Slow Cool Glaze Firing Scheduled for 1-15-21

Ceramics
#1

We know there’s an appetite for different types of firings and glaze experiments, and we’re open to trying it. (I’ve never done this so looking forward to it!) Start thinking about the pieces that you’d like to make for this firing.

What’s so cool about Slow Cooling??
"Cooling glazes at different rates can provide dramatically different finishes. Many Coyote glazes are designed specifically to take advantage of this to create special effects, and many more are affected in surprising ways. All Coyote glazes can be slow cooled.

Slow cooling effectively lengthens the period of firing during which most crystals develop, resulting in more and larger crystals. Depending on the composition of the glaze, this will usually produce either large visible crystals, or a matted surface (microcrystals.) " Coyote Clay & Color

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You can read more on slow cooling here.

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#2

When is this scheduled for? Is it supposed to be 12/15/20 or 1/15/21?

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#3

Whoops! Good catch! Thank you! Editing to reflect 1/15/21!

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#4

Oops. It is 1-15-21

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#5

Cool! Great surface possibilities!

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#6

Edit: My bad! I see the schedule in the link.

Do you have a proposed firing schedule for the slow cool? Thanks!

#7

Hi Christy! So far, we just have the one planned for 1-15-21. If we like it, we might add it every other month or so between luster firings and whatever else we want to do. @Steve1 is the one who set up the program so I bet he can provide the weedy details :). We miss you by the way! Hope you’re staying safe. If you have pieces to throw in, I’m sure one of us would be happy to coordinate getting them to/out of the space.

#8

Hi! Yeah, that’s the meaning of ‘schedule’ I was using, less calendar, more controller. :slight_smile: I’m guessing you are using the one mentioned in the first link. @Steve1, if you are doing something else, could you post it up? I have a boatload of bisque just sitting around and too many ideas in my head with some newer glazes.

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#9

Hey Christy, it’s essentially middle ground of the E3 and E4 firing schedules in Britt’s book. The ramp up (rate) is less aggressive also. I think it should work ok with our kiln, the 1027, my only concern is if the slow cooling will cause it to alarm for over temp. I’m thinking the macro glaze firing is probably similar, did you have any issue with the kiln alarming?

#10

Probably want to use the 1222 since it’s rated for a higher cone?

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#11

Or the Paragon (for the longevity of the elements on the 1027).

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#12

Oops, your right, that’s the kiln I meant. I already put the program on it for the firing. Of course it is easy to make changes to schedule if need be.

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#13

The paragon controller is quite a bit different, I’d have to do some research on how to program it in a similar fashion.

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#14

My copy of Midfire Britt is out on loan, so I went and looked up E3&E4, those are relatively “normal” electric kiln schedules. Only issue I had with macro was one firing with a FTL (higher cone and on older elements) but we saved it with a quick mid firing reprogramming. Shouldn’t be any over temp issues that I can see, looks like this hits peak and then comes down really fast, doesn’t slow until quite low at 1400. As long as the kiln is otherwise performing C6 well, looks groovy.

I’ll keep my eye out for any upcoming firings with slow cooling/holds in the 1800’s and look forward to seeing what people do with this round!

#15

The Paragon is (functionally) the same, you just create a new USER program, input each ramp’s instruction and then have to sit through watching the review blink through. Being able to look at a whole schedule at once on the Skutt is 10X more pleasant. :slight_smile:

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#16

Would be interested in trying the Coyote constellation series slow cool program at some point:
100/hr to 230 (pre-heat)
350/hr to 2000
150/hr to 2200 hold for 15 minutes
500/hr to 2150 hold for 15 minutes
125/hr to 1400.

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#17

Basically it ramps up to 1975 degrees and then slows the rate (125 degrees/ hour I think) until cone 6 temp is reached then allowed to drop down to around that temp again at which point the cooling is slowed to a rate of 100/hour until you reach 1400 at which point it is allowed to cool naturally/ uncontrolled. Our current program just allows natural cooling to begin, after any hold, after cone 6 is reached. What I’ve read suggests a cooling rate anywhere between 50 and 175 degrees based mostly on how you like the way you glaze looks so I just picked something in the middle.

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#18

Entirely possible the forum I found had a bad replication of the Britt schedules. (Got to figure out who has my copy, heh.) Because, ohhhh, now we are back to interesting! That’s slow cool at the top, in the sweet spot. Thank you for the info, I’m going to go poke around in the garage and see what micro-prone glazes I can scrounge up.

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#19

Coyote makes several glazes specifically to take advantage of this but I think many of the Potters Choice line of Amoco glazes will be affected also - at least look differently than what we are used too. One of their recent green ones, can’t think of the name off the to if my head, has been underwhelming so far so I’m hopeful we’ll see better results.
I had another thought, we’ve ALL had pieces come out and be disappointed in the way the glaze looked. I’m wondering what would happen with a re-fire in the slow cool? I mean what do you have to loose, you already don’t like the piece so if it turns out badly your not really out anything.

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#20

Would that be Art Deco Green?