Final meltdown
I mean, that is, high firing.
After the pieces are wet cleaned (or otherwise prepared) for the high bisque firing, they are carefully loaded into the kiln again, in pretty much the same way as for soft firing. The only difference is, this time the temperature will go to around 1240 degrees C. That allows porcelain to mature and become vitrified (waterproof). It becomes hard and also a little transcluscent where thin. At this stage it is practically impossible to alter it in any way. It may warp in the kiln if not propped up sufficiently. Every potter will tell you, clay has a memory. Porcelain is particularly unforgiving. It seems to want to return to any shape it was bent to while still wet. Slipcast pieces must be handled very delicately before they dry. Porcelain is a tough and demanding material, but it is also very beautiful. Once you know how to control it it will thank you for the right treatment.
Removing perfectly white parts from the kiln is like a little celebration, joyful and gratifying. I am always very nervous when firing. So many things can go wrong and you won't know until you let the kiln cool down completely afterwards and open the door.
The pieces need to be scrubbed again to achieve a perfectly smooth surface finish. This time it's not as dreadful as the wet cleaning, though, and nowhere near as time/energy consuming (nor frustrating).
As for the meltdown, I'll keep you posted.