

Melt the wax from the mold.

Remove wax from the kiln before raising the tem- perature higher than 300°F/148°C.

Harden the mold at high temperature.

Maintain the mold at the casting temperature rec- ommended for the type of metal that will be poured into the mold.

CAUTION: Prevent wax or carbon from contacting the kiln’s walls and elements. Carbon build-up inside a kiln ruins the interior. Carbon conducts electricity and causes elements to short circuit. Damage to elements from contact with foreign materials is not covered by warranty.

A Sample Program

See instructions on page 8 to enter this program:

Segment	Rate	Temp.	Hold
	°F/°C	°F/°C
1	500/277	300/148	01.00
2	500/277	1350/732	01.00
3	450/250	800/426	02.00

Segment 1 heats the wax to 300°F / 148°C and holds it for one hour, allowing it to drip from the mold.

Segment 2 hardens the mold.

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