Starting with the Fall 2024 Class Session, we will be switching to Cone 10 Reduction firing for the majority of the work made in our studio. We will still offer Cone 5 & 6 firings in the electric kilns, but not in the big gas kiln. This will prompt some pretty significant changes for some of the ways we do things. This page is to provide information and details about the transition for both current students/members and for those with home studios using our firing services.
Everywhere the language says "I", it is Heather Hitt, Burnish owner speaking. If it says "we" then it is a task or project that the Burnish team of instructors and techs are collaborating on. I also want to give a huge thank you to Dylan Atteberry, our Studio Glaze Tech for all of his work on mixing and testing the cone 10 glazes we are going to be using. This has been a huge project we asked of Dylan and it has been quite the journey. I also want to thank Sara Young for her help and guidance in getting us all through this project.
The information on this page is as correct as I know it to be for my studio. However, I am not a clay or glaze chemistry expert. I learned a lot in the 25 years I have been playing with clay - especially in the 5 years since Burnish opened. But for the 1st 20 years my role in clay was as a hobby potter, a serious hobby but still - I have never had in depth training or education on clay and glaze chemistry although I have had amazing mentors along the way. That being said, if you ARE a credentialed expert with technical expertise and you come across any misinformation on this page, please let me know so that we can correct it.
This information is also specific to our kilns, our glaze recipes, and the clay bodies we use. Other potters and studios may have different experiences or expectations than us, which is all good. When even the minerals in the tap water can impact the glaze functionality, it is really hard to say there are any true absolutes when comparing one persons experience to another's.
Click on each topic to read the details. If you have questions not answered here, please submit your question via the comment box at the bottom.
Everywhere the language says "I", it is Heather Hitt, Burnish owner speaking. If it says "we" then it is a task or project that the Burnish team of instructors and techs are collaborating on. I also want to give a huge thank you to Dylan Atteberry, our Studio Glaze Tech for all of his work on mixing and testing the cone 10 glazes we are going to be using. This has been a huge project we asked of Dylan and it has been quite the journey. I also want to thank Sara Young for her help and guidance in getting us all through this project.
The information on this page is as correct as I know it to be for my studio. However, I am not a clay or glaze chemistry expert. I learned a lot in the 25 years I have been playing with clay - especially in the 5 years since Burnish opened. But for the 1st 20 years my role in clay was as a hobby potter, a serious hobby but still - I have never had in depth training or education on clay and glaze chemistry although I have had amazing mentors along the way. That being said, if you ARE a credentialed expert with technical expertise and you come across any misinformation on this page, please let me know so that we can correct it.
This information is also specific to our kilns, our glaze recipes, and the clay bodies we use. Other potters and studios may have different experiences or expectations than us, which is all good. When even the minerals in the tap water can impact the glaze functionality, it is really hard to say there are any true absolutes when comparing one persons experience to another's.
Click on each topic to read the details. If you have questions not answered here, please submit your question via the comment box at the bottom.
Why are we making this change? The Long Version...
In recent years, there has been a number of significant changes to the availability and cost of certain raw materials widely used in the ceramics industry. Some ingredients are being more heavily used in other industries, causing their availability to us to be more limited and the cost to skyrocket. Other ingredients have been mined out and are gone from this world forever. For those, the materials that are the closest match in their chemistry are not a perfect match and it has changed the way clay bodies and glazes work. If you are interested in learning more about just one of the lost materials, there is a great article on the Clay Materials Workshop website.
We have seen this demonstrated in the ways that some mid-range temperature clays and glazes (Cone 4-6) are not sealing as well as they used to - resulting in pieces not being watertight. The dirty (not so secret) secret of the ceramics industry is that mid-range clay bodies from all manufacturers have always had higher absorption rates than high fired clays (Cone 10), and have always relied on a good glaze fit to fully seal finished pieces. This is the part of the process where we learn the hard way that functional pottery is much more about science and chemistry than it is about art. This is not just a Clay Art Center issue – it is happening across all clay and glaze manufacturers. CAC has been and continues to be amazing to work with as we all figure things out.
