Ware and Tare difference between cone 6 and cone 10

[Muddy Mallard]

Hi there! I am new to the forum and I've been potting for about 3 almost 4 years now. So far all my potting has been done on a campus and at Cone 10. I was looking into possibly starting off on my own, I have my own little electric kiln and my own wheel as well. While looking into doing this on my own I contemplated the move from cone 10 to cone 6, however I have been looking and trying to research the possible differences between the ware and tare between the two as functional fired pieces. For instance would a mug in cone 6 have the same ware and tare time as a cone 10, how should they be treated differently in every day life? I want to make functional pieces that last! Any input would be very helpful (including possible differences between gas and electric firings up to and between cone 6 and cone 10, I know electric cone 10 is odd but I've seen it done!).

[Marcia Selsor]

Hi there! I am new to the forum and I've been potting for about 3 almost 4 years now. So far all my potting has been done on a campus and at Cone 10. I was looking into possibly starting off on my own, I have my own little electric kiln and my own wheel as well. While looking into doing this on my own I contemplated the move from cone 10 to cone 6, however I have been looking and trying to research the possible differences between the ware and tare between the two as functional fired pieces. For instance would a mug in cone 6 have the same ware and tare time as a cone 10, how should they be treated differently in every day life? I want to make functional pieces that last! Any input would be very helpful (including possible differences between gas and electric firings up to and between cone 6 and cone 10, I know electric cone 10 is odd but I've seen it done!).

 

There s a great article in this month's Ceramics Monthly by Dave Finkelnburg entitled "High and Low" and he discusses in between a bit too.

Good technical information. I have been firing to cone 6 for 31 years both reduction and oxidation after firing to cone 10 for the preceding 14 years. I would say mid-range will last as well as long as the clay is vitrified and your glaze fits and is mature. The lower temperature at ^6 uses about 1/3 less energy and is easier on the wear and tear of your kiln bricks and shelves.

 

Marcia

[Lucille Oka]

There are low fired, open pit, functional, terra cotta pots still around after 5,000 plus years. Granted they are not being handled very much, but are on display and are considered quite precious. Cone 04,05,6, 8, or 10 it doesn't matter. Make your pots well and they too will be around for awhile.

[Benhim]

There are a few things to avoid. Chiefly clays that have a range from 6 - 10 I find are inadequate for daily use ware. These will not be vitrified at cone 6. The softer clay will much more easily break and chip.

 

Cone 4 - 6 clay bodies are available from the better clay manufacturers. Clay Art Center in Tacoma Washington is my supplier. They produce many clay bodies in a range from dark stoneware to true cone 6 porcelain. I'm currently using a few of their cone 6 bodies in my small skutt kiln. They are all tight and seem like they'll last a while.

 

I have a friend that buys a lowfire clay called Wonder White, from Georgies Ceramics. He has a glaze that fits this body at cone 1. He says this body is quite hard and durable at cone 1. He claims to have dropped a customer's pot on the black top at a Farmer's Market with out cracking or chipping. He grabbed her a duplicate just to make sure she wasn't going to get a damaged pot, but sold it the next week because it was undamaged.

 

Poor formulation at any temperature will fail. Vitrification of the clay body followed up with a durable glaze that fits the ware is the key to long lasting ware at any temperature.

[Muddy Mallard]

There are a few things to avoid. Chiefly clays that have a range from 6 - 10 I find are inadequate for daily use ware. These will not be vitrified at cone 6. The softer clay will much more easily break and chip.

 

Cone 4 - 6 clay bodies are available from the better clay manufacturers. Clay Art Center in Tacoma Washington is my supplier. They produce many clay bodies in a range from dark stoneware to true cone 6 porcelain. I'm currently using a few of their cone 6 bodies in my small skutt kiln. They are all tight and seem like they'll last a while.

 

I have a friend that buys a lowfire clay called Wonder White, from Georgies Ceramics. He has a glaze that fits this body at cone 1. He says this body is quite hard and durable at cone 1. He claims to have dropped a customer's pot on the black top at a Farmer's Market with out cracking or chipping. He grabbed her a duplicate just to make sure she wasn't going to get a damaged pot, but sold it the next week because it was undamaged.

 

Poor formulation at any temperature will fail. Vitrification of the clay body followed up with a durable glaze that fits the ware is the key to long lasting ware at any temperature.

 

Thank you for the tips, Georgies near portland happens to be the supplier that I go to..I am fond of their G-mix 10 and they have a cone 6 variation of it that I got to play with over the past week and they feel the same while throwing, I need to ask a few more specific questions about it to make sure its a tighter vitrification range and not like a 6-10 range, thank you very much

[neilestrick]

Cone 6 pots will be every bit as durable as cone 10, as long as everything is formulated correctly. I totally agree that a cone 6-10 clay is not adequately vitrified and cone 6. Use a cone 6 clay. There are two other issues here as well, both in regards to the kiln. First, most cone 10 recipes are formulated for reduction firing, and do not look good fired in oxidation. So while your electric kiln my very well go to cone 10, you can't fire reduction in it. So if you're not firing reduction, don't waste the energy on going to cone 10. Second, your elements will last much longer firing to cone 6 rather than cone 10. Lots longer. I saw a very noticeable difference between cone 6 and cone 8 in my kilns.