Beginner intro to the Cone chart and Firing process (Very Basic)

#cone #ceramic #orton
This is the most basic explanation I can give about what the cone chart is and how it related to a beginner in their ceramic artwork.
then we wrap it up all at the end :) a-z
while going thru this video remember 2 things.
- pictures used in this video are from source : www.thespruce....
1. this very is suuuuuuper basic
2. remember the word approximately .... remembeeeer itttttt.
- wanna send me food and make me fatter?
p.o box : 4540 florin road # E 138 Sacramento
zip:95823
name: Donte the potter
* Want to see some of my artwork?
Go to
*Instagram : / earthnationceramics
* Facebook art page : / earthnationceramics
** support the channel : / earthnationceramics

[@dobbythehouseelf422]

the information at the beginning of the video is incorrect, the number of a cone corresponds to its ratio of silica to alumina in the clay body, if you were to look at the chemical composition of lets say, 00 to 05 to 10, the materials would increase proportionally. However, as I'm sure you know, the temperatures of each of those different cone firings are not proportional at all and often pretty strange numbers. This is because the temperature is only reflects the point at which a given ratio of silica to alumina begins to melt.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

Just like I told everyone else that give the same response as you did, this is a beginner's understanding and the information that you're giving them is for a future video. I don't feel like information raping a beginner who knows nothing so I tried to simplify it.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

They don't even know what quartz inversion is And explaining that to beginner is mind boggling.

[@firozahmed8357]

thanks for your right information.

[@Briansr87]

@@EarthNationCeramics Quartz inversion? HAHA

[@Rick-the-Swift]

I'm a beginner and I have no idea what you just said. Could you perhaps try talking as if you are talking to people who aren't already PhD's? Thanks a lot!

[@lindabeebe7065]

Have taken pottery classes, but none of them taught anything about the firing process beyond “don’t have glaze on the bottom of the piece or you will ruin the kiln shelf!!!” Now I would like to make pottery at home and know nothing about the kiln side of things. Thanks for being here.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

I try

[@blakeleyhowland1603]

Am in the same boat, I just purchased a “kiln sitter?” It was previously used and so I have no instructions on it! Am a bit nervous because I didn’t realize there’s much more I need to purchase of my kiln 😫 am also so lost I have no idea what he’s talking about 😓

[@MarkQuinteroArt]

@@blakeleyhowland1603 Same boat. Cress Kiln Lt-3k Kiln sitter with no manual. Good luck.

[@STAIND12300]

@@MarkQuinteroArt yeah i have a paragon, same set n fire model as yours. So if you have any resources please share them:)

[@SherriOhler]

I am as green of a beginner as they come and I love your videos. I find it crazy that all these people always feel the need to add to or correct you with their comments! You handle it well, much more humbly than I think I could! Lol Anyway, thanks for sharing your knowledge. (And humor!) It's helping a ton :)

[@jennymarshall9637]

Fantastic help, and you have great energy when explaining so I didn't feel like I was about to fall asleep so thank you!!!

[@valejandra255]

Glad you told me at the beginning that you're not doing Celsius 😂 will find another video

[@julielongdon4284]

Thank you, you made that so understandable, relateable and amusing ❤

[@PaulaFreemanCiskowski]

Great overview. I did a bit of pottery work many years ago, and had forgotten what little I knew. I have a kiln I haven’t used in 35 years. All I could remember is that it topped out at cone 7. Now I’ll think about getting some supplies and playing around with it.

[@anaconcha7940]

setting up my own studio after years of doing pottery and no one bothered explaining this to me. I this point I was too afraid to ask haha. Thanks for this video, made everything simple

[@Mikeoz378]

Thanks so much for this video. This basic video is very helpful for someone like me who is learning to throw pottery on my own. Now I have a better understanding of the term cone and it makes more sense when I visit a clay shop. Thanks.

[@tialorenna6603]

This was incredibly helpful! Heard a lot of people saying they fire bisque to cone 4 and now I'm worried they meant cone 04 and expected me to know that as a beginner. Just got a manual kiln and this was incredibly helpful. I'm glad you didn't explain the silica nuance right out the gate but it also helped getting technical language in the comments, minus their tone.

[@zwigoma2]

I like the way you communicate. 😉

[@ruffmeister69]

Great explanations, ideal for us begginners & very humorous - many thanks and greetings from your viewers here in the uk xxxx

[@juliannestatnick6862]

Thank you for this video!!! Finally…. Someone explains the process perfectly!!!!!🥰

[@tiffanynewbold1156]

This was very helpful. Thank you!!