As with everything in the ceramics world it comes down to balance and the Goldilocks paradox. When firing a kiln it can't be too hot and it can't be too cold, it has to be just right. Too cool and the glazes don't melt correctly and also the clay body does not mature to become watertight. Too hot and the glazes can get too melty and run off the pot, and also the clay body itself can bloat and blister, and at that stage it can also stop holding water as the clay looses its structural integrity.
That window of temperature that is "just right" for clay bodies is much narrower at Cone 6 than it is at Cone 10. Add to that the fact that the "just right" temperature for each individual clay body is also different. By offering so many different clay bodies for y'all to use, it makes it harder for us to pinpoint the window that works best for so many different clays. Our big gas kiln will always have at least 1 cone temperature difference from top to bottom and front to back, and in the coldest spot it can be 2 cones different.
While we could continue to drive Dylan and Finley crazy as we struggle to find the perfect balance of glaze recipes and firing programs in the very narrow window that mid-range firing temperatures (cone 4-6) work, we are going to take the pressure off by switching to Cone 10 that has a much wider temperature window to work with both in the materials and in the way our specific kiln fires.
Lastly, the Cone 10 glazes are just so gorgeous. If you read the literature on some of the commercial glazes formulated for mid-range electric kilns out there, they talk about “mimicking the effects of Cone 10 Reduction in an Electric Kiln.” We have no need to make do with the generic substitution when we have access to the real deal.
We have seen this demonstrated in the ways that some mid-range temperature clays and glazes (Cone 4-6) are not sealing as well as they used to - resulting in pieces not being watertight. The dirty (not so secret) secret of the ceramics industry is that mid-range clay bodies from all manufacturers have always had higher absorption rates than high fired clays (Cone 10), and have always relied on a good glaze fit to fully seal finished pieces. This is the part of the process where we learn the hard way that functional pottery is much more about science and chemistry than it is about art. This is not just a Clay Art Center issue – it is happening across all clay and glaze manufacturers. CAC has been and continues to be amazing to work with as we all figure things out.
As with everything in the ceramics world it comes down to balance and the Goldilocks paradox. When firing a kiln it can't be too hot and it can't be too cold, it has to be just right. Too cool and the glazes don't melt correctly and also the clay body does not mature to become watertight. Too hot and the glazes can get too melty and run off the pot, and also the clay body itself can bloat and blister, and at that stage it can also stop holding water as the clay looses its structural integrity.
That window of temperature that is "just right" for clay bodies is much narrower at Cone 6 than it is at Cone 10. Add to that the fact that the "just right" temperature for each individual clay body is also different. By offering so many different clay bodies for y'all to use, it makes it harder for us to pinpoint the window that works best for so many different clays. Our big gas kiln will always have at least 1 cone temperature difference from top to bottom and front to back, and in the coldest spot it can be 2 cones different.
While we could continue to drive Dylan and Finley crazy as we struggle to find the perfect balance of glaze recipes and firing programs in the very narrow window that mid-range firing temperatures (cone 4-6) work, we are going to take the pressure off by switching to Cone 10 that has a much wider temperature window to work with both in the materials and in the way our specific kiln fires.
Lastly, the Cone 10 glazes are just so gorgeous. If you read the literature on some of the commercial glazes formulated for mid-range electric kilns out there, they talk about “mimicking the effects of Cone 10 Reduction in an Electric Kiln.” We have no need to make do with the generic substitution when we have access to the real deal.
Why are we making this change? the short Version (TLDR)
The short version is that:
- A few mines that ingredients come from have closed - those changes have impacted Cone 6 glazes and clays much more significantly than those used for Cone 10.
- With that, our Cone 6 glazes are just not as pretty as they used to be, and are not sealing the clay as well as they used to.
