The most popular choices for firing Art Clay and PMC silver clay are the Paragon SC and Xpress series kilns, although you can use any kiln that heats to 815°C. Before looking at the choices in detail, here's a brief summary of the material:

Art Clay and PMC are metal clays, generally used for making jewellery. Straight from the packet, they look and feel like plasticene or polymer clay: so you can shape them easily, using familiar modelling tools and similar techniques. After shaping, they need to be dried. After drying, they need to be fired to become real solid silver or gold.

ART CLAY

Art Clay, sometimes called silver clay, gold clay, metal clay, or precious-metal clay, is made by Aida Chemical Industries in Japan: it's a composite clay-like material, made of fine silver or gold powder, a harmless organic binder, and water. To learn more about Art Clay, transfer to The Kitiki Studio using the Kitiki link above the menu bar at the top of the page.

As it's fired, the binder vapourises and the metal powder sinters, leaving solid 999 silver or 22 carat gold: real metal, not something that just looks like metal. During firing, small amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapour are released: so it's safe to use at home.

The firing temperature and time are important: metal clay has to sinter, not melt. There's a difference between sintering and melting. During sintering, metal powders bond to produce solid metal, but don't melt. During melting, metals become liquid and lose their original shape.

DRYING ART CLAY

After shaping, Art Clay needs to be dried to evaporate the water in the binder. You can dry it in a kitchen oven, with a hairdrier, or on a central heating radiator. However, if it's not completely dry it might crack during firing.

The quickest and most reliable way to dry Art Clay is in a kiln programmed from cool to 150°C, then held for at least 10 minutes. To learn more about drying Art Clay, transfer to The Art Clay Club using the Art Clay Club link above the menu bar at the top of the page, then choose tools, then choose drying.

FIRING ART CLAY

After drying, Art Clay needs to be fired to become real solid metal. You can fire small pieces on a kitchen gas hob, on a camping gaz ring, or with a butane torch. However, if it's not fired correctly it won't have a good surface lustre and may break.

To fire it, you need to maintain a set temperature for a set time: much easier if you use a kiln with a digital programmer. Also, you may want to work with silver findings, metal clay veneers, and materials such as beads, semiprecious gems, dichroic glass, fused glass, ceramics, gold clay, and porcelain, which need different temperature-time combinations.

The simplest and most reliable way to fire Art Clay 650 silver is in a kiln programmed from cool to 650°C then held for 30 minutes, although 810°C gives a stronger harder metal. To learn more about firing Art Clay, transfer to The Art Clay Club using the Art Clay Club link above the menu bar at the top of the page, then choose tools, then choose firing.

PHOTOS

All the kilns described on this page have two diagrams: front and side views. However, there are also photos: use the photos link below the menu bar at the top of the page.

COMPARING AND CHOOSING

Whilst comparing kilns, there are important considerations: the kiln's versatility, the overall size and weight, the power supply, the maximum temperature, the firing chamber floor area and height, the firing chamber material, and the price.

As with any device you buy, a kiln is not designed to be run full-on all the time. So, if you need to fire at, for example, 925°C for a long time, buy a 1095°C kiln: not a 925°C kiln.

For Art Clay and PMC silver clays, you can use any kiln that heats up to about 810°C: the only kiln that doesn't is the dedicated glass-bead annealing kiln, the 650°C BlueBird.

For Art Clay and PMC gold clays, you can use any kiln that heats up to about 1000°C: the only kilns that don't are the two dedicated glass-bead annealing kilns, the 650°C BlueBird and the 815°C EZ Beader, and any 925°C glass kiln.

Although there's cross-over, 1095°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns, such as those in the SC series, are preferred for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, dichroic glasses, enamelling, and mixed-media jewellery.

Ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, need 1290°C firebrick kilns that heat and cool evenly, such as those in the Caldera and FireFly series. Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures.

The SC elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

You can't use the US model numbers as guides to the internal sizes of the kilns. They might have historical significance but now, often, don't mean anything useful.
The US model names used: A for painted finish; E for enamelling front-opening; GL for glass, Q for ceramic front-opening; SC for small ceramic-fibre, not silverclay; TNF for touch n fire; V for vista, or window; and Xpress for digital programmer.

