As soon as a potter creates his pottery piece out of clay, the clay is placed out to dry. After the drying process it is going to be placed directly into a kiln where it's hardened.

Kilns are nothing more than basic containers for heat. There are a lot of different kinds of kilns which are below:

Periodic Kilns
Updraft Kilns
Downdraft Kilns
Sprung Arch Kilns
Catenary Arch Kilns
Hill-Climbing Kilns
Bottle Kilns
Top-Hat Kilns

You'll find five general categories by which kiln temperatures are calculated.

Chine and Overglaze Painting: 1087-1465 degrees Fahrenheit

Glass Firing: 1382-1753 degrees Fahrenheit

Low Fire Ceramics: 1798-2109 degrees Fahrenheit

Mid Fire Ceramics: 2034-2295 degrees Fahrenheit

High Fire Ceramics: 2212-2371 degrees Fahrenheit

These heat ranges are influenced by small ceramic cones or bars called pyrometric cones that are meant to melt at various temperatures. Today's modern kilns enable the temperature to be controlled, and these pyrometric cones are what control the temperature during the firing process. During my research I was surprised to learn that heat monitors for kilns have been used since 1,000 B.C.

If a potter is going to fire a piece of pottery inside a kiln they'll use a tailored cone that will melt at approximately the same temperature that is called for to accomplish the procedure. The cones measure heat work, which is the effect of time and temperature. The cone is carefully placed in the kiln so that the potter can look at the project's progress, letting the potter know temperature is commensurate with his or her needs.

The pyrometric cone numbering system can be considered bit baffling initially a result of the leading zero, which can be thought of like a decimal point or possibly a minus sign (-).

Imagine Cone Number 0 is 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Cone Number 01 could be construed at being -1 degrees, while Cone Number 1 is +1 degrees. The cones that melt at lower temperatures make use of a leading zero, like 022 or 010. While the cone temperature rises the leading zero disappears while the numbers keep increasing.

Listed below are some statements that may help with understanding the pyrometric cone numbering system:

Cone 022 is the cone with the lowest temperature.

Cone 14 has the highest temperature.

Cone 010 is colder than Cone Number 10.

Cone 10 is hotter than Cone 010.

Try not to feel overwhelmed if you are new to pottery. You are able to enhance your pottery skills by reading articles, taking ceramic pottery classes, or by buying a potting wheel and diving in heads first. Find more resources about pottery classes here.