- The clays themselves are also not as water tight as they used to be. CAC and all the other clay makers are working on it, but it is very complicated. CAC has been and continues to be amazing to work with as we all figure things out.
- Some ingredients that are used to lower the melting point of clays and glazes from Cone 10 to Cone 6 are the ones with the biggest increase in prices (one example: Lithium is a wonderful flux that is also used in batteries.)
- Our big gas kiln is particular, and it is easier to provide more consistent results at Cone 10 than Cone 6.
- The glazes are so much prettier
Will you still sell Cone 6 Clay for both in-studio use and for home studio users?
Yes! We will continue to have at least 4-6 Cone 6 clay bodies routinely stocked in the shop - below is the list for right now. I am also open to suggestion or bribery. We can also special order clay for you if there is something specific you want that we do not typically carry.
- Oregon White
- SMY
- OH6
- Akio Sculpture
- Laguna B-Mix (No Speckle)
- Laguna B-Mix - Speckled
When can I start using Cone 10 Clay instead of Cone 6?
You are welcome to start now! We have a variety of Cone 10 clay bodies available to purchase in the studio already. We do not have regularly scheduled Cone 10 glaze firings scheduled yet, but that will be coming soon so if you tend to work at a slower pace and are ready to buy a new bag of clay, you are welcome to dive right in. We will definitely be having a Cone 10 firing at the end of August, but the specific dates yet have not been set.
Once we get into the Fall class session, then the firing schedule will be more like what it is today - dependent upon y'all to fill up the glaze carts so we have enough to fill the kiln.
Once we get into the Fall class session, then the firing schedule will be more like what it is today - dependent upon y'all to fill up the glaze carts so we have enough to fill the kiln.
What Cone 10 clay body will the classes be using and what else will be available?
After much discussion and debate we will be using OH10 for the wheel classes and Soldate 60 for the Handbuilding classes. We will continue to evaluate as we go along to make sure we are using clays that the majority of people like and are able to be successful with.
For the rest of the clays, I am trying to have a 1 for 1 replacement of the popular cone 6 clays to start with to make the transition less fraught for you. Some matches are easier than others - Dakota Yellow is similar to SMY in that it is a yellow iron oxide clay that turns brick red when fired. Laguna has a Cone 10 version of B-Mix that is even better than their Cone 5. Since Welmer is such a Soda firing favorite, it will definitely still be around. Below is the full list of what we have ordered for the 9/17 delivery from CAC.
For the rest of the clays, I am trying to have a 1 for 1 replacement of the popular cone 6 clays to start with to make the transition less fraught for you. Some matches are easier than others - Dakota Yellow is similar to SMY in that it is a yellow iron oxide clay that turns brick red when fired. Laguna has a Cone 10 version of B-Mix that is even better than their Cone 5. Since Welmer is such a Soda firing favorite, it will definitely still be around. Below is the full list of what we have ordered for the 9/17 delivery from CAC.
- BC 10
- Bedrock
- B-Mix C10
- Dakota White
- Dakota Yellow
- Newcomb 10
- OH10
- OH Woodfire
- Rods Bod
- Soldate 60
- Takamori Porcelain
- Welmar
- White Rose Porcelain
When will the Glaze Sample Wall be updated with the Cone 10 glazes?
An excellent question I don't have a firm answer on. That is a huge project that we could not start until we picked a class clay, which we did on 8/21 - and we will not have the clay on site to start that project until the next CAC delivery on 9/17. Our drop dead due date for completion is before classes have their first glaze demo, which would be mid-October. In the meantime, we have test tiles showing the glazes on the small folding table in front of the glaze sample wall.
We will also need to extrude clay body samples of all the different Cone 10 clays in order to update the Clay Body Glaze Sample wall too. And then there are the slips and stains that need samples after that...
We will also need to extrude clay body samples of all the different Cone 10 clays in order to update the Clay Body Glaze Sample wall too. And then there are the slips and stains that need samples after that...
