The Paragon Fusion series kilns are versatile, robust, low-cost, glass kilns, for medium to large-scale work. You can fire metal clays such as Art Clay, PMC, bronze clay, and copper clay, use glass clay, anneal beads, cast, fuse, sag, and slump glass, shape architectural parts, make glass tiles, produce stained glass panels, heat-treat metals, and work with many other materials and processes.

The Paragon Fusion series kilns are ideal for your arts centre, college, craft class, glass-art workshop, home business, jewellery studio, school, or course centre providing glass-work courses. Especially as they have a two-year warranty.

Cherry Heaven TV has made a short on-line slideshow featuring these popular kilns: click the Cherry Heaven TV player above. The slideshow starts with the Paragon Fusion 6, and continues with the larger models and their variants.

The Paragon Fusion series kilns are practical and reliable: they have a two-year warranty. The fast-firing elements lie in pinless grooves in the 76mm thick bricks. The firebrick bottom is fully supported by a metal base. They have a high-nickel stainless steel sheath over the thermocouple for longer life. The larger Fusions have twin relays for reliabilty.

If you want a larger kiln look at the GL and Pearl series. If you want a hotter kiln, for ceramics, look at the Caldera-A. If you want a larger hotter kiln look at the Xpress-E12A and Janus series. I've included photos and a specification table below, for comparison.

If you need help choosing or have a specific project, mail or call. However, all the kilns are described on their own pages.

This comprehensive internet resource lets you research and compare kilns in your own time. But, to make it easier, there are two broad groups: smaller kilns for jewellery, enamelling, fusing, and keepsakes, and larger kilns for ceramics, glass, and heat treating.

For larger wired-in floor-standing kilns, such as the Paragon Fusion, GL, Ovation, and Pearl for glass, the KM for knife making, and the Dragon, Iguana, Janus, SNF, TNF, Viking, and Vulcan for ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, stay here at Paragon Kilns and use the links below the menu bar near the top of the page.

For smaller plug-in table-top kilns, such as the Paragon SC-1, SC-2, SC-3, BlueBird, Caldera, FireFly, Fusion, Home Artist, KM, and Xpress, the Kitiki MiniKiln, and the UltraLite, transfer now to Electric Kilns using the Electric Kilns link above the menu bar near the top of the page.

To look at larger photos, hold your mouse over the zoom buttons below. The photos are 480px x 360px and about 60KB so, if you're not on a fast internet connection, they'll take a short while to download.

The Paragon Fusion 6.

The Paragon Fusion 7.

The Paragon Fusion 8.

The Paragon Fusion 10.

The Paragon Fusion 14.

The Paragon Fusion CS14D.

The Paragon Fusion CS14D.

The Paragon Fusion CS14S.

The Paragon Fusion 16.

The Paragon Fusion Ovation.

The Paragon Fusion series kilns are 925°C, firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, eight segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key or Sentry 12-key digital programmers.

There are seven top-opening versions: the round Fusion 6, Fusion 7, Fusion 8, and Fusion 10, the square Fusion 14 and Fusion 16, and the oval Fusion Ovation.
There are four variants: the Fusion 14B and Fusion 16B with two bead-annealing doors, and the Fusion 14W and Fusion 16W with heat-resistant glass viewing-windows.

The Paragon Fusion CS series glass kilns come in two top-opening versions, as the square CS14D and the CS14S. However, on the Fusion 14 the lid opens, whereas on the Fusion CS14 the whole body opens.
There are four variants: the regular Fusion CS14D with an opening body and lid, the Fusion CS14S with an opening body, the Fusion CS14SB with two bead-annealing doors, and the Fusion CS14SW with a heat-resistant glass viewing-window.

You can try Art Clay, BronzClay, CopprClay, and PMC metal clays, GlasClay, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china paints, making beads and bead annealing, applying decals, dichroic glasses, jewellery, lost-wax casting, plates, shaped panels, stained glass, tiles, glass fusing, sagging and slumping.

Generally, Paragon US uses kiln model numbers inconsistently: they could be version numbers, internal dimensions, the thickness of the firebricks, or the number of sides. For the Fusion round kilns, it represents the number of sides: 6, 7, 8, or 10. For the Fusion square kilns, it represents the internal floor size: 14 or 16 inches. CS means clam-shell.

Paragon US also uses kiln dimensions inconsistently: the depth is front-to-back for a kiln with a door and top-to-bottom for a kiln with a lid. But this only applies to the kiln interior: for the exterior, they follow the EU definition of depth. On all UK descriptions, the EU convention is used: diameter x height, and width x depth x height.

