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Orton Cone Temperature Equivalents


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There are four different types of Orton cones and bars (Small cones, Bar cones, Large cones, and Self-supporting cones).

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Cones are essential monitoring for all kilns.

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What do the colors of Orton Cones and Bars mean?

Orton cones and Bars have 11 different colors. Knowing the colors can make it easier to tell at a glance which cone you have. Cones have their number stamped on the side and that is the most important thing to look at since there are colors shared by different cones. There are 10 different colors that span Large and Self Supporting as well as Small Cones and Bars. Cones and Bars from 05 to 3 are dark red because of the iron that they contain.

Here is a guide to Orton cones colors.

orton pyrometic cone colors chart
The Large and Self-supporting cones are used to measure temperature uniformity and/or if there was sufficient heatwork done to mature the ware. Cones indicate whether the ware received an adequate amount of heatwork to properly mature the clay or glaze. A properly fired cone will bend over with the tip of the cone almost touching the shelf. After firing a kiln, a simple glance at the cone can tell if the firing was successful.

The small and bar cones are mainly used in the kiln shut-off device called the Kilnsitter. This is a mechanical device that shuts off the kiln when the temperature inside is sufficient to cause the cone to deform under the weight of the Kilnsitter rod.

The only true measurement of heatwork is from a Large or Self-supporting cone placed on the shelf next to the ware.

CONE NUMBERS - Orton makes cones from cone 022 up to cone 42. Cone 022 is the lowest melting cone and requires the least amount of heat to deform or bend. During firing, a cone softens and melts as it is heated. Cones used on the kiln shelf bend due to the effects of gravity pulling the tip down. This bending indicates the cone and the ware have received a specific amount of heat. It typically takes 15 to 22 minutes for cones to bend fully once they start bending. Each higher cone number requires more heat to bend. A cone 01 needs less heat treatment than cone 1 and cone 020 needs less than 019.
It is important not to confuse the lower maturing cones and bars, whose numbers begin with an 0, with the higher cones and bars not containing this prefix.
Although cones do not actually measure temperature, cone bending behavior and temperature are related. Generally, the faster the firing, the higher the temperature required to bend the cone and the slower the firing, the lower the temperature required to bend the cone. The 6 oclock position (90 angular degrees) is considered the end point of cone bending.
Typical uses for cone numbers are as follows:

NUMBER: 022 TO 011 - Used in firing of overglaze decorations, lusters, enamels, and decals and for glass fusing, slumping, and decorating. The temperature equivalent range is approximately 1050 - 1550F (560 to 850C).

NUMBER: 010 TO 3 - Made as a regular series (red, iron-containing cones) and as an Iron Free series for use in reducing atmospheres. These cones are used in the firing of craft and art bodies, for wall tile, glazes, and some structural clay products. The temperature equivalent range is approximately 1600-2150F (890 to 1170C).

NUMBER: 4 TO 12 - Used in firing porcelain, floor tile, china, stoneware, structural clay products and some refractory materials. The temperature equivalent range is approximately 2175-2345F (1180 to 1340C).

NUMBER: 13 TO 42 - Used for firing industrial products up to 3659F (2015C).

Here Is The Orton Cone Temperature Chart: (Download Complete Orton Cone Wall Chart Here.)
Cone Equivalent Temperatures (F)

Self Supporting Cones

1 3/4" mounting height

Large Cones

Small

15/16" Height

Regular

Iron Free

Regular

Iron Free

Regular

PCE

Heating Rate (F/hour)

Heating Rate (F/hour)

Cone

27

108

270

27

108

270

108

270

108

270

540

270

022

1049

1087

1094

N/A

N/A

1166

021

1076

1112

1143

N/A

N/A

1189

020

1125

1159

1180

N/A

N/A

1231

019

1213

1252

1283

1249

1279

1333

018

1267

1319

1353

1314

1350

1386

017

1301

1360

1405

1357

1402

1443

016

1368

1422

1465

1416

1461

1517

015

1382

1456

1504

1450

1501

1549

014

1395

1485

1540

1485

1537

1598

013

1485

1539

1582

1539

1578

1616

012

1549

1582

1620

1576

1616

1652

011

1575

1607

1641

1603

1638

1679

010

1636

1657

1679

1600

1627

1639

1648

1675

1623

1636

1686

09

1665

1688

1706

1650

1686

1702

1683

1702

1683

1699

1751

08

1692

1728

1753

1695

1735

1755

1728

1749

1733

1751

1801

07

1764

1789

1809

1747

1780

1800

1783

1805

1778

1796

1846

06

1798

1828

1855

1776

1816

1828

1823

1852

1816

1825

1873

05½

1839

1859

1877

1814

1854

1870

1854

1873

1852

1868

1909

05

1870

1888

1911

1855

1899

1915

1886

1915

1890

1911

1944

04

1915

1945

1971

1909

1942

1956

1940

1958

1940

1953

2008

03

1960

1987

2019

1951

1990

1999

1987

2014

1989

1996

2068

02

1972

2016

2052

1983

2021

2039

2014

2048

2016

2035

2098

01

1999

2046

2080

2014

2053

2073

2043

2079

2052

2070

2152

1

2028

2079

2109

2046

2082

2098

2077

2109

2079

2095

2163

2

2034

2088

2127

2088

2124

2174

3

2039

2106

2138

2066

2109

2124

2106

2134

2104

2120

2185

4

2086

2124

2161

2120

2158

2208

5

2118

2167

2205

2163

2201

2230

5½

2133

2197

2237

N/A

N/A

N/A

6

2165

2232

2269

2228

2266

2291

7

2194

2262

2295

2259

2291

2307

8

2212

2280

2320

2277

2316

2372

9

2235

2300

2336

2295

2332

2403

10

2284

2345

2381

2340

2377

2426

11

2322

2361

2399

2359

2394

2437

12

2345

2383

2419

2379

2419

2471

2439

13

2428

2458

2410

2455

2460

13½

2466

2493

14

2489

2523

2530

2491

2548

14½

2527

2568

15

2583

2602

2595

2608

2606

15½

2617

2633

16

2655

2687

2651

2683

2716

17

2694

2709

2691

2705

2754

18

2736

2746

2732

2743

2772

19

2772

2786

2768

2782

2806

20

2811

2824

2808

2820

2847

21

2851

2860

2847

2856

2883

23

2890

2898

2887

2894

2921

26

2892

2921

2950

27

2937

2961

2984

28

2946

2971

2995

29

2955

2993

3018

30

2977

3009

3029

31

3022

3054

3061

31½

3063

3088

3090

32

3103

3123

3123

32½

3124

3146

3135

33

3150

3166

3169

34

3195

3198

3205

35

3243

3243

3245

36

3268

3265

3279

37

3308

38

3362

39

3389

40

3425

41

3578

42

3659


Orton Cone Chart