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Cone 021 temperature

Orton cone 021 bends at 1112 °F (600 °C) at 108 °F/hr and 1189 °F (643 °C) at 270 °F/hr. It sits in the decorating fire range — cone 2 of 38 on the chart, counting up from 022.

108 °F/hr · 60 °C/hr

1112 °F600 °C

Medium — the rate most charts quote

270 °F/hr · 150 °C/hr

1189 °F643 °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 1112 °F is not the same as firing to cone 021 — put a witness cone on the shelf.

What cone 021 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 021 compared

ComparisonAt 108 °F/hrDifference (medium)Difference (fast)
cone 021 vs cone 02210871112 °F25 °F (14 °C)23 °F (13 °C)cone 021 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 02011121159 °F47 °F (26 °C)42 °F (23 °C)cone 020 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 0611121828 °F716 °F (398 °C)666 °F (370 °C)cone 06 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 0411121945 °F833 °F (463 °C)782 °F (434 °C)cone 04 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 511122167 °F1055 °F (586 °C)1016 °F (564 °C)cone 5 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 611122232 °F1120 °F (622 °C)1080 °F (600 °C)cone 6 is hotter
cone 021 vs cone 1011122345 °F1233 °F (685 °C)1192 °F (662 °C)cone 10 is hotter

Neighboring cones

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

Convert

cone 021 bends at

1112 °F(600 °C)

At 108 °F/hr (60 °C/hr) — medium. Faster firing → the same cone bends hotter. Everything about cone 021 →

Questions

What temperature is cone 021?
Orton cone 021 bends at about 1112 °F (600 °C) when the kiln climbs at 108 °F per hour, and about 1189 °F (643 °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 021 in Celsius?
600 °C at 108 °F/hr (60 °C/hr) and 643 °C at 270 °F/hr (150 °C/hr), converted from Orton's Fahrenheit chart for self-supporting regular cones.
What is cone 021 used for?
cone 021 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 021 from cone 022 and cone 020?
At 108 °F/hr, cone 022 bends 25 °F cooler (1087 °F) and cone 020 bends 47 °F hotter (1159 °F). One cone step is not a fixed number of degrees — the spacing varies across the chart.

Firing to cone 021? 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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