Here’s my Lava Oil spot firing schedule, which always looked best fired in a neutral/oxidation atmosphere in a gas kiln.
| Blaauw Generic Oilspot Firing Schedule [Segment Time – Temp in Celcius] | |
| 1 | time_temp 01:30 200° |
| 2 | time_temp 07:00 1160° |
| 3 | time_temp 01:30 1200° |
| 4 | time_temp 01:00 1220° |
| 5 | time_temp 02:00 1230° |
| 6 | time_temp 01:15 1252° |
| 7 | oxidation 80 (Reduction Phase) |
| 8 | time_temp 00:08 1252° |
| 9 | oxidation 150 (Reduction Stops) |
| 10 | time_temp 00:30 1220° |
| 11 | time_temp 01:30 1200° |
| 12 | cooling (Cooling Phase – Burners Stop, Blowers Still Work) |
| 13 | time_temp 02:00 1000° |
| 14 | time_temp 02:00 800° |
| 15 | time_temp 02:00 700° |
| 16 | time_temp 02:00 500° |
| 17 | time_temp 02:00 300° |
| 18 | time_temp 02:00 50° |
| 19 | time_temp 04:00 50° |
The format might be a bit strange if you’re unfamiliar with the Blaauw syntax, but each row is basically the time it takes to reach a temperature point. So segment 1 means it takes the kiln an hour and a half to reach 200°C.
Simply put, this program fires up to cone 6 in about 9 hours (Around 1180°C), and then goes slowly up to 1252°C, reduces for 8 minutes, and then goes back to oxidation, drops to 1220° over the course of 30 minutes, then drops to 1200° over the course of an hour and a half. Beyond that, the burners shut off and the blowers take over in cooling down the kiln. Mileage may vary wildly with oilspot firings, but this is a good starting point!
Here’s a more recent example for a complete oxidation Skutt electric kiln:
| Degree Change per hour (F°) | To Temperature in (F°) | Hold |
| 1. 200°/Hr | 200 | 0:20 |
| 2. 200°/Hr | 700 | 0:00 |
| 3. 300°/Hr | 2000 | 0:00 |
| 4. 60°/Hr | 2210 | 0:00 |
| 5. 30°/Hr | 2270 | 0:10 |
| 6. 30°/Hr | 2300 | 0:60 |
| 7. (Cooling) 60°/Hr | 2270 | 0:15 |
| 8. (Cooling) 120°/Hr | 2150 | 0:00 |
Finally, Here’s one more in Celcius:
OS8 Firing Schedule (Segment Time – Temp in C°) |
|
| 1 | time_temp 00:00 5° |
| 2 | time_temp 01:30 200° |
| 3 | time_temp 02:30 700° |
| 4 | time_temp 02:00 1115° |
| 5 | time_temp 02:45 1170° |
| 6 | time_temp 03:13 1273° |
| 7 | time_temp 00:13 1237° |
| 8 | cooling (Cooling Phase – Burners Stop, Blowers Still Work) |
| 9 | time_temp 02:00 1000° |
| 10 | time_temp 02:00 500° |
| 11 | time_temp 02:00 300° |
| 12 | time_temp 02:00 50° |
| 13 | time_temp 04:00 1000° |
Got some of your own electric firing schedules to share? I’d LOVE to see them.
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Ceramic Action 
Matt, I’ve noticed lately that some of my friends in Fujian are dropping to 1100oC, opening the door and dropping for 5 minutes then closing and Taking the kiln up to 970oC for an hour soak.
That’s pretty interesting. If I’m not mistaken, that seems to be the phase in which Fe precipitates out and crystallizes. I had some luck with a similar crash cool/reduction hold turning a shop tenmoku glaze iridescent.