Tools you might need next
Calculate glaze batch weight from unity formula and raw material analysis. Scale recipes to any batch size for consistent studio pottery glazing.
Calculate clay shrinkage percentage from wet, dry, and fired dimensions. Plan pottery sizes accurately for clay bodies from leather-hard through glaze firing.
Calculate ring blank length from finger size, band width, and metal gauge. Get accurate strip dimensions for soldering seamless jewelry bands.
Ramp rate is the temperature change per hour between setpoints. Slower ramps reduce thermal shock; faster ramps save time but risk cracking on thick ware.
Ramp (°F/hr) = (T₂ − T₁) / hoursPyrometric cones bend at specific heat-work values, not fixed temperatures. Cone 06 (~1828°F) is typical bisque; cone 5–10 (~2185–2381°F) for stoneware and porcelain glazes.
Heat-work ∝ ∫ temperature × time dtHold steps soak the kiln at a set temperature to even out heat, burn out organics, or mature glazes. Holds add heat-work beyond what ramp alone delivers.
Total heat-work = ramp contribution + (hold temp × hold duration)Updated: July 2026
Program: 200°F/hr to 250°F (candle), 150°F/hr to 1500°F with 30 min hold, 108°F/hr to cone 06. Calculator totals ~8 hours for a half-full 7 cu ft kiln.
Gas kiln: fast bisque already done; glaze fire ramps 300°F/hr to 2000°F, 150°F/hr to cone 10 with 15 min hold, crash cool to 1800°F before oxidation soak.
After cone 6 peak, schedule controlled drop at 150°F/hr from 2000°F to 1600°F over 2.5 hours to grow zinc silicate crystals in a matte glaze.
Bisque needs organics burnout below red heat with slow ramps; glaze firings focus on peak maturity and may include fast initial ramps. Use separate programs for each firing type.
Thermocouples drift and kilns have hot and cold zones. Place self-supporting cones at top, middle, and bottom shelves to verify the schedule actually hits target.
A controlled firing schedule manages how fast temperature rises, where the kiln holds, and how long it cools. This calculator builds step-by-step programs with ramp rates and target cones so you can fire bisque and glaze loads safely and consistently.