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Cone 020 temperature

Orton cone 020 bends at 1159 °F (626 °C) at 108 °F/hr and 1231 °F (666 °C) at 270 °F/hr. It sits in the decorating fire range — cone 3 of 38 on the chart, counting up from 022.

108 °F/hr · 60 °C/hr

1159 °F626 °C

Medium — the rate most charts quote

270 °F/hr · 150 °C/hr

1231 °F666 °C

Fast — typical of a quick electric firing

Orton self-supporting regular cones; rate measured over the last 200 °F of the firing. Source: Orton °F chart; °C converted. Cones measure heat-work, so a controller set to 1159 °F is not the same as firing to cone 020 — put a witness cone on the shelf.

What cone 020 is used for

Decorating fire — The lowest cones — used for overglaze work fired onto already-glazed ware: lusters, china paints, and decals. Too cool to mature clay or glaze.

Cone 020 compared

ComparisonAt 108 °F/hrDifference (medium)Difference (fast)
cone 020 vs cone 02111121159 °F47 °F (26 °C)42 °F (23 °C)cone 020 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 01911591252 °F93 °F (52 °C)52 °F (29 °C)cone 019 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 0611591828 °F669 °F (372 °C)624 °F (347 °C)cone 06 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 0411591945 °F786 °F (437 °C)740 °F (411 °C)cone 04 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 511592167 °F1008 °F (560 °C)974 °F (541 °C)cone 5 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 611592232 °F1073 °F (596 °C)1038 °F (577 °C)cone 6 is hotter
cone 020 vs cone 1011592345 °F1186 °F (659 °C)1150 °F (639 °C)cone 10 is hotter

Neighboring cones

ConeMedium °F / °CFast °F / °CRange
cone 0181319 / 7151353 / 734Decorating fire
cone 0191252 / 6781283 / 695Decorating fire
cone 0201159 / 6261231 / 666Decorating fire
cone 0211112 / 6001189 / 643Decorating fire
cone 0221087 / 5861166 / 630Decorating fire

Convert

cone 020 bends at

1159 °F(626 °C)

At 108 °F/hr (60 °C/hr) — medium. Faster firing → the same cone bends hotter. Everything about cone 020 →

Questions

What temperature is cone 020?
Orton cone 020 bends at about 1159 °F (626 °C) when the kiln climbs at 108 °F per hour, and about 1231 °F (666 °C) at 270 °F per hour. Cones measure heat-work — temperature over time — so the faster you fire, the hotter the kiln has to get for the same cone to bend.
What is cone 020 in Celsius?
626 °C at 108 °F/hr (60 °C/hr) and 666 °C at 270 °F/hr (150 °C/hr), converted from Orton's Fahrenheit chart for self-supporting regular cones.
What is cone 020 used for?
cone 020 sits in the decorating fire range. The lowest cones — used for overglaze work fired onto already-glazed ware: lusters, china paints, and decals. Too cool to mature clay or glaze.
How far is cone 020 from cone 021 and cone 019?
At 108 °F/hr, cone 021 bends 47 °F cooler (1112 °F) and cone 019 bends 93 °F hotter (1252 °F). One cone step is not a fixed number of degrees — the spacing varies across the chart.

Firing to cone 020? Claybench schedules the kiln around it.

Clay body, glazes, and firing schedule are matched by cone before a plan is saved.

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