The UK naming convention has been tidied up, and uses B for a bead-annealing door, W for a glass viewing-window, and BW for both. However, to help internet searches, we've had to include occasional minor variations. For example, the SC-2B is sometimes called an SC2B.

THE SC SERIES

The Paragon SC series kilns come in two versions, as the SC-2 and the 50mm taller SC-3. They're both 1095°C, four sided, square, ceramic-fibre, front-opening kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers. The Paragon SC-2 is the most popular small kiln in the UK.

The SC2 and SC3 are also available with a bead-annealing door as the SC-2B and SC-3B, a glass viewing-window as the SC-2W and SC-3W, and a bead-annealing door and a glass viewing-window as the more versatile SC-2BW and SC-3BW, leading to the eight versions shown in the table.

VERSION	DESCRIPTION	MAX °C	POWER W	WEIGHT KG	FIRING CHAMBER	INTERIOR SIZE MM
SC2		1095	1745	16	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 145
SC2B	bead door	1095	1745	16	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 145
SC2W	window	1095	1745	16	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 145
SC2BW	bead door and window	1095	1745	16	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 145
SC3		1095	2000	18	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 195
SC3B	bead door	1095	2000	18	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 195
SC3W	window	1095	2000	18	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 195
SC3BW	bead door and window	1095	2000	18	ceramic fibre	199 x 204 x 195

Paragon kilns, with the exception of the Caldera-S and FireFly-S, use Orton Sentry digital programmers. You can set four programmes, each with eight heating, holding, or cooling segments: so you can choose the temperatures, times, and heating and cooling rates. They don't have 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.
And, later, you might want to work with other materials and processes such as: china painting, dichroic glasses, dolls, enamels, fusing, glass-bead annealing, glazes, gold paints, low-fire ceramics, sagging, and slumping.

Although there's cross-over, 1095°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns that heat and cool quickly, such as those in the SC series, are preferred for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, dichroic glasses, enamelling, and mixed-media jewellery.

Ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, need 1290°C firebrick kilns that heat and cool evenly, such as those in the Caldera and FireFly series. Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures.

The SC elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

The SC-2 series kilns heat from both sides, not both sides and the back. This minimises the front-to-back temperature difference that's common with smaller kilns.

The Paragon SC series kilns are sometimes called Art Clay kilns, annealing kilns, beading kilns, craft kilns, dichroic glass kilns, enamelling kilns, glass kilns, glass fusing kilns, hobby kilns, jewellery kilns, jewelry kilns, lampwork kilns, metal clay kilns, PMC kilns, silverclay kilns, small kilns, or studio kilns.

Compared to similar kilns from other manufacturers, such as the Evenheat E-360 and the Sierra, the Paragon SC2 costs less. Compared to the Uhlig Art Clay kiln, the Paragon SC2 is larger inside, has a higher maximum temperature, has a comprehensive programmer, and still costs less.

SC SERIES MODIFICATIONS FOR ELECTRIC KILNS UK

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.

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

A lever-style door catch replaces the normal ball catch. The ball catch was difficult to adust, being either too tight or too loose, whereas the lever catch can easily be tightened, loosened, bent slightly, or removed and straightened, to allow for use and preference.

FIRING CHARACTERISTICS

All programmable kilns work in the same way: the thermocouple checks the internal temperature regularly and tells the programmer to switch the elements on or off to control the heating or cooling rate.

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 is more noticeable at low temperatures than at high temperatures. For example: 300°C will probably overshoot to 320°C whereas 800°C will probably only overshoot to 810°C before starting to fall back. Take this into account if you're working with 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.

The actual temperature of your work will be affected, slightly, by 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 than between stacked shelves.

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. Remember, your kiln is a robust, versatile, red-hot tool: not an ornament.