Will you offer clay body samples for people to try before buying a full block?
Some, yes we will. When we extrude the pieces for the Clay Body / glaze sample wall, we will be left with partial bags of clay. We will chop up whatever is remaining into 1lb pieces and make them available to purchase. When will those be available? TBD - See the section above about the Glaze Sample wall...
How long will the Cone 6 glazes on the glaze table be available?
We will keep mixing the studio Cone 6 glazes at least through the end of the Summer class session which ends on Sept 1. At some point in September, we will change it all over so that the Cone 10 glazes are on the glaze table, and the Cone 6 glazes are off to the side. We will keep those Cone 6 Glazes available, moving them to smaller and smaller buckets until there is not enough left for it to be usable.
A Clear glaze for use over underglazes, and a White to use as a liner glaze will continue to be available ongoing. Otherwise, anyone choosing to continue to use Cone 6 clay will need to purchase their own commercially manufactured glazes. We will continue to stock some Mayco brand glazes in the retail area, and we can special order anything else you may want from Clay Art Center.
A Clear glaze for use over underglazes, and a White to use as a liner glaze will continue to be available ongoing. Otherwise, anyone choosing to continue to use Cone 6 clay will need to purchase their own commercially manufactured glazes. We will continue to stock some Mayco brand glazes in the retail area, and we can special order anything else you may want from Clay Art Center.
Can I still glaze fire to cone 6 in the Electric Kilns?
Yes - we will continue to have Cone 6 electric firings available. We want to be able to continue to support those who decorate extensively with underglazes and those who prefer to use commercially made cone 6 glazes. I would like to move away from Cone 5 firings, but will need to get your feedback on eliminating SMY and B-Mix with Speckles, which are the 2 clays we know cannot handle Cone 6 firings.
Cone 10 in Electric?
Technically the electric kilns are rated to fire to Cone 10, but the wear & tear on the heating elements is significantly higher and they are not cheap. Changing the elements can also damage the bricks, so we would like to minimize the frequency that we burn out the elements. Given all that, we will not offer Cone 10 electric firings.
Cone 10 in Electric?
Technically the electric kilns are rated to fire to Cone 10, but the wear & tear on the heating elements is significantly higher and they are not cheap. Changing the elements can also damage the bricks, so we would like to minimize the frequency that we burn out the elements. Given all that, we will not offer Cone 10 electric firings.
Underglazes & Colored Slips
So you like to decorate extensively with underglazes? That's great! Some of the underglazes will still look as good at Cone 10 reduction as they do at Cone 6 reduction, but some will not. Studio member Barb has been doing a ton of work testing out the underglazes for her own work. We will piggy-back on her efforts to establish a list of the brands & colors that will still work in the Cone 10 gas firings and which will need to be used only in the Cone 6 electric kiln. Thank you Barb for letting us cheat off your testing!
The colored slips we currently use in the studio work well at both Cone 6 and Cone 10 so they will not be changing at this time. However, we are open to suggestion on tweaking colors in the future once we get settled in to the new glazes.
The colored slips we currently use in the studio work well at both Cone 6 and Cone 10 so they will not be changing at this time. However, we are open to suggestion on tweaking colors in the future once we get settled in to the new glazes.
What about Reclaim?
Honestly, we may have to discard a batch or 2 during the transition because we would have to test each round. Each batch of reclaim is just a mix of whatever people dumped into that specific bucket. For the time in-between when there is a more even split of people using both Cone 6 & Cone 10 we may not be able to guarantee results with the reclaim.
Long term, if a little bit of Cone 6 clay gets mixed in with a bucket of Cone 10 reclaim, it will not significantly impact the firing temps. Just like now were we have some people using Cone 10 clay and depositing their bucket slop and trimmings in with the Cone 6 clay. It will come down to ratios, and we will have to monitor and evaluate as we go.
