Convert Wedgwood to Fahrenheit like an 18th-century potter (but faster)
((1 °W x 130) + 20) * 9÷5 + 32 = 302 °F
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Imagine Josiah Wedgwood (yes, that Wedgwood, of pottery fame) peering into his kiln in 1782, watching clay samples shrink to determine temperature. His eponymous scale revolutionized ceramic firing, but today it's about as common as a horse-drawn kiln. So why bother converting Wedgwood to Fahrenheit? For historians recreating antique ceramics, curious engineers, or anyone who enjoys measuring their oven in 250-year-old units while baking sourdough.
Unit definitions
What is a Wedgwood (°W)?
- Description: Obsolete thermal scale based on clay shrinkage
- Symbol: °W
- Common uses: 18th-19th century pottery kilns
- Definition: 1°W = 130°C temperature rise above 20°C baseline
What is a Fahrenheit (°F)?
- Description: Temperature scale used primarily in the USA
- Symbol: °F
- Common uses: Weather reports, cooking, industrial processes
- Definition: Freezing point at 32°F, boiling point at 212°F (at sea level)
Conversion formula
The secret sauce for converting Wedgwood's clay-based measurements to Fahrenheit: °F = (°W × 130 + 20) × 9/5 + 32
Breaking it down:
- Multiply Wedgwood degrees by 130 (each °W represents 130°C)
- Add 20°C (the scale's baseline temperature)
- Convert Celsius result to Fahrenheit using standard formula
Example calculations
Example 1: Convert 2°W to Fahrenheit
- 2 × 130 = 260°C
- 260 + 20 = 280°C
- (280 × 9/5) + 32 = 504 + 32 = 536°F
Example 2: Convert 0.5°W to Fahrenheit
- 0.5 × 130 = 65°C
- 65 + 20 = 85°C
- (85 × 9/5) + 32 = 153 + 32 = 185°F
Conversion tables
Wedgwood to Fahrenheit
| Wedgwood (°W) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 185 |
| 1 | 266 |
| 1.5 | 347 |
| 2 | 536 |
| 2.5 | 617 |
| 3 | 698 |
| 3.5 | 779 |
| 4 | 860 |
| 4.5 | 941 |
| 5 | 1022 |
From clay shrinkage to digital displays
Wedgwood's 1782 invention was essentially the first practical pyrometer. Lacking thermometers that could survive kiln temperatures, he measured how much cylindrical clay specimens shrank when heated. Each "degree" corresponded to 1/240 shrinkage of the original length. While innovative, the system had quirks. Different clay compositions shrank at varying rates, and the 20°C baseline assumed room temperature measurements - problematic in drafty 18th-century workshops.
Modern recreations show ±20°F variations in conversion accuracy. But let's cut Josiah some slack. His method let potters achieve consistent results decades before standard temperature scales emerged. It's like using a sundial to set your smartwatch, charmingly analog in our digital age.
Interesting facts
- Pyrometric pioneers: Wedgwood's scale shared the 1780s spotlight with the Réaumur scale, creating Europe's first "temperature scale wars"
- Celsius connection: The 130°C per °W relationship was established posthumously through metallurgical experiments
- Industrial legacy: Wedgwood pyrometers remained in use until electric resistance thermometers became common in the 1920s
- Art meets science: Original Wedgwood thermometers were decorative ceramic pieces, making them early examples of functional art
- Global oddity: Japan's Arita porcelain makers adopted a modified Wedgwood scale that remained in use until WWII
FAQ
Josiah Wedgwood created his scale in 1782 to measure kiln temperatures for pottery, using clay shrinkage rates as his reference.
Conversions are approximate due to variations in historical measurement methods, but modern formulas achieve practical accuracy.
No, it's strictly historical. Modern pyrometers and standardized scales replaced it by the late 19th century.
Not recommended. Contemporary glass artists use digital pyrometers with Celsius or Fahrenheit readings.
1°W approximates 130°C above 20°C baseline (20°C + 130°C per Wedgwood degree).