KEEPING A KILN LOG

Working successfully with a kiln involves careful research, planned experiment, and repeated testing. It's very important to learn how to creatively use unexpected effects, especially as things that work for your friends or teachers might not work in the same way for you. So, keep a firing log:

Buy a durable notebook. Using a new page for every firing, draw diagrams of the shelves, their vertical spacing, and the position of your work on the shelves. Put a few scraps at different places on the shelves to learn how things react. 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, or glazes. A skilled artist will use the log to advantage to re-create effects.

THE SC-2

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-2 is suitable for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china painting, dichroics, enamelling, mixed-media jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, glass fusing, and small-scale sagging and slumping. It's a 1095°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1745W, so it can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, jewellery studio, or take to a course venue, as it only weighs about 16Kg.

The outer steel case measures 336mm x 311mm x 400mm, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door opens 180°, so you won't burn your hand taking your work out. And there's a top vent for lost-wax casting and other processes that release fumes.

The ceramic-fibre firing chamber, enclosed in an inner steel case, measures 199mm x 204mm x 145mm internally, and heats from both sides, with the fast-firing elements safely embedded in the fibre.

Uniquely, our UK SC-2 kiln has a sheathed thermocouple which prevents the possible corrosion, and eventual failure, of the bi-metallic tip: usually caused by pollutants produced whilst heating some types of glass.

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.

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 139mm x 139mm x 6mm ceramic-fibre shelf for Art Clay and PMC: not china paint, dichroic glasses, enamels, or fused glass.

If you want to do china painting, enamelling, or glass work, you'll need a thicker shelf and four shelf posts. These come as an extra kit: one 178mm x 178mm x 15mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Although there's cross-over, 1095°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns, such as those in the SC series, are preferred for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, dichroic glasses, enamelling, and mixed-media jewellery.

Ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, need 1290°C firebrick kilns that heat and cool evenly, such as those in the Caldera and FireFly series. Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures.

The SC elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

THE SC-2B: BEAD DOOR

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-2B door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, and a bead-mandrel holder. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC2.

THE SC-2W: WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-2W door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 50mm x 50mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC2.

THE SC-2BW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-2BW door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, a bead-mandrel holder, and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC2.

THE SC-3

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-3 is suitable for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china painting, dichroics, enamelling, mixed-media jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, glass fusing, and small-scale sagging and slumping. It's a 1095°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 2000W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, jewellery studio, or take to a course venue, as it only weighs about 18Kg.

The outer steel case measures 336mm x 311mm x 432mm, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door opens 180°, so you won't burn your hand taking your work out. And there's a top vent for lost-wax casting and other processes that may release fumes.

The ceramic-fibre firing chamber, enclosed in an inner steel case, measures 199mm x 204mm x 195mm internally, and heats from both sides and the back, with the fast-firing elements safely embedded in the fibre.

Uniquely, our SC-3 kiln has a sheathed thermocouple which prevents the possible corrosion, and eventual failure, of the bi-metallic tip: usually caused by pollutants produced whilst heating some types of glass.

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.

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 139mm x 139mm x 6mm ceramic-fibre shelf for Art Clay and PMC: not china paint, dichroic glasses, enamels, or fused glass.

If you want to do china painting, enamelling, or glass work, you'll need a thicker shelf and four shelf posts. These come as an extra kit: one 178mm x 178mm x 15mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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. However, remember that glass needs radiant heat and is better fired on one shelf rather than between stacked shelves.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Although there's cross-over, 1095°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns, such as those in the SC series, are preferred for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, dichroic glasses, enamelling, and mixed-media jewellery.

For ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, 1290°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns, such as those in the Caldera or Xpress series, are generally more popular.

The SC elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

THE SC-3B: BEAD DOOR

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-3B door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, and a bead-mandrel holder. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC2.

THE SC-3W: WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-3W door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 50mm x 50mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC3.

THE SC-3BW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon SC-3BW door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, a bead-mandrel holder, and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the SC3.

THE XPRESS SERIES

The Paragon Xpress series kilns come in four versions, as the Q-11A, E-9A, E-10A, and E-14A, in ascending order of firing-chamber size. They're 1095°C to 1260°C, four-sided, square, firebrick, front-opening kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers.