Long term, if a little bit of Cone 6 clay gets mixed in with a bucket of Cone 10 reclaim, it will not significantly impact the firing temps. Just like now were we have some people using Cone 10 clay and depositing their bucket slop and trimmings in with the Cone 6 clay. It will come down to ratios, and we will have to monitor and evaluate as we go.
I have a home studio, but I glaze and/or fire at Burnish. What does this mean for me?
If you are a home studio person who uses our firing services, this change may or may not impact you.
- If you have your own glazes at home and are firing in our electric kilns, then you just keep doing what you do.
- If you use our glazes, then all the info above is applicable to you. You will have to either switch to buying Cone 10 clay, or you will have to start buying your own commercial glazes. We will only keep a Cone 6 version of Clear and White glazes for people to use. This option is only for people who have previous glazing experience and can glaze unassisted.
When will the last cone 6 reduction firing be?
In part, we will have to see how it goes. Ideally I would like to phase out Cone 6 Reduction firings by the end of September, but if there is a ton of Cone 6 glaze and a ton of Cone 6 pots still to be fired made from clay people purchased previously, then we will go a little longer. There will be signs and emails and lots of communication once a final final date is set.
However, I think once y'all see the results of the Cone 10 glazes, you are going to want to make the switch as soon as you can.
However, I think once y'all see the results of the Cone 10 glazes, you are going to want to make the switch as soon as you can.
The below topics are much more technical in nature, for those who are curious or anxious about all the nitty gritty.
What happens if I put the wrong clay or glaze through the wrong Cone Firing?
The good news for the studio is that it is highly unlikely to damage the kilns or hurt anyone else's pots. High iron Cone 5/6 clay bodies (red clays that are only used by people with home studios) can fully melt at Cone 10, but that is a minimal risk. The bad news for you is that pairing the wrong temp clay with the wrong glaze in the wrong kiln can be bad for your pieces.
After every firing, even when the glaze, clay, and firing temp match up you should examine all your pieces for glaze defects and clay issues. Water testing by filling pieces with water and leaving on a paper towel overnight is recommended but don't leave it sitting on metal - condensation can skew your results. If the towel is dry the next day, then you can assume it is watertight.
The breakdown for potential issues with mismatched temperatures is outlined below. Cone is abbreviated to "C" in these examples for brevity, so Cone 6 is C6:
After every firing, even when the glaze, clay, and firing temp match up you should examine all your pieces for glaze defects and clay issues. Water testing by filling pieces with water and leaving on a paper towel overnight is recommended but don't leave it sitting on metal - condensation can skew your results. If the towel is dry the next day, then you can assume it is watertight.
The breakdown for potential issues with mismatched temperatures is outlined below. Cone is abbreviated to "C" in these examples for brevity, so Cone 6 is C6:
- C6 OR C10 glaze on C6 clay in C10 firing: the clay body itself gets a little melty during the firing, which has a chemical impact on the meltiness of the glaze, making it run more. The risk is the glaze will run off the pot and all over the shelves whether it is C6 or C10 glaze. The clay itself may bloat or blister, making it weak and not safe for use.
- C6 glaze on C10 clay in C10 firing: it might be fine, it might run all over the kiln shelves, it might have other glaze fit issues like shivering or crawling as the glaze shrinks more than the clay. If there are no visible glaze defects, then let it sit for a week or so, sometimes the flaws take time to show.
- C6 glaze on C10 clay in C6 firing: Because the clay does not fully mature, the glaze may not fully melt too. If the glaze does melt, it may still have fit issues as the clay does not shrink enough to fit the glaze right - you may see glaze issues like more crazing or pinholes. The clay may also not be watertight, and combined with the glaze failures it most likely is not functional. There is no way to remove the C6 glaze to reglaze with C10 once it has been fired. If there are no significant glaze defects visible, then you can try re-firing to C10, but see the bullet point above for risks.
- C10 glaze on C10 clay in C6 firing: Most likely the glaze will look quite underfired and feel quite dry. It can easily be refired to C10.
