neilestrick

I just happened to look in the latest manual. The math, code requirements, and current Skutt manual seem to all agree so not sure what any distributor is saying but could be an error or a result of previously using lower system volts. Older manuals seem to show it as #8. I guess the lesson is always double check the math, pick an appropriate breaker and pick the wire. The more heating in the wire, the less heating in the kiln. Bigger is usually better for the kiln owner.
If you are using roamex then the wire size will likely be larger. The adjacent conductors in a confined space tend to heat more and are derated from free space. 
The rule about breakers is all about reducing the heating on the breaker so it remains dependable. Heating in wires and devices is not really good.

I don't know why Skutt lists it that way. Skutt also does not list the breaker size, only the wire size and the plug configuration. Many kilns that do not actually pull ~50 amps still have a 6-50 plug on the power cord because that's their standard power cord inventory for all their medium and large kilns. The comparable L&L kiln (e18M) lists a 50 amp breaker and 6 ga. wire.

The wiring should be rated the same as the breaker.

@cadenrank When looking at a wire ampacity chart, it's safest to use the largest wire size number for that amperage, regardless of which type wire you use, which means that for 50 amps you need 6 gauge wire. Always better to over-build.
(Edited for better wording)

Can you describe the debris? If it's white chunks in your glaze, it's either kiln wash flaking onto your pots, or bricks flaking. Does it only happen on the top shelf? Is there any wash on the bottoms of your shelves?
You can't really stop cobalt from fuming. You might try putting more space between the top of your plates and the bottom of the shelf above them. I've never heard of it fuming the bottom of a shelf, so I think it's just too close.

Isolating fine particle sizes by allowing clay to settle in water (elutriation, I had to look that up) was known to potters historically, actively used in places where clay had to be “washed” to make it useful. Terra sigillata is an extreme extension of this principle. Natron, naturally occurring soda ash, was well known to the Romans and had many uses, including in ceramics and glass. To me, it’s a stretch to imagine Romans didn’t use a deflocculant of some kind. Looking at the artifacts, I think it’s also important to consider the impact of firing on the finished appearance. Roman terra sig appears different than Greek ware, but it may not all be due to how they made their slip.

Something is different than before, you need to figure out what. Is it the same bead rack, same wire, etc? How big is your kiln? Could the dust be from your thermocouple?

I have found I have quite a knack for that!!  Nothing will teach you that “less is more” like pottery!! 

That form is going to sag no matter how it's made. You either need to fire it low enough that the clay doesn't soften up, so at least a few cones lower than its maturation point, or you need to support the middle dips. You could just do a couple of little dimes sized unglazed spots on the bottoms of the dips where you could put a bit of clay to support it in the firing. If it's the same clay as you made the piece with then it's going to shrink with the piece.

That form is going to sag no matter how it's made. You either need to fire it low enough that the clay doesn't soften up, so at least a few cones lower than its maturation point, or you need to support the middle dips. You could just do a couple of little dimes sized unglazed spots on the bottoms of the dips where you could put a bit of clay to support it in the firing. If it's the same clay as you made the piece with then it's going to shrink with the piece.

When you reduce an iron bearing clay body, the iron goes from red to black, and then the surface reoxidizes during cooling. If you cool in reduction, then the iron stays black. You need a clay body with 4-4.5% iron if you want black. To do it well, you need to be able to seal off the kiln but still be able to introduce a small amount of reduction. In a wood burning kiln, that means sealing up all the air holes with clay, and tossing in just a couple small scraps of wood every 10-20 minutes as it cools, down to a temp where it won't reoxidize. Very slow and boring process. In a gas kiln you seal off the burner ports but leave a small pilot flame burning for the reduction. Introducing small amounts of air can result in bright flashes of color on the surface. The first photo below is a teapot by John Neely, who pioneered reduction cooling in the US at Utah State University. It's not black clay, it's reduction cooled brown clay. The second is a piece by Susan Harris of Southern Utah University. Susan is a master of getting bright flashing in her reduction cooling pieces.
  

I use Speedball pink at cone 6 all the time. I don't love the color, though- too salmon for me- so I cut it 50/50 with white to get a nice soft pink. Could be your clear glaze causing the burnout, or maybe not putting the pink on thick enough.