[@John_Weiss]

Aaaactually ... cones don't measure temperature so much as they measure "heat-work". [Hobby-potter and scientist here.] See, you're actually "putting energy into" the clay, causing it to undergo chemical as well as physical changes. That's why Donte kept saying that we "fire *to*" cone 6 or cone 06, or cone 10, and not "fire at". We're not doing baking here. How fast or slow the temperature *changes* is just as important as what temperature you reach. The same cone-6 cone will bend over at 2165 F if you're climbing at 27 F/hr, at 2232 if you're at a 108 F/hr rate, and at the even higher 2269 F if you're climbing at 270 F/hr. There's also more physical changes than from "solid" to "liquid" to "gas". A solid can have many different phases yet still be solid: "vitreous", "ductile", and more. That's why you don't need to actually melt steel to make it structurally unsound, you just need to change it from the "flexible-but-strong"-phase to the "bendy"-phase or to the "vitreous-and-brittle"-phase. In clay, there are two "danger" phases: the "alpha" and "beta" phases. Both are solid, but have different thermal properties, and if you speed through the change from one to the next, your bisque will crack. [And that, Donte, is why your firing schedules have those changes in how fast the temp is climbing.] Now, there is *some* melting going on, during the bisque firing. All of the little clay-particles that were being held together by water and static-cling while it was greenware? Those guys get melty and sticky at their edges, fusing together. And they stay stuck together when the firing is done, creating a nice, solid pot. The chemical changes that are also going on, I don't really know about. My husband's more the expert in that. You definitely have chemical changes going on in the glaze firing. Which is why most glazes look grey or rust-red before firing, then turn all manner of colors afterward.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

Yeah, I tried to dumb it down. I find over explaining things to beginners kind of drives them away. I am aware of everything you posted above but.... Do I want to knowledge rape someone who can't even throw yet?.... No. I think we will use the Info your talking about in the Intermediate video of cones :)

[@EarthNationCeramics]

But your comment is appreciated :)!

[@kevinjamiesonbelou]

I love the subliminal 911 conspiracy reference

[@hankfoto]

Thanks for the refresher it has been a long time since I've fired anything.

[@Kfaczor]

Hi Donte! As I promissed I will post my critique here. Firstly great, simple way of putting the cone charts. I get that you made some oversimplifications in order to make the subject understandable. And this is great actually! I couldn't make sense out of this chart and now it is less weird for me. (I don't get the idea of using Fahrenheit scale if you have centigrade Celsius scale :P ). Secondly - every potter has his/hers own way of bisque firing pottery. I see you like your bisque a bit more refined (finer) as fired in higher temperatures than I do (for me it is 800-900 C). For glazing I use temperature range from 960 (my clear) to 1100 (the Oleander I've sent you). To wrap it up - it's a great educational video about cones for someone who never used them in his entire life! :D Keep these comming and I will watch every second! Cheers mate!

[@judydell6224]

I’m just learning and so glad I found your videos! Great teacher. Fun videos.

[@emanueleleschiera5171]

Congratulation not usual see tutorial well explained like yours, well done! I love it!

[@belapea1313]

This was most helpful. wish I'd watched it before my first glaze firing today. Waa waa waaaaa

[@michelevitarelli]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video It's very informative. I just got a new used kiln and this was the best video which explained what the heck the cones are. thanks again.

[@theremnants73]

Thank you!! Now I understand it!

[@atelier_du_peyron]

This is great, thank you. The cones is black magic to me at the moment, so I'll have to watch it few more times and take notes :)

[@whathappenedwas7083]

Watched two videos on the intro buying guide to wheels and kilns and had to sub, love your witty humor and info!

[@Tru3M3X]

Thank you!! I had no idea wth I was doing! This helped so much!

[@lillyfingers]

Thank you thank you thank you as someone who loves to use Clay but always used to somebody else to fire it this was amazing information thank you. I have so much for understanding that I had before so looking forward to learning more from you and having a go.

[@picklesnoutpenobscott3165]

Heck yeah, ‘murica! Thanks for actual temps. I want to fire in my blacksmith forge.

[@BudWolverton]

I like how at 9:11 seconds he discusses how steel beams melt at 2,750 and jet fuel at 800f (open air) to 1,500 (controlled).

[@angiegarciaart]

This was awesome! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and doing it with humor.. the best video so far!

[@jessiroobear2906]

Thank you for another instructional video!

[@mystforest]

Awesome! Thank you. Just got a refurbished Cress Kiln. I have no idea how to use it. I feel less insecure about using it. You are so funny. Really, you are good at teaching.