What does Reduction firing even mean?
When we fire a glaze load in the big gas kin, we manipulate the atmosphere inside the kiln to force chemical changes in the clay and glazes. You CAN fire the gas kiln in a more neutral atmosphere like we do when we bisque fire, but reduction gives really cool effects. The electric kilns can be manipulated to have a reduction atmosphere but it is complicated and really hard on the kiln.
The website Digital Fire explains Reduction as:
A kiln atmosphere that is deficient in free oxygen. In traditional ceramics, reduction firing requires a specially designed fuel-fired kiln that restricts the flow of incoming air so there is enough to burn the fuel and no more (in some cases it is restricted so that is actually less than enough to introduce carbon into the atmosphere). This condition is accomplished in gas kilns by increasing back-pressure or reducing the amount of primary air available to each burner. The result is an increase in gases like carbon, hydrogen and CO. These are very aggressive in wanting to combine with oxygen, they steal it from within bodies and glazes. Hydrogen is small and particularly oxygen-hungry.
Reduction firing produces different colors and visual effects because metallic oxides willing to give up oxygen convert to their reduced or more metallic form. The associated effects include some impossible or difficult to achieve in oxidation. Good examples are copper which burns red (it fires green in oxidation), iron which becomes a powerful flux and produces a wide range of intense and earth-tone browns (it is refractory in oxidation), celadon greens and blues and dolomite mattes. A particularly interesting effect is iron speckling in clay bodies. In fact, because almost all natural clays contain iron, reduction firing normally gives completely different clay surface effects than oxidation.
The website Digital Fire explains Reduction as:
A kiln atmosphere that is deficient in free oxygen. In traditional ceramics, reduction firing requires a specially designed fuel-fired kiln that restricts the flow of incoming air so there is enough to burn the fuel and no more (in some cases it is restricted so that is actually less than enough to introduce carbon into the atmosphere). This condition is accomplished in gas kilns by increasing back-pressure or reducing the amount of primary air available to each burner. The result is an increase in gases like carbon, hydrogen and CO. These are very aggressive in wanting to combine with oxygen, they steal it from within bodies and glazes. Hydrogen is small and particularly oxygen-hungry.
Reduction firing produces different colors and visual effects because metallic oxides willing to give up oxygen convert to their reduced or more metallic form. The associated effects include some impossible or difficult to achieve in oxidation. Good examples are copper which burns red (it fires green in oxidation), iron which becomes a powerful flux and produces a wide range of intense and earth-tone browns (it is refractory in oxidation), celadon greens and blues and dolomite mattes. A particularly interesting effect is iron speckling in clay bodies. In fact, because almost all natural clays contain iron, reduction firing normally gives completely different clay surface effects than oxidation.
What do you mean by "Cones"? Cone 06 vs Cone 6 vs Cone 10?
Sadly when we talk about melting cones in a pottery studio, we are not talking about ice-cream cones. The word "Cone" in a pottery studio refers to the physical cones placed in the kiln for each firing to measure the temperature and heat work inside the kiln during the firing. When we talk about Cone 10 Clay, what we are really saying is "a clay body that matures in the kin around the time/temp that the Cone 10 pyrometric cone melts." It is a lot easier to just say Cone 10 clay. If you want a more detailed history about firing temps and how clay is made, click here to go to The Clay Lady's website.
Mid Fire clay typically matures in the range of Cone 4 - Cone 6. People frequently use Cone 6 as an umbrella term covering all mid-range clays even if actually firing to cone 4, 5 or even 7. Many mid fire clay and glazes are recipes that were originally formulated for Cone 10, and then were reformulated by adding ingredients that melt at a lower temperature to reduce the overall temperature that the clay or glaze matures at.
One common additive used to lower the melting point is a category of ingredient called a Feldspar, which "refers to a family of minerals with a specific crystalline presence." In this country, the most commonly used Feldspar in clay bodies was Custer Feldspar. The company that mined it closed in 2023, having significant impacts to the entire ceramics industry. Click here for more on that topic.
