: bellonart - Viewing Profile

I was wondering... I'm in the process of developing an easy to use web-based tool that will calculate the hours required to fire an electric (computerized) kiln. The calculator is useful in that it can tell you, surprisingly accurately, exactly what time your kiln reaches a desired temperature. I developed this as a tool to easily figure out when I need to close the lid of the kiln...

Can anyone see any other potential uses for this kind of calculator? Or, perhaps, why this calculator wouldn't be all that useful?

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The reason I ask is because I learned to fire kilns that needed their lids to be left open until they reached 800 degrees to let out the moisture and other organic materials that fire out of the clay body. This was necessary because the kilns weren't vented, and leaving the lids closed could cause carbon to attach to and damage the elements. Leaving the lid cracked open allows those materials to easily escape. By 800 degrees, the organic materials are burned off and the lid can be closed to save electricity and the life of the elements.

Feedback?