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Kiln time ?????


gomojo

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I am new at using the kiln.  The manual says one thing and everyone one I research says another - no information matches.  Today I am doing a low fire glaze on low fire clay.  Cone is 05 -  I am trying 1/2 hr on low, vented, one peep hole,  med. - shut led, one peep hole one hour,  then high - no peeps.   Is that a good plan ?  any information is helpful

 

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Since this is a glaze fire, everyone is trying to basically get you to go slow enough to dry out your wares early and ventilate or remove any steam and burn off while later going about 400 degrees per hour through much of the firing and ending up at about 120 degrees per hour at the end. This firing generally ends in let’s say 7 to 9 hours. Can be somewhat quicker as well as longer all dependent upon desired aesthetic  results. So since your kiln is the size it is, with the power it has, loaded however full it is, there is no precise answer.

Unfortunately this will take personal experience, trial and error if you will. It is quite rewarding once you establish your preferred look however and becomes part of the creative process.

 

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Positioning your cone packs so they can be seen through the peeps would/could help - be sure to protect your eyes with appropriate kiln lenses!

That said, I'm also depending on my pyrometer. Firing cones can indicate "heat work" within a narrow temperature range; the pyrometer provides feedback throughout the firing...

Some (more experienced than I) potters do well by watching the progression of the glow, from barely perceptible red, to bright red, through yellow red, to yellow, then white (perhaps not that hot, heh)...

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No need to prop the lid. If you don't have a downdraft kiln vent, just keep the top peep open through the entire firing, close all the others. If you do have a vent, keep all the peeps closed for the entire firing. If everything is dry and not too thick, you can do 1/2 hour low, 1/2 hour medium, then high. For bisque, 1 hour low, 1 hour medium, then high.

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