PeterH

The actual and target lines are made up of sections for each of the controller segments. So we have a lag-free target sections and with-lag actual sections. Naturally the two lines get progressively out of sync if any lag occurs.

If you move the start-point of the each target section to the clock-time that that segment actually started you get a much clearer picture of what's actually going on, segment by segment.
... my straight-line approximation from a digitised image.

With the gaps in the target-line representing the lag in that segment.
Decoration: you might want to embolden the lag-periods on the x-axis, or shade a region of the xy plane.
PS Here's a graph from my most recent firing (where it's clear that my kiln struggled to maintain ramp at peak but otherwise was pretty close): 
From this presentation segment 5 may be a bigger issue than segment 6.

@PeterH Actual start of a segment in the graph is when the controller sends the series of "start ramp" events. But I've also programmed it to start a segment on the "skip step" event as well, as that's the only indication that the next segment started as well. Good idea about the colors, I'll see if I can make the line semi-transparent, which is the only way that would work.
 
Update, tried the colors and from an aesthetic sense I like the old ones, but from a purely scientific perspective, I dig the extra info you get here:

How do you determine the start-time of the segments? Is it just when the end-temperature is reached in the CVS file?
PS Minor point, but you might try changing the line colours to additive ones, which might show overlapping lines more clearly. Perhaps cyan & magenta, as some real-world yellows are a bit dodgy. The idea has some history in statistical presentations.


 

Yeah, the skip here really skewed the graph on this one. I have a plan for fixing that (see my response to Dick above).
The confusing thing about the previous image I posted is that segments 2-7 took longer (especially segment 6 to peak), because my elements are worn as Dick mentioned. But because I skipped about 75% of the candle, it shifted the "actual" graph line back by about 1.5 hours. You'll notice that it's slower rate, though, means that it's only about an hour off from the target at peak temp (so, not taking into account the skip, the actual firing took about 30 minutes longer).
Here's a graph from my most recent firing (where it's clear that my kiln struggled to maintain ramp at peak but otherwise was pretty close): 

In senior times, teeth are falling out, not growing in. Don't ask how I know this. The difference between the two lines is attributable to his skip segment during the initial preheat hold. If you mentally extend that flat section of the blue line so that both lines concur at the first serious ramp up (i.e., move the blue inflection at minute ~80 to match the green inflection at minute 180), the two lines will be close up until ~1800 degrees. At that point, the slope of the blue line in segment 5 should continue straight until a distinct inflection at the beginning of segment 6 (as shown on the green line) but instead the ramp rate begins to falter, likely due to somewhat worn elements. There is not a distinct inflection in the blue line at the ramp change for the beginning of segment 6, instead it gently curves from one to the next. Even with the programmed slower ramp rate in segment 6, the kiln isn't keeping up. The slope of the blue line, while steady, is slightly lower than the slope of the green line and the blue segment 6 takes a bit longer to complete than the green. These are the kind of diagnostics that I find such graphs to be helpful.

Correct. The firing may be using more energy to maintain the firing speed, but you won't see it in the total firing time until it gets bad enough to show up there. The easiest way to tell if firings are using more energy is to check the firing cost. Even if the dollar amount isn't accurate to real world costs, you just need a baseline to compare to.

Yeah the nice thing about this chart library is that when you hover, you get that tooltip (floating box in screenshot) and a vertical line (and two dots on either graph line) that shows you how they line up. But I agree that the most important info here is the delta of target vs actual (other than when you skip a segment of course). I was planning on including an average ramp (deg / hour) deviation for each segment in the data table. But graphing it might be more helpful!

There had been discrepancies in Orton's online materials regarding small cone deformation temperatures*.
I used small cones for the kiln sitter (prior kiln), and I like them. They are a tiny bit cheaper.
Here's an excerpt from the message I received from Orton Engineer (circa March 2020):
Dear Sir,   Thank you for contacting Orton to draw our attention to some incorrect information on our website.  The small cones do in fact deform after the large cones.  We have updated the information on the website.    See also this thread (start at the bottom/end) Kiln Sitter cone for witness cone - Studio Operations and Making Work - Ceramic Arts Daily Community   *There still are! The 2016 cone charts are all "backward"   See the small cone page, SMALL CONES | Orton Ceramic
"Small Cones used on the kiln shelf deform at about 9°F after Large or Self-Supporting Cones of the same number." It's just because the small ones are smaller - the cones are same material; same reason a large candle will slump in hot weather before a small one.
 

The blurb on the right says  (incorrect information - see Hulk's next post)
 

And lastly, an odd method that sometimes works...fill the mold up with slip...wait a few minutes...then empty the mold. Allow the slip to set up a little bit...then repeat.
(Essentially emptying the mold before the slip has a chance to gel.)
You can only do it a few times, and the casting will likely be thin, but it might allow you to cast the object and have a reasonable chance of it casting uniformly.
This only really works with porcelain. (Because it's a fairly dense clay.) It's quite something to cast an object that's eggshell thin and have it fire out. 
 

Put a drinking straw into the opening as you pour the slip out. It prevents all the liquid trying to get out at once, and allows air in.

Further to the technical explanation in the link, I put it like this to my group.
Underglazes (usually) don't move or mix during firing.  They sit/stand still.  When clear overglaze is applied to fired underglaze it (usually) doesn't cause the underglazes to move or mix.  And (usually) the colour is WYSIWYG.   So, underglazes are good for painterly pictures, drawing, writing.
Glazes can/will move or mix during firing, particularly on vertical surfaces. And (usually) they are not WYSIWYG.
So, if you want defined colour areas, use underglaze, if you don't mind if they mingle use glazes.  Apart from all the other options, like matt, textured, crystals.........

