firing a kiln with only one large pot?

[shawnhar]

If I wanted to try it, would there be any potential issues to consider? I would like to try some big pots, big enough that only one would fit in my kiln, maybe a few mugs or something to go with it, but a mostly empty kiln.  You guys have said a mostly empty kiln will fire differently than a full one, but what if one pot took up the whole kiln? Seems risky...

[neilestrick]

Just try to center the pot in the kiln, vertically and horizontally. It'll work. Don't do a fast fire, though.

[liambesaw]

It'll heat up and cool down a lot faster, not really an issue with digital controller I guess.

[Mark C.]

go slow

[shawnhar]

Awesome, thanks!

[hitchmss]

If the big pot, has a BIG mouth, inside of which you can fit smaller pots, it might be worth it to tumble stack that inner pot, so you dont waste all that space/money. If the big pots walls/floors are thinner (less than 1/2"), avoid putting too much outward pressure from the inner pots, lest you could crack the wall. Likewise, I wouldnt pile SOOO much weight on the floor of the pot that it would have a hard time expanding/contracting across the shelf, and possibly crack.

With a smaller thermal mass, the kiln will go faster (as others above noted); creating more thermal mass will help slow the kiln down too.

[Bill Kielb]

If this is automatic, it will go as fast as the controller is set for. If this is a schedule you program it will go as fast as you program it to go. If this is a manual kiln then go slower than you are accustomed to. Grog the shelf so it can expand and contract easily without pulling itself  out of shape.

if this is bisque, adding weight to the inside will make it drag on the shelf so carefull how much you load in it.