Sharon Clayton on mon 16 mar 98
Hi everyone...
Could some of you wonderful Clayarters offer a schedule of firing to
cone 6 (electric kiln)? A friend is firing her kiln again after quite
some time away from it. I am a very new potter myself and cannot offer
any suggestions, so I look to this wonderful group of giving persons.
If you increase too quickly or too slowly - what effect does that have?
Thanks so much for your replies - in advance.
Sharon Clayton
London, Ontario.
Cindy on tue 17 mar 98
Sharon,
There are many schedules which will work. For a glaze firing, I flip one
switch of my 5 switch kiln each hour up to the 3rd switch. After flipping
#3, I wait 2 hours and flip #4. I then wait 3 hours and flip #5.
For a bisque firing, you must go much slower. I flip #1, wait 3-5 hours,
depending on the thickness of the ware, flip #2, and generally leave that
overnight. In the morning, I flip the remaining switches. Alternately, I
will wait 3-5 hours after flipping #2, then flip the remaining switches one
hour apart.
This works for me, however you should keep in mind that I am merely trying
to keep the first part of the bisque fire slow and gentle (to allow for
safe release of physically and chemically bound water) and the last part of
the glaze fire slow (to encourage thorough melting of glazes). Specific
time intervals are arbitrary.
In both types of firings, a soak of an hour or so at the end will probably
be of benefit. This allows for more thorough release of gasses in the case
of bisque, and for maturing of glazes in the case of glaze firing. You can
soak the kiln by sitting there and holding the switch up, or by propping it
in some way. If you prop it, don't use flammable material to do so, and
***don't*** forget and leave it propped. You may want to turn the heat down
slightly so that the temperature does not continue to increase during the
soak time.
Also, remember that a cone 6 bar in the sitter is roughly equivalent to a
^5 shelf cone. If you want a true ^6 firing, you should place a ^7 bar in
the sitter and use shelf cones to verify that the heat work you need has
been accomplished.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels
Custer, SD
USA http://blackhills-info.com/a/cindys/menu.htm
Laura FREEDMAN on tue 17 mar 98
Sharon, I am certainly not an expert and can't tell you what a swift
increase or decrease will do to your kiln, but I have been using a simple
schedule which has served me well. I don't know how many dials you have on
the front of the kiln that control the elements but this is how I do it with
my very old Sno Kiln (I have 2 dials).
1st hour Bottom dial at LOW with lid propped
2nd hour close lid
3rd hour turn bottom dial to MEDIUM. Top dial to LOW
4th hour turn bottom dial to HIGH and top dial to MEDIUM
5 hour turn top dial to HIGH and insert peeps
For ^06 a bisque load usually runs about 6 or 7 hours. For ^6 glaze 8-9
depending on how full the kiln. Good luck.
Hope this is a help.
Sharon Clayton wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi everyone...
> Could some of you wonderful Clayarters offer a schedule of firing to
> cone 6 (electric kiln)? A friend is firing her kiln again after quite
> some time away from it. I am a very new potter myself and cannot offer
> any suggestions, so I look to this wonderful group of giving persons.
> If you increase too quickly or too slowly - what effect does that have?
> Thanks so much for your replies - in advance.
> Sharon Clayton
> London, Ontario.
Norm Straker on wed 18 mar 98
Hey Sharon,
I have a Skutt that I fire to cone 06 bisque and cone 6 glaze all the
time.
For the bisque and glaze I fire the same schedule and haven't had any
problems at all.
First I fire LOW for 3 hrs. Then MED for 2 hrs. and finally HIGH until
it cuts off.
Last couple loads I have shortened the MED for 1hr only. Haven't been
able to tell any difference at all.
I always prop the lid about an inch and leave all peep holes open during
the low cycle. Then close the lid and plug all but the top hole for MED
and HIGH.
When the kiln is done I plug the top hole and let it cool for 24hrs
slowly.
I have had some trouble with a blue glaze I purchased...giving me
pinholes, so I will soak the kiln for a half hour on MED after the kiln
shuts off after being on HIGH.
Hope this helps! Norm! 8^o
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