Seeking More Technical Understanding Of Firing To A Cone
This is an esoteric question that I have long wondered about but not found an answer in the usual technical texts, but maybe some of the experts here can help further my "education" about things that probably don't really matter except to us dweebs and nerds. The issue is what exactly does a pyrometric cone equivalent mean to a glaze vs. a clay body. I understand that pyrometric cones are a measure of heatwork, which is a combination rate of temperature rise at the end of the firing and absolute
In my experience, cones and heat work do matter when it comes to glazes, but only once you get the melting started. I have done a few tests with firing 2 cones low and holding to achieve the desired cone (cone 4 with a hold to get to 6, cone 6 with a hold to get to 8). Several of my glazes did not melt much at all, several looked a bit underfired, and several looked the same. Those that looked fine were the ones that I know have a wider firing range than the others. I know this from the times my