The Fusion elements lie in pin-less grooves in the firebrick, and are quick, easy, and inexpensive to replace in the unlikely event of a failure. If your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses, it's a good idea to have a spare element. You can buy spare elements in the on-line shop.

The Orton Sentry digital programmers allow you to set up multiple sequences, each one with multiple heating, holding, or cooling segments: so you can choose the heating and cooling rates, target temperatures, and hold times, save the sequences, and re-use them. There are no restrictive features such as single-sequence use or pre-set programmes.

Pre-set programmes might seem to be an advantage. However, having experimented and diversified, many people fire materials, or combinations of materials, at different temperatures and for different times than are recommended.

It's widely believed that glass viewing-windows will cloud permanently or crack by about 925°C. The glass used in the Paragon Caldera, FireFly, SC, and Xpress series kilns has been time-tested at 1260°C.

Although there's cross-over, 925°C top-opening firebrick kilns, such as those in the Fusion series, are preferred for glass work.

1290°C top-opening firebrick kilns that heat and cool evenly, such as those in the Caldera, FireFly, and Xpress series, are preferred for ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, especially as firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures.

For help, or in the unlikely event of a fault, you can talk to an engineer in the UK. However, home checks, adjustments, and repairs are quick and easy, needing little more than a PoziDriv screwdriver, and you can watch an on-line video or call for help. Alternatively, we can repair the kiln in our workshop at Cherry Heaven.

Other popular choices for medium to large-scale glass work are the Paragon GL and Pearl series kilns, although you can use any kiln that heats to 925°C: for example, any of the Janus series kilns. To learn more about these, transfer now to Paragon Kilns using the Paragon Kilns link above the menu bar near the top of the page.

Before looking at the Fusion series in detail, here's a brief introduction to glass:

The main component of glass is silicon dioxide, often called silica: found naturally and plentifully as sand. When it melts, at around 1700°C, it's like syrup on a cold day. When it cools, it forms a rigid and brittle glass called quartz glass.

To lower the melting point, and the cost of melting, chemicals are added: typically sodium carbonate and calcium oxide. Other chemicals, and different heating and cooling processes, can produce a range of mechanical properties and colours.

Chemically, glass is classed as an amorphous solid: not a liquid, as is widely believed. As it's heated, it becomes softer allowing it to be blown, moulded, poured, pressed, coated, decorated, engraved, or heat-treated.

A form of glass occurs naturally within the mouth of a volcano when the intense heat of an eruption melts sand to form Obsidian, a hard black glassy type of stone.

If two or more pieces of glass in contact are heated, they begin to soften and fuse together. With careful heating and cooling, the separate pieces of glass become one.

If glass is put on a mould and heated, it begins to soften and collapse, or sag, onto the mould: a common technique for making bowls and plates.

Sagging and slumping are often thought of as being the same. Correctly: during sagging, heated glass, supported at its edges, sags down in the middle to conform to a mould; during slumping, heated glass, supported at its middle, slumps down at its edges to conform to a mould.

Dichroic glass has two different colours: a transmitted colour and a reflective colour, both of which change depending on the angle of view. For example blue-red will be blue in transmission and red in reflection.

During manufacture, quartz and metal oxides are vapourized onto the surface of the glass using a vacuum deposition process, forming a multi-layer crystal structure.

During annealing, fabrication stresses are relieved as the molecules cool and arrange themselves into a regular stable matrix. Successful annealing is the key to creating glasswork that will remain attractive and durable.

The Fusion 14 and Fusion 16 are more versatile than many similar kilns: they get hotter, they're larger, and they cost less. And copy-kilns don't have Paragon's international, informed, and supportive user-base, or effective EU spares and repair centres.

Owners call it their annealing kiln, beading kiln, casting kiln, china-painting kiln, glass-fusing kiln, heat-treating kiln, jewellery-making kiln, metal-clay kiln, sagging kiln, slumping kiln, and stained-glass kiln. This diversity is a good reflection of their popularity.

A 13A Fusion 8, with fewer elements, has been promoted to an innocent market: it's not recommended. It takes longer to heat up, might not reach its maximum temperature, and the set temperature could change with local voltage variations. There's a limit to the heat that a 13A socket can provide and sustain.

Paragon kilns have been re-engineered and comprehensively tested for the UK, so will work in the EU and most other countries. They're CE Marked and comply with EU safety standards.