[@SlapStuffTogether]

"We give our toilets a lot of crap" - I think I'm going to keep a quote book just on some of your punny pottery comments. Thanks for sharing this. It's really helpful to newbie potters like myself. Enjoying your videos. Thanks for keeping it simple for stoopid. :)

[@SlapStuffTogether]

Just a quick note - if you add www to the front end of your links they will be live in your description. below your video.

[@carolinaelizabethart]

You're awesome!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us!!!

[@lo_battery]

Fantastic video, thank you!

[@levibarton9707]

Just from the intro, I KNOW I clicked on the right video

[@luvjb15]

I have a kiln cone 3, I’m trying to look on more info on this and this video made me want to sell my cone 3 kiln 😂😂😂

[@deneencole-ashbury1188]

Thank you!! I am an intermediate- potter. I am designing a multi media studio and this is extremely useful info! I would love to incorporate a kiln! I was just “offered” one for $500 that goes to cone 3. I think I need to cone 5 or 6. My guild fires glazed to cone 5. I now understand what the difference is!! Thx!!

[@dadirt1465]

I will say, don’t underestimate low fire clays and glazes! I generally fire in the 06-01 range and have had amazing results. I harvest my own local clay so it has to be fired low, but I haven’t really found a need to go higher unless I am given a higher fire clay. My kiln goes up to cone 6, but I find that going lower than that has increased my element lifespan as well as my electric and expenses since low fire glazes tend to be a little cheaper (in my experience) and the colors generally just seem to pop more. Not that there is anything wrong with higher fire, and not to discourage you from getting one, I just feel it’s good to know that it isn’t your only option :)

[@deneencole-ashbury1188]

@@dadirt1465 thank you so much!! I have much to learn! This is very intriguing to me now that you mentions colours of low fire glazes - for me the excitement is definitely in the glazing!

[@dadirt1465]

@@deneencole-ashbury1188 defiantly! And you can also do a higher fire clay with a low fire glaze too. My old friend used to use stoneware with a cone 05 glaze and she had some pretty amazing results come of it. It’s so much fun experimenting and seeing what works best for you!

[@gabriellekelly7906]

"and now it looks like your ex boyfriend" thank you i needed that lmao

[@StevenMichaelH]

the jet fuel and steel beam bit LMAO

[@jessicakurilko993]

thanks for your videos, very informative and funny :)

[@pauxiong]

Super late but thanks so much for the best explanation video on cones.

[@Financialpursuits]

Wait so jet fuel can’t melt steel beams

[@EarthNationCeramics]

:)

[@ShortwickCreations]

I was watching and immediately thought... "I see what you did there"

[@donpayton737]

But it will soften steel bars used in bar joists at much lower temps

[@ClayInMyBeer]

Hahaha I immediately was like: "911 conspiracy theorist over here!"

[@user-tk1lf5hi6f]

I subscribed just because of that comment.

[@stephendensmore9]

Very useful video, thanks! Learned a lot.

[@iillc1436]

Thank you!!!!!!

[@shiwitsanna4622]

Thanks it was very helpful. I jus bought a nrw kilm. Ive always did traditional firing.

[@leif-zu7cb]

Thumbs up for the steel beam melting point and jet fuel burning temps. Absolutely lost my shit 🤣

[@kirillmiroshkhin]

That was awesome and funny! you rock sir.

[@zwigoma2]

Your awesome bro.

[@LaraineReedy-rb6mt]

Thank you❤

[@torsakranser208]

awesome video - Im just getting into ceramics - your a great teacher and funny as hell

[@neu-ter]

Thank you

[@sheldonwoodhouse4222]

the second i heard steel beams i was waiting for jet fuel 😂

[@nataliewh0]

when you said "bricks for your car" I thought "woah, vandalism"

[@edmonddantes2280]

Thanks so much for your great and fun videos ! What do you mean by reduction could you explain ? :)

[@AlvaSudden]

Never heard of cone 00 but I have a feeling it would be awesome

[@alandunnighan2159]

Good show, well explained.

[@phennexion]

Jet fuel and steel beams meme never gets old

[@bigtwizzy6671]

hay donte good work with the videos.. im a up coming potter but im a potter to heart my mom worked pottery most of her life, i guess i follow in her foot steps.. but just a little info. i live in the pottery capital of the u.s at one time.