The Xpress E14A is also available with a ceramic-fibre firing chamber, as the Xpress J14A: its lighter, uses less power, and heats and cools more quickly than the firebrick version, making it ideal for a busy course centre.

The Xpress E10A, E14A, and J14A are available with a glass viewing-window as the Xpress E10AW, E14AW, and J14AW, and with a bead-annealing door and a glass viewing-window as the more versatile Xpress E10ABW, E14ABW, and J14ABW.

The Xpress E14-A is the largest table-top kiln that can use a regular mains socket. However, larger 13A kilns, such as a floor-standing Fusion 8 with fewer elements, have been made for an uninformed market.
They're not recommended. They would take too long to heat up and might never reach the maximum temperature. And the temperature would fluctuate with any inevitable local voltage variations.

VERSION	DESCRIPTION	MAX °C	POWER W	WEIGHT KG	FIRING CHAMBER	INTERIOR SIZE MM
Xpress Q11A		1260	1440	16	firebrick	147 x 153 x 159
Xpress E9A		1095	1100	25	firebrick	216 x 229 x 115
Xpress E10A		1230	1800	32	firebrick	216 x 229 x 223
Xpress E10AW	window	1230	1800	32	firebrick	216 x 229 x 223
Xpress E10ABW	bead door and window	1230	1800	32	firebrick	216 x 229 x 223
Xpress E14A		1095	3200	51	firebrick	330 x 343 x 223
Xpress E14AW	window	1095	3200	51	firebrick	330 x 343 x 223
Xpress E14ABW	bead door and window	1095	3200	51	firebrick	330 x 343 x 223
Xpress J14A		1095	2400	41	ceramic fibre	330 x 343 x 223
Xpress J14AW	window	1095	2400	41	ceramic fibre	330 x 343 x 223
Xpress J14ABW	bead door and window	1095	2400	41	ceramic fibre	330 x 343 x 223

Paragon kilns, with the exception of the Caldera-S and FireFly-S, use Orton Sentry digital programmers. You can set four programmes, each with eight heating, holding, or cooling segments: so you can choose the temperatures, times, and heating and cooling rates. They don't have 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.
And, later, you might want to work with other materials and processes such as: china painting, dichroic glasses, dolls, enamels, fusing, glass-bead annealing, glazes, gold paints, low-fire ceramics, sagging, and slumping.

Although there's cross-over, 1095°C front-opening ceramic-fibre kilns that heat and cool quickly, such as those in the SC series, are preferred for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, dichroic glasses, enamelling, and mixed-media jewellery.

Ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, need 1290°C firebrick kilns that heat and cool evenly, such as those in the Caldera and FireFly series. Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures.

The Xpress has a lid cut-off switch, an important safety feature if you like to open the lid or bead door whilst you work. However, never get careless: kilns are very hot and connected to the mains.

The elements lie in pin-less grooves in the firebrick, and are quick, easy, and inexpensive to replace in the unlikely event of a failure.

The Xpress Q11A is ideal for making jewellery at home. Although it's the smallest of the Xpress series, it's large enough for metal clays, dichroics, enamels, and glass fusing. And, to compensate for its size, it's hot enough for small-scale ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, allowing you to experiment with materials and processes.

FIRING CHARACTERISTICS

All programmable kilns work in the same way: the thermocouple checks the internal temperature regularly and tells the programmer to switch the elements on or off to control the heating or cooling rate.

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 is more noticeable at low temperatures than at high temperatures. For example: 300°C will probably overshoot to 320°C whereas 800°C will probably only overshoot to 810°C before starting to fall back. Take this into account if you're working with 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.

The actual temperature of your work will be affected, slightly, by 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 than between stacked shelves.

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. Remember, your kiln is a robust, versatile, red-hot tool: not an ornament.

KEEPING A KILN LOG

Working successfully with a kiln involves careful research, planned experiment, and repeated testing. It's very important to learn how to creatively use unexpected effects, especially as things that work for your friends or teachers might not work in the same way for you. So, keep a firing log:

Buy a durable notebook. Using a new page for every firing, draw diagrams of the shelves, their vertical spacing, and the position of your work on the shelves. Put a few scraps at different places on the shelves to learn how things react. 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, or glazes. A skilled artist will use the log to advantage to re-create effects.