They use regular single-phase 230V mains, so 230V EU elements replace the 110V US elements. Although the maximum temperature remains unchanged, the EU kilns heat up faster: useful if you want to repeat firings.

The heating elements are either embedded in ceramic fibre, or the kiln has a door or a lid cut-off switch: an important safety feature. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

A sheathed thermocouple replaces the normal US bead-style. It prevents the possible corrosion, and eventual failure, of the bi-metallic tip: usually caused by gases produced whilst heating some types of glass.

Eventually, with normal use, kilns discolour slightly, inside and outside, and some firebricks might develop hairline cracks. Remember, your kiln is a robust, versatile, red-hot tool: not an ornament.

The Paragon Fusion 6 is the smallest kiln of the Fusion series, It's a 925°C, six-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer. You can try for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular mains socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space as it weighs about 45Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a stay-open support, and there's a wide-view peephole in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 483mm x 508mm x 325mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 280mm x 166mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one six-sided 254mm x 12mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion 7, the largest round kiln of the Fusion series that can use a regular socket, is suitable for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping.

It's a 925°C, seven-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular mains socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space as it weighs about 53Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a stay-open support, and there's a wide-view peephole in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 559mm x 623mm x 325mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 368mm x 166mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one round 330mm x 12mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion 8, the most popular kiln of the Fusion series, is suitable for annealing glass, firing BronzClay, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping.

It's a 925°C, eight-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 4800W, so needs a separate 30A power supply. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space as it weighs about 72Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top has a stay-open support, and there's a wide-view peephole in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 635mm x 724mm x 419mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 445mm x 280mm internally, and heats from the top and all sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one round 394mm x 15mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Paragon Fusion 10, the largest round kiln of the Fusion series, is suitable for annealing glass, firing BronzClay, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping.

It's a 925°C, ten-sided, round, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 7200W, so needs a separate 45A power supply. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space as it weighs about 93Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top is spring-assisted so is easy to open and will stay open, and there's a wide-view peephole in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 775mm x 1003mm x 419mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 572mm x 279mm internally, and heats from the top and all sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one round 533mm x 18mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

The Paragon Fusion 14 is suitable for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping, although it could be used for most materials and processes within the size and temperature limits. There's room for nine 100mm x 100mm glass tiles.

It's a 925°C, square, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs a strong table as it weighs about 48Kg.

The stainless steel body has a low stand. The electrical components, located on the side, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 660mm x 559mm x 331mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 50mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 356mm x 356mm x 165mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in pinless grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one square 330mm x 330mm x 15mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

If you buy the window version, you should wear glare-resistant safety glasses. You can buy these in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion CS14D is suitable for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping, although it could be used for most materials and processes within the size and temperature limits. There's room for nine 100mm x 100mm glass tiles.

It's a 925°C, square, firebrick, lid-opening and body-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs a strong table as it weighs about 71Kg.

The steel body has a low stand. The electrical components, located on the side, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 711mm x 673mm x 331mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 50mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 356mm x 356mm x 165mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in pinless grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one square 300mm x 300mm x 15mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

If you buy the window version, you should wear glare-resistant safety glasses. You can buy these in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion CS14S is suitable for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping, although it could be used for most materials and processes within the size and temperature limits. There's room for nine 100mm x 100mm glass tiles.

It's a 925°C, square, firebrick, lid-opening and body-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs a strong table as it weighs about 71Kg.

The steel body has a low stand. The electrical components, located on the side, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 711mm x 673mm x 331mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 50mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 356mm x 356mm x 165mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in pinless grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one square 300mm x 300mm x 15mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion CS14S has an opening lid and an opening body, the Fusion CS14SB has two bead-annealing doors, and the Fusion CS14SW has a heat-resistant glass viewing-window. They can also be made with a ceramic-fibre lid, preferred by some glass artists.

If you buy the window version, you should wear glare-resistant safety glasses. You can buy these in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion 16 is suitable for annealing glass, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping, although it could be used for most materials and processes within the size and temperature limits. There's room for four 180mm x 180mm glass tiles.

It's a 925°C, square, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 8-segment ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is is rated at 230V 2400W, so can use a regular socket. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs a strong table as it weighs about 75Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four tall legs. The electrical components, located on the side, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 749mm x 610mm x 356mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 406mm x 406mm x 165mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements lying in pinless grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of one square 381mm x 381mm x 15mm cordierite shelf, four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

The Paragon Fusion Ovation, the largest kiln of the Fusion series, is suitable for annealing glass, firing BronzClay, china painting, and glass casting, fusing, sagging, and slumping.

