Working with a Fuji PXR3 Digital Controller

When you turn on your kiln, it will automatically ramp up to the Set Point temperature. If you are batch annealing, this should be set to match room temperature and you will immediately pick a preset program for batch annealing and run that program (ramp up to 950 over 2 hours, etc.)

If you are garage annealing, pre-pick the Program you want to run later and set your Set Point to your desired garage annealing temperature (I set mine 20F lower than my annealing temperature to compensate for the spiking of the temperature when you open and close the kiln door). Hours later, run the program after you finish your last piece. This controller does not have a "skip" function.

Set Point
Set point is turned on automatically when you turn the kiln on. This is your garaging temperature. If you batch anneal, this should be set at room temperature.

To program Set Point:
Press SEL once
Press UP ARROW until it shows your garaging temp (I garage 20 degrees lower than annealing temp)
Wait 20 sec and your kiln will ramp up as fast as it can


Programs
You can store two programs in the PXR3. SV1-SV4 is Program 1 and SV5-SV6 is Program 2. You may re-program your kiln while the set point is ramping up.

To program Program 1:
Press & Hold SEL until you see P
Press DOWN ARROW (a couple of times) until you see SV1
Press SEL
Press UP or DOWN ARROW to select the temperature (e.g.950F)
Press SEL
Press DOWN ARROW once to 7N1R (length of time to Ramp up to 950F)
Press SEL
Press UP or DOWN ARROW to select the length of time to Ramp up (0:10 – 10 mins)
Press SEL
Press DOWN ARROW once to 7N1S (length of time to Soak at this temperature)
Press SEL
Press UP or Down ARROW to select the length of time to soak at 950F

Press SEL
Press Down ARROW to SV2
Press SEL
Press UP or DOWN ARROW to select temperature you will ramp down to (750F)
Press SEL
Press DOWN ARROW once to 7N2R (length of time to Ramp down to 750F)
Press SEL
Press UP or DOWN ARROW to select the length of time to Ramp down to 750F (2:30)
Press SEL
Press DOWN ARROW once to 7N2S (length of time to Soak at this temperature)
Press SEL
Press UP or Down ARROW to select the length of time to soak at 750F (0:15)

You may leave the rest of the segments – SV3, SV4 of this program – at 0 so your kiln will just turn off after 750F. MAKE SURE YOU SELECT PROGRAM 1.

If you want to have a program for, say, boro or batch annealing – do the same thing for SV5 to SV8 which is Program 2.

Running a Program
Press and hold SEL until you see STAT
Press Down ARROW once to PTn
Press SEL once, it will show the last program you ran (1 or 2)
Press Up or Down Arrow to select a different program if desired
Wait 20 seconds for the kiln to go back to current temperature display

Press and hold SEL until you see PROG
Press SEL once, it will show OFF
Press the Up Arrow once, it will show a BLINKING RUN
Press SEL TWICE, it will show a stationary RUN
Your kiln is now running!

Silver Glass 101 – Annealing Temperature for Silver Glass

I have seen a lot of beadmakers complain that the colors on their beads going into the kiln are completely different than the colors coming out. Your kiln environment is the culprit.

Let’s talk about reducing silver glass first - for that’s an easier solution. If the iridescence on your beads disappear after annealing, you may choose to do one of the following, or both:
• your kiln has an oxidizing atmosphere, adding a small pea size piece of charcoal will alter the environment enough to eliminate this problem
• lower your annealing temperature – 10F/6C each time until the reducing silver glass retains its iridescence (see below for more information)

As for striking silver glass, if your beads come out dark brown, your beads have been re-struck in the kiln. These may be the reasons:
• Your temperature is re-striking the beads.
• If you have a kiln that has a short interior height (4-5 inches/10cm) and your beads are situated very close to the heating elements especially if they are elevated on a rack. Every time your kiln ramps up to the pre-set temperature, it goes full power which may lead to re-striking your beads.

Lower your annealing temperature 10F/6C each time until a spacer bead made with striking silver glass no longer re-strikes in your kiln. I find that for my kiln, it’s 920F/495C. When Terra first came out, Double Helix recommended annealing Terra at 930F/499C. Just make sure that you soak longer to compensate for the lower temperature (e.g. instead of 30 minutes, soak for an hour).

One last thought - when you garage anneal, every time you open and close your kiln door, the temperature in your kiln spikes up to 25F/14C either direction. To make sure that your kiln does not spike pass your annealing temperature, you may consider lowering your garaging temperature as well. For example, your kiln works best annealing at 930F/499C, then try a garaging temperature of 900F/483C.

Important note: Every kiln is different. First of all, make sure that your kiln controller is registering an accurate temperature by checking the digital controller temperature against a pyrometers (K2 pyrometers is recommended by many lampworkers). At a minimum, check your kiln at room temperature by leaving the kiln door open for about an hour and comparing that to a household thermostat.