Bisque Firing Notes

Here are some pics of the bisque kiln. We filled 2 kilns: New Oly (manual) and Mike (programmable automatic).

Here are the steps we followed for New Oly (manual kiln):

1. Insert on 06 cone in the shut off ledge.
2. Load greenware in the kiln.
3. Remove peeps, close the door and prop open with heat proof brick, press the ON button and turn all 3 knobs to LOW for about 2 hours. 4. Remove the door prop and cook for another 1/2 hour or so at LOW. 5. Insert the peeps and turn the knobs to MED for 2 hours. 6. Turn the knobs to HIGH for 2 hours. 7. The kiln will shut off automatically when the temperature reaches cone 06. The cone curling will trip the switch to turn off the kiln. 8. The next day prop open the kiln door with a brick. 9. When cool, unload the bisque ware.
As for Mike, the automatic kiln, it is programmed to heat to cone 06. You merely have to push the start button. There are no peeps to worry about. One additional step that all of the automatic kilns have is to turn on the ventilation. You will see tin ducts behind these kilns and a switch to turn on. Wally, the studio director, assisted in using Mike. We wanted to pre-heat (candle) before we started the full on bisque because we knew we had a few wetter pieces in there. He helped with setting it up to pre-heat for about 4 hours before kicking off the normal bisque process.