What is a general firing schedule for an electric kiln?
A. That kind of depends on what type of ware you are firing, what size kiln you are using and how full the kiln is. Bisque and glaze firings are different. Thrown pottery will need to fire faster than handbuilt or thick sculptural pieces. Yet, thrown pottery will need to fire much more slowly than poured greenware. The more clay mass in a kiln, the slower you should fire in order to achieve proper heat work and not strain your kiln. Don’t forget clay mass also includes shelves and posts. A typical firing schedule for a medium sized kiln loaded with thrown pieces for a bisque should last around 10 to 12 hours with a glaze firing lasting around 8 to 10 hours. Nesting pots inside each other adds more clay mass and longer firing time. If you are firing a switched kiln, without a downdraft vent, a good bisque schedule to begin with would be: Start with all switches on low and all peep holes open with the lid propped slightly for four hours. Then turn all switches to medium and close the lid