What you will not hear us talk about at Burnish are Low Fire clay, or earthenwares, which typically mature in the range of Cones 04 - Cone 06. That 0 acts like a negative number - Cone 04 is hotter than Cone 06 but hundreds of degrees cooler that Cone 6. We do not stock low fire clay at Burnish because if you accidentally fire it to Cone 6, it can fully melt into a liquid and run all over your kiln shelf, all over the adjacent pieces, and depending on position in the kiln, down onto pieces below or onto the walls of the kiln or into the elements. An entire kiln load of earthenware fired too hot could easily destroy a kiln.
Mid Fire clay typically matures in the range of Cone 4 - Cone 6. People frequently use Cone 6 as an umbrella term covering all mid-range clays even if actually firing to cone 4, 5 or even 7. Many mid fire clay and glazes are recipes that were originally formulated for Cone 10, and then were reformulated by adding ingredients that melt at a lower temperature to reduce the overall temperature that the clay or glaze matures at.
One common additive used to lower the melting point is a category of ingredient called a Feldspar, which "refers to a family of minerals with a specific crystalline presence." In this country, the most commonly used Feldspar in clay bodies was Custer Feldspar. The company that mined it closed in 2023, having significant impacts to the entire ceramics industry. Click here for more on that topic.
What you will not hear us talk about at Burnish are Low Fire clay, or earthenwares, which typically mature in the range of Cones 04 - Cone 06. That 0 acts like a negative number - Cone 04 is hotter than Cone 06 but hundreds of degrees cooler that Cone 6. We do not stock low fire clay at Burnish because if you accidentally fire it to Cone 6, it can fully melt into a liquid and run all over your kiln shelf, all over the adjacent pieces, and depending on position in the kiln, down onto pieces below or onto the walls of the kiln or into the elements. An entire kiln load of earthenware fired too hot could easily destroy a kiln.
What are Pyrometric Cones made from and how do they work?
The simple explanation is that they are a specific bit of clay materials that are manufactured to melt at specific temperatures, but it is not just about the ambient temperature - it is about how the combination of temperature and time impact the pieces. If you think of cooking a piece of meat in your home oven, whether you braise it low & slow or broil it hot & fast, it will still at some point get to the same internal temperature but the effect on the meat will be different - that is basically heat work. Since we can't stick a fork into the kiln to see how "done" our pots are, we use the cones to tell us what impact the time and temperature has had on the pots in the kiln.
For the gas kiln, we put different temperature cones in specific spots each time the kiln is loaded. These spots align with ports with a removable brick to look into the kiln. This is called a Peep - very technical term, it is where you can peep into the kiln to see what is going on (for reals, it is not my made up name for it. All kiln ports are called peeps. Through repeated firings, we learn over time what the melting of the cones we see through the peeps tell us about what is happening throughout the kiln.
If you want a more technical explanation, I recommend the Digital Fire website.
For the gas kiln, we put different temperature cones in specific spots each time the kiln is loaded. These spots align with ports with a removable brick to look into the kiln. This is called a Peep - very technical term, it is where you can peep into the kiln to see what is going on (for reals, it is not my made up name for it. All kiln ports are called peeps. Through repeated firings, we learn over time what the melting of the cones we see through the peeps tell us about what is happening throughout the kiln.
If you want a more technical explanation, I recommend the Digital Fire website.
Still want more info?
If you have any questions about the Cone 10 transition that was not answered above, please submit it here. I may need to do a bit of research to answer it, or if it is super technical in nature I may not be able to answer it at all... but I will do my best to get back to you in a reasonable timeframe.
If you have any questions about the Cone 10 transition that was not answered above, please submit it here. I may need to do a bit of research to answer it, or if it is super technical in nature I may not be able to answer it at all... but I will do my best to get back to you in a reasonable timeframe.