If something is half an inch, I usually bank on three to four weeks minimum depending on humidity/air circulation/etc. You’ll greatly benefit yourself by getting this up on a rack as soon as you aren’t concerned about deformation. Luckily, you are in summer so that might shave off some time. The real answer is that it depends on too many factors to give you an accurate estimate.
What I would suggest is to weigh it periodically on an electronic scale. When it stays the same weight over a good long stretch of days, then you can consider firing, but it’s going to be well over a month…probably. Have you considered making this out of multiple thinner slabs and then attaching them together after firing or hollowing the thick form out? There are some other tricks to safely drying out pottery, if you are really gung-ho about this item, let me know and I can try to help.
It’s not that this can’t be fired (conceptually speaking), but you need to be very, very careful and not rush it. When thick items explode in the kiln, they can not just ruin themselves, but also take out other people’s work. Super sad for everyone involved! Firing team may also just reject it out of hand as too risky unless you provide a note with documentation of your drying (dates, methods).
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I never thought about firing layers might do that if I make another one. I don’t mind waiting if that is a solution to making sure it doesn’t explode. Thank you so much for answering.