It's a 925°C, ten-sided, oval, firebrick, top-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, 18-segment ramp-hold, Sentry 12-key digital programmer. It's the only kiln of the Fusion series that has a 12-key programmer instead of a 3-key, so it offers more flexible heating and cooling.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 7200W, so needs a separate 30A power supply. To comply with EU safety regulations, it's fitted with an additional switch that cuts off the power when the lid is opened. It needs floor space, as it weighs about 182Kg.

The stainless steel body stands on four legs, the top is spring-assisted so is easy to open and will stay open, and there are two wide-view peepholes in one of the sides. The electrical components, located on the front, stay cool, even at extended hold times.

The outer steel case measures 1448mm x 991mm x 457mm, including the programmer housing and other hardware, but excluding the 457mm high legs.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 1041mm x 572mm x 292mm internally, and heats from the top and all sides, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 76mm thick bricks.

The electronic display prompts for heating rate, target temperature, and hold time, making it easy to set up and re-use accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences. To learn more about the programmer, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The programmer can run and remember nine sequences, one with up to eighteen segments and eight with up to ten segments. And calculate the cost of the firing.

It's very important to understand what the shelf kit consists of, why you might need a different one, and why you might need more than one:

The recommended furniture kit, included in the price, consists of six half-oval 533mm x 394mm x 18mm cordierite shelves, forty-eight assorted posts, and a bag of glass separator.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick heavy shelf, lifted up on small posts, heats and cools evenly: particularly important for glass work.

Cordierite is brittle: if you drop the shelf, it'll break. It's a good idea to have spare shelves, especially if your business depends on your kiln or you're running courses. You can buy extra shelf kits in the on-line shop.

Depending on the sizes of your pieces and the number of pieces you want to fire, three shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you may want more than one furniture kit.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf than between stacked shelves.

For dichroics, enamelling, and glass fusing, put kiln paper on the shelf to stop the glass sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. Bullseye Thinfire shelf paper, probably the most popular kiln paper, ensures easy separation between your glass and the kiln shelf. One side feels slightly smoother than the other: that's the glass side. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

This kiln is ideal for glass studios and workshops, as the large oval firing chamber allows differently sized pieces to be fired together efficiently and economically: not so easy with round or square kilns.

An Orton Vent Master kiln vent can be factory-fitted in the base. To learn more about Vent Masters, use the main-menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose more, then choose accessories, then scroll down.

All programmable kilns work in the same way. The thermocouple tells the programmer the current temperature. Depending on the programme settings, the programmer switches the elements on or off to control the heating or cooling rate or the target temperature.

When the target temperature is reached, the elements are switched off. However, residual heat in the firing chamber allows the internal temperature to overshoot the target temperature briefly before starting to fall back.

This overshoot is more noticeable at low temperatures than at high temperatures. For example: 300°C will probably overshoot to 340°C whereas 800°C will probably only overshoot to 810°C before starting to fall back.

The overshoot represents the temperature of the thermocouple, not the temperature of your work on a thick shelf. But take it into account if you're working with very temperature-critical materials or processes,

During the hold-time, with the elements still off, the internal temperature falls. Although the programmer will soon switch the elements back on, the firing chamber will initially absorb some of the new heat before the temperature recovers. The continual switching of the elements on and off causes the internal temperature to cycle around the target temperature.

Regardless of the thermocouple temperature, the actual temperature of your work will slightly different, depending on its position on the kiln shelf, the vertical spacing of any stacked shelves, and its nearness to the elements, a lid, a door, a bead door, a window, or a peephole.

Remember that glass needs radiant heat and will fuse, sag, or slump better on one shelf at the bottom than between closely stacked shelves.

All kilns smell a bit during the first few firings, just like a toaster or fan. If you're at all worried about fumes, open a window.

Kiln doors and lids are not meant to be a perfect fit otherwise, at high temperatures, there'd be no room for expansion and the door could stick and the ceramic-fibre or firebricks could crack.

Eventually, with normal use, kilns discolour slightly, inside and outside, and some firebricks might develop hairline cracks. Your kiln is a versatile, robust, red-hot tool: not an ornament.

