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Firing and cooling kiln


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How long do I have to wait after a  bisque firing until I can re -fire a  2nd batch of bisque ware

And would it make a difference if first  bisque was stoneware and the 2nd Porcelain?

Does the kiln need to cool down all the way to 0 ?

Thank you 

Nicky 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, Nicky S said:

How long do I have to wait after a  bisque firing until I can re -fire a  2nd batch of bisque ware

As soon as its cool enough to handle wares and shelves

And would it make a difference if first  bisque was stoneware and the 2nd Porcelain?

No

Does the kiln need to cool down all the way to 0 ?

No only cool enough to handle wares and shelves

You can wear gloves and do it when its about oven temps.

Thank you 

Nicky 

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

You can reload and refire your kiln as quickly as you can get the pots out of the first firing. That said, forced cooling of any kiln, but especially electric kilns and soft brick kilns does damage on the kiln, furniture and elements. Wait until your kiln is under 300* before you start cracking (Im talking 1-3"). I only open my kiln lid all the way when its below 180-200* and some may say that is still too hot, however you dont need to wait until its room temp to open your kiln either.   

   On my 60 cu foot glaze kiln, I load, fire to ^12, unload and start refiring in 24 hours. 8 hours up, 12 hours down, 2-4 hours to unload/reload. Not saying you have to do this, but it can be done. As soon as its safe to unload and reload, then go for it!

   There was a girl who looked at doing her masters at the university where I got my bachelors; she wanted us to have a glaze kiln solely for firing her porcelain work. She was worried about iron spots getting on her pots; I thought/think she was a little too anal, but hey, maybe she really could tell a difference. Unless you notice a difference, and its a critical one for you, then firing anything from earthenware to porcelain in your electric kiln wont make a darn bit of difference, and especially one right after the other.

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21 hours ago, hitchmss said:

...she wanted us to have a glaze kiln solely for firing her porcelain work. She was worried about iron spots getting on her pots...

I know porcelain is special but the idea of fugitive iron spots sounds a bit odd.

I've opened a few kilns with tenmokus and iron saturates and never once have I noticed iron volatizing in anyway way. The folks I help sometimes have been unloading kilns for a few more decades and again no mention of iron jumping from pot to pot.

As far as I know iron is relatively stable but the world is a big place and I'm short and don't see so well sometimes.

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Iron can  migrate if the kiln atmosphere contains HCl or salt because all metal chlorides have non-trival vapor pressures at kiln temperatures.  Salt kiln would be an example where iron might move around.  

Since chlorides are not a standard ingredient, in normal clay bodies, glazes, or electric kilns, I agree with Neil — except where halide elements are present.

LT

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