When you reduce an iron bearing clay body, the iron goes from red to black, and then the surface reoxidizes during cooling. If you cool in reduction, then the iron stays black. You need a clay body with 4-4.5% iron if you want black. To do it well, you need to be able to seal off the kiln but still be able to introduce a small amount of reduction. In a wood burning kiln, that means sealing up all the air holes with clay, and tossing in just a couple small scraps of wood every 10-20 minutes as it cools, down to a temp where it won't reoxidize. Very slow and boring process. In a gas kiln you seal off the burner ports but leave a small pilot flame burning for the reduction. Introducing small amounts of air can result in bright flashes of color on the surface. The first photo below is a teapot by John Neely, who pioneered reduction cooling in the US at Utah State University. It's not black clay, it's reduction cooled brown clay. The second is a piece by Susan Harris of Southern Utah University. Susan is a master of getting bright flashing in her reduction cooling pieces.
  

I use Speedball pink at cone 6 all the time. I don't love the color, though- too salmon for me- so I cut it 50/50 with white to get a nice soft pink. Could be your clear glaze causing the burnout, or maybe not putting the pink on thick enough.

I use Speedball pink at cone 6 all the time. I don't love the color, though- too salmon for me- so I cut it 50/50 with white to get a nice soft pink. Could be your clear glaze causing the burnout, or maybe not putting the pink on thick enough.

I use Speedball pink at cone 6 all the time. I don't love the color, though- too salmon for me- so I cut it 50/50 with white to get a nice soft pink. Could be your clear glaze causing the burnout, or maybe not putting the pink on thick enough.

Doing workshops and teaching classes are two different animals. Workshops are a good way to make some extra money, but you don't get the chance to do them until you're fairly famous because it's your name that's the draw. There may be others out there who make work that is just as nice but no one is going to pay money to go to a workshop if they haven't heard of them. It's also not something that you can do every week all year long. There's just not that kind of opportunity, and it'll eat into your studio time. One of the nice things about the internet age is that you can do online workshops, however you still need the name recognition to get people to sign up. The vast majority of potters do not do workshops on a regular basis, but they're great when you do get to do them. You can make a few hundred bucks for a day's work, plus sell some pots and meet a bunch of other potters. They're a great ego boost, too!
Teaching pottery classes does not pay much. Many people who teach are paid in studio use, kiln use, clay, etc. If they are paid actual money it's not usually very much because they're paid for contact hours, and classes are usually only 2-3 hours once a week. Even as a studio owner you have to offer a lot of classes for it to be profitable. My classes cover my monthly expenses plus a little more. It would not be profitable on its own to a degree that was worthwhile unless I offered 3 times as many classes as I do (I currently have 4). That many classes would require hiring a couple of helpers, and working all day on Saturday, which is why it's never been the sole focus of my business.
College level teaching is a sweet gig if it's an environment you enjoy. Time off, benefits, etc. Personally, I would love a college job, but when I got out of grad school I was burned out on the academic world and didn't pursue it. After a time is was simply too late to start that career. Most college jobs will require you to move, because there are only a handful available each year and chances are they're not in your town.
My business survives because I have 3 income streams- teaching, selling my work, and kiln sales/repair. It was the best way for me to get the business going and now I'm settled into it. With some changes I could make a go at any one of them on its own, but I really don't want to. It fits the way I like to work, and works really well with my home life. The downside is that kiln repair and studio time can fluctuate a lot. Repair work has been crazy lately, so studio time has been virtually non-existent for the past few months. Financially it all works out just fine- money is money- but I do wish I had more time to make pots.

It's also really easy to over-reduce when reduction cooling, and can mess things up. It really takes very little fuel if the kiln is sealed up halfway well.