Using your kiln successfully needs careful research and frequent tests, especially as things that work for your friends or teachers might not work in the same way for you. It's also very important to learn how to creatively use unexpected effects. So, keep a firing log:

Buy a durable notebook. Use a new page for every firing, and draw diagrams of the shelves, their vertical spacing, and the position of your work on the shelves. Along with your work, put a few scraps at different places on the shelves to learn how things fire or change. Describe the material, the shape of your work, the firing cycle, and the end result.

A kiln log is vital if you're experimenting with temperature-sensitive materials, or working with coloured dichroic glasses, enamels, glazes, or paints, and a skilled artist will use the kiln log to advantage to re-create effects.

It'll be particularly useful if you have to repeat a commission, or if you have a long break before returning to your kiln work.

There are two makes of silver clay and gold clay: Art Clay and PMC. Although we chose to distribute, and sell, Art Clay, both fire in a similar way. So any kiln suitable for Art Clay will be just as good for PMC.

Art Clay, sometimes called silver clay, gold clay, metal clay, or precious-metal clay, is made by Aida Chemical Industries. It's a clay-like material made of fine silver or gold powder and a water-soluble organic binder.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises, releasing very small amounts of non-toxic carbon dioxide and water vapour, and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid 999 silver or 22 carat gold: real metal, not something that just looks like metal.

Art Clay and PMC are easy to fire: put your dried pieces on a kiln shelf and programme the temperature and hold-time. Several shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you might want more than one furniture kit.

To learn more about Art Clay, use the art clay link below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy ArtClay, bronzeclay, copperclay, glassclay, extra shelf kits, and related products in the on-line shop.

If you're currently using PMC, try Art Clay. There are differences in the feel, the shrinkage, the strength, the surface lustre, the product range, the pricing, and the general commercial setup if you're running a serious business.

There are two makes of bronze clay: Prometheus Bronze Clay made by Odak, and BronzClay made by Metal Adventures. They're both clay-like materials made of fine bronze powder and a water-soluble organic binder.

As they're fired, the binder vapourises, releasing very small amounts of non-toxic carbon dioxide and water vapour, and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid bronze, an alloy of 89% copper and 11% tin: real metal, not something that just looks like metal. However, they're fired in different ways:

Prometheus Bronze Clay is easy to fire: put your dried pieces on a kiln shelf and programme the temperature and hold time. Several shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you might want more than one furniture kit.

BronzClay is fired in a special way: your work needs to be firmly embedded in activated charcoal granules in a stainless steel container and covered with a lid. The container measures 162mm x 176mm x 100mm, and holds 1 litre of charcoal.

To fire larger pieces, or more pieces at the same time, you'll need a larger kiln, such as the Paragon Xpress E-12A. The stainless steel container for the E-12A measures 265mm x 162mm x 152mm and holds 3 litres of charcoal.

The Xpress E12A is over three times larger inside than the FireFly. To learn more about the Xpress series kilns, use the main menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose xpress.

To learn more about bronze clay, use the bronze clay link below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy ArtClay, bronzeclay, copperclay, glassclay, the stainless steel container, charcoal, and related products in the on-line shop.

There are three makes of copper clay: Art Clay Copper made by Aida, Prometheus Copper Clay made by Odak, and CopprClay made by Metal Adventures. They're all clay-like materials made of fine copper powder and a water-soluble organic binder.

As they're fired, the binder vapourises, releasing very small amounts of non-toxic carbon dioxide and water vapour, and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid copper: real metal, not something that just looks like metal. However, they're fired in different ways:

Art Clay Copper and Prometheus Copper Clay are easy to fire: put your dried pieces on a kiln shelf and programme the temperature and hold-time. Several shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you might want more than one furniture kit.

CopprClay is fired in a special way: your work needs to be firmly embedded in activated charcoal granules in a stainless steel container and covered with a lid. The container measures 162mm x 176mm x 100mm, and holds 1 litre of charcoal.

To fire larger pieces, or more pieces at the same time, you'll need a larger kiln, such as the Paragon Xpress E-12A. The stainless steel container for the E-12A measures 265mm x 162mm x 152mm and holds 3 litres of charcoal.

The Xpress E12A is over three times larger inside than the FireFly. To learn more about the Xpress series kilns, use the main menu link below the menu bar near the top of the page, then choose xpress.

To learn more about copper clay, use the copper clay link below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy ArtClay, bronzeclay, copperclay, glassclay, the stainless steel container, charcoal, and related products in the on-line shop.