[@cookerymagic2167]

Thank you for this :)

[@chilena1alejandra]

Thanks

[@shehzad174]

I m bigger thanx a lot. U clear many confusion Love ur video

[@penelopejayneart]

Great info

[@CeramicJim]

Hey Donte! I like what're you're doing with your channel. I've watched a few videos. Funny and informative. I was going to make a cone explanation video myself but I this one pretty much covers it. Great job! *hits subscribe button*

[@GrandNecro]

can you go over the firing process? like how slowly do I need to raise up the temperature. how long do I keep it at Max temperature. and how slowly should I lower the temperature back down. I'm using a propane torch in a stone oven.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

A few things, firstly we did an episode on that already but it was with a electric kiln and that doesn't seem to fit your needs. and secondly you would need to know what cone you are trying to fire your clay and glaze to. the temperature that correlate are very important and you can't just get things really hot and hope for the best.

[@Barabala]

Very nice video that sums up all I need to know as a beginner. I have a question. I bisqued a big plate at cone 05, glazed it, and put it in my kiln at cone 5. It cracked with two fine lines at the edge. is there any relationship between these two cone numbers? TIA

[@aliciaowens7887]

I am new. So, I have an older manual kiln with a kiln sitter. I am using low fire slip, cone 04. So, do I do low with lid opened a little bit for 2 hours, then medium with lid opened a little for 2 hours, then close lid and put on high until cone melts? What about glaze? Luster? I am confused about low and medium times, peep holes open or closed, and lid opened a little or closed. Thanks

[@mrsbeckydaisy]

Oh lord this is blowing my mind! I wish I understood 😔 this does help but I’m so lost.

[@jhbrown53]

Thermite does burn above 2700F

[@oliwiahajdya4542]

This is sooooooo helpful :D thanks

[@relima6717]

I am looking for a video that show the temperature for glazing because my little hobby electric kiln is manual and I need to put the temperature bemusedly and increase each hour, I know it’s crazy but that is all I got please help me

[@LeighaLewis-ig9so]

I wonder how many people caught that jet fuel vs steel beam reference🤩

[@victorianilsen763]

Really helpful ty.

[@flordemariamallahan6861]

Thank you!

[@donnaboucher684]

hi I fired a load of casting clay at 06 and my cone stuck to my kilin setter can you tell me what I'm doing wrong.ty

[@user-ow7bi3se2b]

DAMN helpful as per usual.

[@karri8998]

Thanks for the great video Donte. I have a few questions. You mentioned the one piece was fired with reduction, what does that mean? Also when the foot or bottom of a piece is wiped or waxed so it does not get glazed does that mean that area is still in the bisque phase? And is that part water proof and would it and all pottery be dishwasher safe? Also nice innuendo you threw in there, lol.

[@adgepipkin2715]

I know a few potters who specialise in marbled clay that once-fire their pieces at cone 2, so there you go. Has all to do with glazing all in one go.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

That is the reason I say " most potters" thru half of the video.

[@Tuuuuurrrraaaa14]

Thank you for posting these videos for people who are new to ceramics! I love your videos and you make learning about it easier! I am wondering.. when you referenced to mid range glaze firing you called it oxidation and high fire cone 10 you called it “made in reduction”... what exactly does that mean?

[@donnaboucher684]

hi just do pouring in a moulds like christmas trees and I use cone 05 is this wrong.

[@xuyahfish]

I loved ceramics in High School despite a very hateful teacher who literally said he didn't give a sh•t because he was retiring at the end of the year ... never was able to learn much beyond what I figured out myself.

[@EarthNationCeramics]

I'm sorry you ran into that. It doesn't deserve this too all other artists

[@mdasgupta8703]

thank you so much . question for you ... I am just starting out and have a bunch of potters choice glazes and Celadons and Matt Shinos from Amaco... what cones do you recommend for each of these categories and how long do you hold for ? thanks in advance

[@SweetTea-Stephens]

Ha my teacher put my b-mix cone 5 clay into the gas fired cone 10 kiln and it came out amazing except the bottom than ran a little to much. Had to shave the bottom smooth but he over fired everyone’s stuff and everyone had to shave the bottom of all their pieces. B-mix was my own personal clay and not the schools. I wouldn’t use it again in the gas kiln but instead the electric but it doesn’t always destroy your stuff. Depends. I’m that one guy only because it literally just happened two weeks ago.

[@diannehussey1334]

Great video! Do you know where I can get a manual for a Gare kiln model 1818?

[@BeautyNTheFreak]

would you suggest getting an electric kiln up to cone 7, or recommend getting a hire fire up to 10 that requires getting electrician to rewire?

[@EarthNationCeramics]

Yeah. I have one. I just made it video on kiln a few weeks ago taking about it .

[@delouise17]

Thanks a lot for this info. I'm a noobie potter and am trying to suck up as much as I can. I'm east of Sac. and looking to take classes at Sierra, where did you take classes? Keep the videos coming!

