: Val - Viewing Profile

Ah heck, the more I learn , the more confused . I'm not yet making my own glazes, so how do I know if they are acid or base? Buy ph strips? The UTube was definitely informative.

I found this good article as far as viscosity http://www.baileypot...cosityguide.htm however they say 40 to 60 seconds to empty a viscosity cup is good while several other articles I read say 18 to 20 seconds. That's quite a difference ! Waaa!

Thanks everyone for your input ! As usual with ceramics there are 100 possible causes I think I 'll go with Niel's for the moment and see how it goes........

Thanks John, That makes sense, and I do understand somewhat at least the concept of" heat work". What has, and is confusing me is that I thought a kiln where you programs in what cone to fire to took into consideration the rate of climb when it decided what temp. to shut off the kiln. At least an L & L kiln I have used in the past was like that. I just chose the cone and slow med.or fast and the program did all the "heat work" calculations. Maybe this Skutt being 12 or 15 years old is not really that smart, and I assumed it was.??
Thanks for all the help everyone
Val

To answer Lucille, In my latest firing,my target was 04,( bisque) since I knew it was about a cone off I set the program to 03 medium speed, no holds. I planned to keep my eye to the peep hole so to speak. about 7 1/2 hours later I tried to see the target cone thru the peep ( unfortunately I was delayed in retuning home or would have checked sooner) and the pyrometer showed the temp. as 1,080 Celsius (1,976 F I think) AS I could not see the cone I assumed it was down, and the temp was so high, I shut off the kiln. When opening, the 04 was down and the 03 cone ever so slightly bent. I am assuming the temp. might not be accurate as that temp should be for a cone 03. Not sure how much longer it would have fired if I had not shut it off.

I previously spoke with Skutt and they walked me thru a temp.adjustment for cone 06.( which is what I test fired to when I bought the kiln) Unfortunately he said the adjustment must be made for each cone . He said there was no overall adjustment .