I'd a faint memory of somebody trying this ...  got it.
Tutorial: Making paper plaster mould
http://andrea-ceramics.blogspot.com/2015/05/tutorial-making-paper-plaster-mould.html
I think I've also read of people just building up plaster layer by layer.
PS
With less plaster about it presumably will not be able to absorb as much water, so possibly slower casting and thick-walls/solid-casting an issue.
It also must have less strength, so high-volume moulds are probably out. Although I think I've read of somebody supporting the thin plaster shell in a bucket of sand.
 

Just asking - have you tried lowering the melting point by apportioning the boron? It’s pretty typical to get to cone 6 with .15 boron. The relationship has tested fairly predictable to cone 04. The chart below would indicate prox 0.3 boron gets you cone 1. Katz ceramic arts article here https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/docs/default-source/uploadedfiles/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tf-boroninglazes-0912.pdf as far as satin and matte - Stull matte allows you to dial in level of matte / gloss. Testing for sure ….. still may give you a starting point.
Other thought is take some favorite cone six recipes and increase the boron to 0.3 or so and lower the melting point.

Congrats! If one of the switches goes out again, replace them with 240V infinite switches with the element pairs wired in series. Better control, simpler wiring. Have fun!

Well, I put it all back together carefully this afternoon. After attempting some of PeterH's solid multimeter testing advice but becoming more confused the more things beeped at me, I gave up and just fired it up.
It VERKS! It fired up and the correct elements turned on and got orange.  I actually have no idea what the magic sauce was in rewiring or grinding down that switch hub. We'll see if it lasts through a glaze firing tomorrow. I will admit the brand new element gets a little hotter faster, but they all got there. Resistance is close to the same on all of them, so I don't think I'll replace them all. 
Thank you all for your help and I'll wager that this is not my last time with a pottery related problem. My wife and son have taken up pottery as a hobby, and I have apparently taken up electrical engineering, induction motor repair, refractory masonry and material science along with various other brain growth activities to keep them at it.
As payment for your assistance, I colorized the wiring diagram for us all. 

It looks to me like the top element (in the diagram, not necessarily in the kiln) is only fed by one of the 120v lines (the upper one in the stylised plug/socket). Although you say that both 120v lines are getting to the controller, is the upper one also getting to the switches and/or elements?
PS
>I have peered closely at that wiring diagram and wished for higher resolution a lot the past few days
For a different kiln, but probably/possibly the same circuit
https://content.invisioncic.com/r278179/monthly_2021_11/AFFD763E-B04E-4A36-A21B-049717307DB1.jpeg.d8d19f63656d62487cfde60f695535d2.jpeg

... asking for coloured felt-tips on the different styles of dashed lines

Two answers in one.
Digitalfire  https://digitalfire.com/ is a mine of pottery information, for example
Underglaze
https://digitalfire.com/glossary/underglaze

I describe underglazes as being somewhere between a slip and a glaze. They melt/fuse more than a slip, but don't don't totally melt into glass like a glaze. Also, commercial underglazes can be applied at any stage of the process- wet, leather hard, bone dry, or bisque. When to apply them depends on how you're using them and the brand you're using.

It looks to me like the top element (in the diagram, not necessarily in the kiln) is only fed by one of the 120v lines (the upper one in the stylised plug/socket). Although you say that both 120v lines are getting to the controller, is the upper one also getting to the switches and/or elements?
PS
>I have peered closely at that wiring diagram and wished for higher resolution a lot the past few days
For a different kiln, but probably/possibly the same circuit
https://content.invisioncic.com/r278179/monthly_2021_11/AFFD763E-B04E-4A36-A21B-049717307DB1.jpeg.d8d19f63656d62487cfde60f695535d2.jpeg

... asking for coloured felt-tips on the different styles of dashed lines

Wow, this is exactly what I was trying to find.  Thank you so much for the reply and the help

Knowing this, firing hotter should allow the glaze to take the copper into the melt and go green.  I don't know how the cooling will affect it, but I expect if it went glossy green it should stay that way with a fast cooling. The question will be whether or not it will respond the same in a refire as it does in a first firing. Nothing to do but test it!

Lots of possibilities here, but it all comes down to you can't expect a glaze to do the same thing in a totally different kiln. First, wood kilns don't just fire in oxidation. They cycle between oxidation and reduction every time the kiln is stoked. Second, you've got a different atmosphere in the wood kiln due to ash and vapor from the wood. Third, the temperature was different, but maybe not depending on where it was placed in the kiln. Fourth, the cooling cycle was different. Different clay body? At this point I would hold off on refiring your pitchers and instead run a couple of test firings with other pieces at a higher temp and with a slower cooling cycle and see if you get the desired results. Once you've figured out what's needed, then refire the pitchers and hope they do okay with refiring. In meantime I would also start making a new batch of pitchers and offer your client a different color that you know will come out as intended. FYI, many of us, including me, have been in a similar situation at some point.

I've no experience in this area, but your problems might be to do with allowing time for crystal growth rather than reaching "maturity".
Just a standard reference to slow cooling in an electric kiln, to emphasise sometimes changes in appearance are controlled more by the cooling cycle than by the peak temperature. Which may require down-firing in a kiln that cools too rapidly for that glaze/effect.

Super Cool! Slow Cooling in an Electric Kiln
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Super-Cool-Slow-Cooling-in-an-Electric-Kiln
 

I've no experience in this area, but your problems might be to do with allowing time for crystal growth rather than reaching "maturity".
Just a standard reference to slow cooling in an electric kiln, to emphasise sometimes changes in appearance are controlled more by the cooling cycle than by the peak temperature. Which may require down-firing in a kiln that cools too rapidly for that glaze/effect.

Super Cool! Slow Cooling in an Electric Kiln
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Super-Cool-Slow-Cooling-in-an-Electric-Kiln