03DSFF - Cone 03 Fast Fire
04DSDH - Cone 04 Drop-and-Hold
BQ1000 - Plainsman Electric Bisque Firing Schedule
C04PLTP - Plainsman Typical Cone 04
C10RPL - Plainsman Cone 10R Firing
C6DHSC - Plainsman Cone 6 Slow Cool (Reactive glazes)
C6MSGL1 - Mastering Glazes Cone 6
C6PLST - Plainsman Cone 6 Electric Standard
FSCG1 - Shimbo Crystal Schedule 1
FSCGB1 - Bory 1 Fara Shimbo Crystalline Glaze
FSCGCL - Celestite
FSCGWM - Wollast-O-Matte Fara Shimbo Crystalline Glaze
FSCRGL - GC106 Base for Crystalline Glazes
FSHP1 - Shimbo Crystal Holding Pattern 1
FSHP2 - Shimbo Crystal Holding Pattern 2
FSHP3 - Shimbo Crystal Holding Pattern 3
FSNM5 - Fa's Number Five
PLC6CR - Cone 6 Crystal Glaze Plainsman
PLC6DS - Cone 6 Drop-and-Soak Firing Schedule

C6PLST Firing Schedule

Plainsman Cone 6 Electric Standard

We use this schedule to fire clay test bars. Pieces in the kiln have not been bisque fired and are generally not glazed. All the other temperatures (from 06 to 10) follow that same pattern, slowing down for the last 100 degrees F to top temperature and then holding for 10 minutes. If the kiln is more densely packed we lengthen the first step hold time (to drive out all residual water from body and glaze) and hold for longer than 10 minutes. This rate of increase is one that our kilns can manage, even when their elements age.

For glazed ware, it is essential to do a drop-and-hold and optionally, a slow cool firing, such as C6DHSC or PLC6DS.

We always include a self supporting cone. If the cone does not fall the correct amount, we adjust the firing schedule for next time.

Step	°C	°F	Hold	Time
1	55°C/hr to 121C	100°F/hr to 250F	60min	2:45
2	194°C/hr to 1148C	350°F/hr to 2100F	0	8:02
3	60°C/hr to 1204C	108°F/hr to 2200F	10min	9:07

Start temperature assumed: 25°C or 75°F

Related Information

Example of test bars stacked into an electric kiln for firing

These have already been measured to deduce drying shrinkage. After firing they will be measured again to calculate the firing shrinkage. Then they will be weighed, boiled in water and weighed again to determine the water absorption. Fired shrinkage and absorption are good indicators of body maturity.

A batch of fired clay test bars in the Plainsman Clays lab

A batch of fired test bars that have just been boiled and weighed, from these we get dry shrinkage, fired shrinkage and porosity. Each pile is a different mix, fired to various temperatures. Test runs are on the left, production runs on the right. Each bar is stamped with an ID and specimen number (the different specimens are the different temperatures) and the measurements have all be entered into our group account at insight-live.com. Now I have to take each pile and assess the results to make decisions on what to do next (documenting these in insight-live).

Links

Recipes	GR6-H - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Oatmeal Matte Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip glaze. See more at ravenscrag.com.
Recipes	G1215U - Low Expansion Glossy Clear Cone 6 A recipe sourcing high MgO (from Ferro Frit 3249) to produce a low expansion glass resistant to crazing on lower silica porcelains.
Recipes	G2587 - Floating Blue Cone 5-6 Original Glaze Recipe Floating Blue is a classic cone 6 pottery glaze recipe from David Shaner. Because of the high Gerstley Borate content it is troublesome, difficult. But there are alternatives.
Recipes	G1214W - Cone 6 Transparent Base A cone 6 base clear glaze recipe developed by deriving a recipe from a formula taken as an average of limit formulas
Recipes	g2851H - Ravenscrag Cone 6 High Calcium Matte Blue Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip based glaze. It can be found among others at http://ravenscrag.com.
Recipes	GR6-C - Ravenscrag Cone 6 White Glossy Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip based white glossy glaze. It can be found among others at http://ravenscrag.com.
Recipes	GR6-D - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Glossy Black
Recipes	GA6-G1 - Alberta Slip Lithium Brown Cone 6 Low Expansion Plainsman Cone 6 Alberta Slip based glaze. It can be found among others at http://albertaslip.com.
Recipes	G2928C - Ravenscrag Silky Matte for Cone 6 Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip based glaze. It can be found among others at http://ravenscrag.com.
Recipes	G1214M - Original Cone 6 Base Glossy Glaze A recipe developed by Tony Hansen in the 1980s. Its was popular because of the simplicity of the recipe and how well it worked with chrome-tin stains.
Recipes	GA6-A - Alberta Slip Cone 6 Amber Base Glaze An amber-colored glaze that produces a clean, micro bubble free transparent glass on brown and red burning stonewares.
Recipes	GR6-E - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Raspberry Glossy A chrome-tin burgundy glaze using the Ravenscrag cone 6 base recipe.
Recipes	GA6-G - Alberta Slip Lithium Brown Cone 6 Plainsman Cone 6 Alberta Slip based glaze. It can be found among others at http://albertaslip.com.
Recipes	GR6-A - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Clear Glossy Base This Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip base is just the pure material with 20% added frit to make it melt to a glossy natural clear.
Recipes	G1214Z - Cone 6 Silky Matte This glaze was born as a demonstration of how to use chemistry to convert a glossy cone 6 glaze into a matte.
Recipes	GR6-B - Ravenscrag Cone 6 Variegated Light Glossy Blue Plainsman Cone 6 Ravenscrag Slip based glaze. It can be found among others at http://ravenscrag.com.
Typecodes	Oxidation Firing
Firing Schedules	Plainsman Cone 6 Slow Cool (Reactive glazes)
Firing Schedules	Plainsman Electric Bisque Firing Schedule Three-step to 1832F