Manual Paragon Kiln for Porcelain Sculpture - Help

[porcelainsculptor]

I am new to firing and I am thinking of getting a little Paragon Kiln. I am really worried about my electric bill... I would be getting the manual model 8x8x6. How long does it need to run to fire cone 6 porcelain sculpture? Of course I will hollow out as much as possible but I may have 2" thick parts. I do not glaze so I can just fire once, correct? Thanks in advance for any help!

[Denice]

I am new to firing and I am thinking of getting a little Paragon Kiln. I am really worried about my electric bill... I would be getting the manual model 8x8x6. How long does it need to run to fire cone 6 porcelain sculpture? Of course I will hollow out as much as possible but I may have 2" thick parts. I do not glaze so I can just fire once, correct? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

What clay are you planning to use ? Is it B-Mix that fires to C6 or porcelain that fires to C!0 and your only firing it to C6, the strength of you clay will determine how thick you can leave it. The thickness of your clay will determine the length of your firing. I have a 6x6x6 Aim test kiln that I fire 6 to 10 times a month and it doesn't make a noticeable difference on my electric bill. Denice

[bciskepottery]

When we fire sculpture at the studio, we often increase the bisque preheat time from 2 hours to as much as 12 hours depending on the thickness of the piece(s) (we've actually gone as high as 24 hours -- depends on who the person is and prior experience with their work). A two-inch thick piece will take a long time to dry thoroughly so it does not crack/explode when being fired -- a preheat is necessary. And, a long preheat will consume electricity. You need to keep that in mind when you consider how long it takes to fire. Given the thickness, you will also want to fire slowly, not fast, to avoid the piece(s) from exploding/cracking.