[@EntireUniverse786]

Ok so if I collected my clay from my backyard or a lake/river/street/field how do I know at which cone to fire? Also as I am working with different cones of store bought clays and have left over scraps of different cones and different colors of clay with and without sand/grog/temper or what have you in it what temperature or I fire my pottery made with mixed up clays? Please answer. Thank you

[@cullenhazelton5060]

Big problem i think. Havean old duncan kiln, glaze firing for the first time, it shut off after 5 hours tried to fire to cone 6. i dont know what to do next? can my pieces be saved?

[@kirstenbanks4647]

what exactly are those little cones for??

[@kirstenbanks4647]

never mind. i watched your next video :)

[@Legionmanchild]

Could you glaze a recently cured concrete planter? I'd like to make a couple of "rotemburo"s (Japanese outdoor soaker tub, think of a giant flower pot full of hot water as a temporary hot tub). I'm very comfortable working/sculpting concrete and would like to cast a couple of pots about 3' in diameter by 30" deep. Concrete, no matter how good you are, doesn't finish ultra smooth like a glazed pot though. I'd like the smoothest surface possible for my backside. So how can I glaze a 600lb concrete pot on location? Thoughts? Could you use a roofing blowtorch or something like it to bake it in place? I've got skills, tools, and energy to make something work that is good enough, I'm just missing experience and wisdom. Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

[@binoybhatt]

👍👍👍👍

[@markdandeneau2904]

Can I fire a cone 10 clay at a low temperature say 1000F?

[@dutchpearson2022]

Oh god thank you for the info . i am now less stupid.

[@gaurangvrinda]

When referring to temperature, NEVER use the term degrees without specifying Farenhaeit or Centigrade..

[@bikermansl3]

Hey @earthnationceeamcis I have a question? Can you fire cone 10 clay at a lower cone to reduce cracking?

[@reneeamyot4261]

You mean because United States. In Canada, we are in Celcius. And we are in America too. 😉

[@marshallchristiansen1508]

4 seconds in!! Thank you!

[@crbright82]

How long do you leave pieces in the kiln once they hit temperature

[@deannak1841]

When to fire to vitrification? My clay vitrifies to 1% absorption at cone 02, but my glaze says food safe at cone 05/06, so what do I do to get the absorption rate but still b food safe?

[@EarthNationCeramics]

The official answer is that you usually want something underneath 1% absorption, but, play companies do a very good job at making sure the pores are closed enough even if it's at something like 1.5 absorption and vitrified enough as long as you fire it to the proper cone that the clay is sent to and use food safety glazes. Scientific answer is that your Clay is as vitrified as it can be below cone 10 but true vitrification happens at cone 10.

[@deannak1841]

@@EarthNationCeramics yes, thank u. But in short, would I bisque to 02 and glaze at 05?I can’t find an 02 commercial glaze that says food safe. I appreciate your in depth answer but perhaps I wasn’t clear.

[@omanihooper]

How would u clean a melted pot off a kiln shelve like if it’s completely melted also what would make one piece melt and the one right next to it not melt my poor classmate just messaged me in tears glaze fired cone 10 stoneware at cone 6 but her cones blew out and one piece is now just a puddle she set it for cone 6 because she used mayco glazes I feel so sorry for her

[@EarthNationCeramics]

Honestly, I would just buy a new kiln shelf. If you put cone 6 clay in a cone 10 kiln and it melted.... You should buy a new shelf and never make that mistake again

[@omanihooper]

Thanks for your reply I’m a huge fan of your channel and it has helped me a lot in my ceramics classes it turned out she got a recipe for black clay from the teacher and it was incorrect not sure exactly what happened we use cone ten clay but she had added black coloring to the clay I know that can be volatile she also used cone 6 mayco glazes on her cone ten clay and just fires it to cone 6 I think the colored clay was the issue I’m gonna spell this wrong but it’s the manganese oxide I know it can turn volatile I think she just wrote the recipe down wrong thankfully he is a really nice professor and didn’t freak out over the shelf mental not I will always use Masonite stains to color my clay I am only two semesters into ceramics I didn’t even know it was possible to completely melt a ceramics piece btw can you do a video on coloring clay safely there are a lot of techniques I want to try that involve different colored clay I did some marbled clay this semester but I just used two different stonewares

[@omanihooper]

Ok that was rude to ask you to do a instructional video for my benefit for free so sorry but I’m a broke college student so I can’t be a patron so just disregard my request ok

[@Nintendalie]

My friend got me a bag of "cone 10 clay" do I still bisque at 06?

[@EarthNationCeramics]

You can. Yes

[@Nintendalie]

@@EarthNationCeramics thanks so much for your help and guidance!