A method of checking the 'heat work' achieved by the kiln.
£3.08 ex. VAT
Cone 019 temperatures are based on a kiln firing at 15°c, 60°c and 150°c degrees per hour when climbing at the last 100 degrees to the top (target) temperature.
• 15°C - 656°C
• 60°C - 678°C
• 150°C - 695°C
Orton Cones are a ceramic device that when heated in a kiln will bend, giving a value of ‘heat work’ which is a calculation of both temperature and time. A cone value is an accurate measurement of the firing, giving information to the ceramicist that controllers/pyrometers alone would not produce.
These can be used in oxidisation (electric kilns), gas and wood (reduction) and other fuelled kilns.
See here for general guidance and further information.
If I have a modern electric kiln with a controller, do I really need cones? Cones do have their uses, so don't rule them out. If you suspect your kiln is taking longer to fire than usual, you can use cones to make sure everything is working correctly.
If you are getting glaze or clay problems, then using cones would be your first check to see if the equipment is at fault. The controller on a kiln will tell you what temperature the kiln is at, or what temperature it is trying to get to. Intuition and guesswork might tell you what cone firing you are roughly doing, but to be certain, use cones.
Please note - In mid-sized to larger kilns there can be a heat differential between the top and the bottom of a kiln. Cones will indicate how uniform your firing environment is.
