Cone 6 cooling schedule

We fired cone 6 last night and the kiln shut off at 11:40 pm. How long should I wait before opening it? And can you write a slow-cool program for the matte glazes?

Slipway

Keep it closed until the readout is under 65°C. For a full cone 6 load in a mid-sized kiln that usually takes 14 to 18 hours from shutoff, so plan on early afternoon.

Opening above about 200°C is the risk. Silica in the body shrinks suddenly near 226°C and 573°C, and a cold draught at that point cracks pots, which potters call dunting.

For the matte glazes, slow the fall through the range where crystals grow. Program the controller like this:

Controller program · cone 6 slow cool
# after peak, cone 6 (1222°C)
seg 1  rate 150°C/h   to 1100°C   hold  0
seg 2  rate  80°C/h   to  760°C   hold 30
seg 3  rate full      to   65°C   hold  0

Segment 2 is the one that matters. It gives the glaze time to grow a soft, satin surface. Skip it for glossy work. When you do open, crack the peepholes first, then the lid an inch.

Enter to send · Shift+Enter for a new line