GlasClay is made by ClayMania in vibrant colours. It's a clay-like material made of fine glass powder and water-soluble organic binders.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises, releasing very small amounts of non-toxic carbon dioxide and water vapour, and the glass powder fuses, leaving solid glass: real glass, not something that just looks like glass.

GlasClay is easy to fire: put your dried pieces on a kiln shelf and programme the temperature and hold time. Several shelves can be stacked to make better use of your time: so you might want more than one furniture kit.

GlasClay can be shaped easily. You can make three-dimensional objects and free yourself from the constraint of working with flat glass. The size is only determined by the support you can give it. Perhaps the most exciting opportunity is to make your own beads without a torch.

The firing temperature and time are important: glass clays have to fuse, not melt. There's a difference between fusing and melting: During fusing, the binder in the glass clay vapourises and the glass powder particles bond to make solid glass. During melting, the glass powder particles liquify and lose their original clay-shape.

GlasClay is sold as a kit, comprised of six different colours in 25gm pots: Black Opal Bullseye CB 90 0100 25, Canary Yellow Opal Bullseye CB 90 0120 25, White Opal Bullseye CB 90 0113 25, Grenadine Red Uroboros CU 90 606 25, Cornflower Blue Opal Uroboros CU 90 408 25, and Apple Jade Opal Uroboros CU 90 726 25. They're all COE90: read this pop-up.

To learn more about glass clay, use the glass clay link below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy ArtClay, bronzeclay, copperclay, glassclay, the stainless steel container, charcoal, and related products in the on-line shop.

The Kitiki Studio provides a comprehensive Art Clay educational programme as classes, masterclasses, workshops, and Art Clay Level 1 and Level 2 teacher-certification courses, as well as classes for related materials and techniques.

Arts and crafts events, introductory workshops, studio open-days, guest-teacher masterclasses, and general jewellery courses, are often added. If you're interested, mail or call.

This is a Cherry Heaven on-line shop and an EU distributor, sales, support, spares, and repair centre for kilns: it's not a bead, ceramics, crafts, glass, or metal-clay shop, selling a few kilns to a market niche.

Although it's an internet resource, you can still mail or call an engineer about kilns, power supplies, home diagnostics, repairs, spares, safety issues, a special project, or reselling opportunities.

This internet resource belongs to Cherry Heaven, a shop in Corfe Castle village near the National Trust Estate. Cherry Heaven sells a diverse selection of exclusive essentials and luxuries.

Cherry Heaven is an EU distributor for Paragon Kilns made in Texas USA, Advance Kilns made in Canada, Efco Kilns made in Germany, Kitiki Mini-Kilns made in Turkey, and UltraLite Kilns made in the US.

Cherry Heaven is a UK distributor for Art Clay made by Aida Chemical Industries in Japan, BronzClay and CopprClay, both made by Metal Adventures in the US, and GlasClay made by ClayMania in the US, and an EU distributor for AccentGold For Silver paint and Metal Clay Veneer, both made in the US.

Cherry Heaven has been commended for an outstanding performance as one of Paragon's top-selling distributors over 2007 to : a pleasing outcome since the UK is one third the area of Texas and one fortieth the area of the US.

Founded as a family business in 1948, Paragon Industries is now the world's leading manufacturer of electric kilns and furnaces, and has built over 380 000. The 4 830 square metre site, in Mesquite, Texas, employs over 70 full-time staff.

Paragon continually monitors design and manufacture, leading to versatile, practical, safe kilns. Every kiln goes through a fifteen-step quality check, with a technician following the build, and is inspected before shipping. Paragon kilns are thoughtfully and robustly engineered, so you're buying a kiln with a future.

Paragon kilns conform to the demanding UL 499 standard in the US, and are CE Marked for the EU. Paragon is Greek for Model Of Perfection.

The kiln prices include the recommended shelf kit, and the legally-necessary lid or door safety switch where appropriate.

The on-line shop link is below the menu bar near the top of the page. You can buy kilns, kiln shelves, shelf paper, metal clays, glass clays, ceramic blocks and cloths, reminder timers, digital pyrometers, glare-resistant glasses, heat-resistant gloves, fire extinguishers, spare parts, and accessories. Alternatively, visit Cherry Heaven in Corfe Castle village.

Unlike most internet shops, you won't have to create an account, log on, register, remember a password, sign up, join a club, or volunteer all your personal and debit card details to discover that, at the last moment, the total is more than you expected because the VAT and a delivery charge were obscured.