1. It depends on your location and advertising capability. Social media makes it a lot easier than it used to be, and right now there is high demand for pottery classes. The more you offer, the more work it is for you but the more money you'll make. A lot depends on your kiln capacity and shelving space. You need X amount of classes/students to cover your costs (rent, utilities, staff, etc) and you go from there. I would have to double or triple the number of classes I offer in order to make it truly profitable, because I have a small studio (I have other revenue streams so it's not my only focus). It takes a lot of shelving for students to store their in-progress work on, plus space for greenware, bisqueware, and finished work.
2. Totally depends. Lots of variables.
3. Depends on how much work you want to do yourself. To make classes profitable, you have to offer a lot of night and weekend classes, which can wear on you pretty quickly if you're also working during the day. Friday and Saturday night parties are a quick way to make a few hundred bucks, but it gets old working nights. I have two night classes a week, and it feels like I'm there 4 nights a week.
4. You can totally make a good living if you can fill enough classes.
5. Kiln element life depends on how hot you're firing. If you're doing bisque and cone 5/6, about 130-150 firings from a set of elements. If you're only doing low fire, then 250+. You should learn to change elements and maintain the kilns yourself as it'll save a lot of money and reduce down time. Wheels don't need much work at all.
There are a ton of variables at play here, so answering these questions with any precision is impossible. Opening a studio in small town Indiana is going to be a completely different experience than opening a studio on the north side of Chicago.

You can treat the underglaze like any other oxide wash. Water it down as needed. To show texture well, brush it over the entire area, then sponge it off the high points so it stays in the recesses.

Kaolin should reduce drying time quite a bit, but it will probably increase the porosity, too. Personally, I would be very interested in seeing a body that was all kaolin/no ball clay, to see how much the color of the body is affected.
As a kiln tech guy, the most exciting part about this is the potential for really good element life and kiln lifespan while still making vitrified ware. It's something I've though about a lot, but never had the time to pursue. It would be really bad for my kiln sales and repair business, though! I used to fire at cone 8, and by dropping to cone 6, which is only a difference of about 50 degrees, my element life increased by 25-30%. By dropping from cone 6 to even cone 1 would make a huge difference. This is exactly what clay and glaze manufacturers should be working on as energy costs and kiln costs continue to rise. On that note, why cone 03? Is that the limit of your kiln? Have you though about taking one of your tests that is at around 2.5% absorption and going 1-2 cones hotter to see what happens?
I'm also excited to see how glaze fit works in these bodies when you get to that point. I have to think you'll get a much better clay/glaze interface than with typical porous earthenware bodies.

Quartz inversion issues take a relatively quick drop to be a problem. You can leave 3 peeps out from the peak temp and you are still very unlikely to have anything crack. I open my kilns wide open at 350F on a regular basis without issues. I've pulled pieces out at 500F, but that makes me nervous. I'll often prop the lid and inch at 500F and it doesn't hurt anything.

Kaolin should reduce drying time quite a bit, but it will probably increase the porosity, too. Personally, I would be very interested in seeing a body that was all kaolin/no ball clay, to see how much the color of the body is affected.
As a kiln tech guy, the most exciting part about this is the potential for really good element life and kiln lifespan while still making vitrified ware. It's something I've though about a lot, but never had the time to pursue. It would be really bad for my kiln sales and repair business, though! I used to fire at cone 8, and by dropping to cone 6, which is only a difference of about 50 degrees, my element life increased by 25-30%. By dropping from cone 6 to even cone 1 would make a huge difference. This is exactly what clay and glaze manufacturers should be working on as energy costs and kiln costs continue to rise. On that note, why cone 03? Is that the limit of your kiln? Have you though about taking one of your tests that is at around 2.5% absorption and going 1-2 cones hotter to see what happens?
I'm also excited to see how glaze fit works in these bodies when you get to that point. I have to think you'll get a much better clay/glaze interface than with typical porous earthenware bodies.

You cannot change the kiln to a 3 wire prong. It needs the 4th wire because that model runs each section of the kiln on 120 volts. Each section gets a hot, they share the neutral, and you have to have a ground wire. You would have to pull a 4th wire and change the outlet and the dryer plug to a 4 prong. The other solution would be to rewire the kiln so the elements run on 240 volts.

Just an update, but I got the kiln wired and fired it for the first time yesterday. I guess I got lucky, but it works just fine! No problems so far, and I’m doing a test firing today to make sure I got the right temp and time for firing my clay. Thanks everyone who replied, I took everyone’s advice and it definitely helped!