THE XPRESS E-9A

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress E-9A is ideal for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china paints, dichroic glasses, enamelling, jewellery, low-fire ceramics, and small-scale glass fusing, sagging, and slumping. It's a 1095°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1100W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, jewellery studio, or take to a course venue, as it only weighs about 25Kg.

The outer steel case measures 356mm x 451mm x 425 mm, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door is hinged on the right but it can be re-engineered and hinged on the left: remember this when ordering.

To comply with EU safety regulations, the kiln is fitted with a door switch which cuts off power to the elements whenever the kiln is opened: an important safety feature included in the price.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 216mm x 229mm x 115mm internally, and heats from both sides and the back, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 64mm thick bricks. The door has a peephole-vent in the middle.

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.

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 for the E9A, included in the price, consists of one 178mm x 178mm x 15mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Firebricks hold more heat than ceramic fibre so firebrick kilns generally heat more evenly and take longer to cool, making the Xpress E9A ideal for small-scale glass work. Its internal floor area is 1.22 times that of the SC-2.

Apart from its internal size, the only minor limitation is that, although 1095°C is hot enough for low-fire ceramics, it's not hot enough for normal ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware: they need a 1260°C or 1290°C kiln.

THE XPRESS E-9AW

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress E-9AW door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the E9A.

THE XPRESS E-10A

ART CLAY, PMC, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, GLASS, AND HEAT TREATING

The Paragon Xpress E-10A is ideal for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china painting, decals, dichroic glass, enamels, heat treating, jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, and small-scale glass fusing, sagging, and slumping. It's a 1230°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1800W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, jewellery studio, or take to a course venue, as it only weighs about 32Kg.

The outer steel case measures 356mm x 451mm x 552mm high, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door is hinged on the right but it can be re-engineered and hinged on the left: remember this when ordering.

To comply with EU safety regulations, the kiln is fitted with a door switch which cuts off power to the elements whenever the kiln is opened: an important safety feature included in the price.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 216mm x 229mm x 223mm high internally, and heats from both sides and the back, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 64mm thick bricks. The door has a peephole-vent in the middle.

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.

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 for the E10A, included in the price, consists of one 178mm x 178mm x 15mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Firebricks hold more heat than ceramic fibre so firebrick kilns generally heat more evenly and take longer to cool, making the Xpress E10A ideal for small-scale glass work. Its internal height is 1.94 times that of the E9A.

Apart from its internal size, the only minor limitation is that, although 1230°C is hot enough for low-fire ceramics, it's not hot enough for normal ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware: they need a 1260°C or 1290°C kiln. However, you can fire earthenware and some types of porcelain.

THE XPRESS E-10AW

ART CLAY, PMC, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, GLASS, AND HEAT TREATING

The Paragon Xpress E-10AW door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 50mm x 50mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the E10A.

THE XPRESS E-10ABW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, GLASS, AND HEAT TREATING

The Paragon Xpress E-10ABW door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, a bead-mandrel holder, and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the E10A.

THE XPRESS E-14A

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress E-14A is ideal for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, batch firing, china paint, dichroic glass, enamels, jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, and glass fusing, sagging, and slumping. It's a 1095°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 3120W, so can use a regular mains socket. It needs a strong table as it weighs about 52Kg.

The outer steel case measures 464mm x 572mm x 571mm, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door is hinged on the right but it can be re-engineered and hinged on the left: remember this when ordering.

To comply with EU safety regulations, the kiln is fitted with a door switch which cuts off power to the elements whenever the kiln is opened: an important safety feature included in the price.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 330mm x 343mm x 223mm internally, and heats from the sides and the back, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 64mm thick bricks. The door has a peephole-vent in the middle.

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.

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 for the E14A, included in the price, consists of one 305mm x 305mm x 15mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Firebricks hold more heat than ceramic fibre so firebrick kilns generally heat more evenly and take longer to cool, making the Xpress E14A ideal for glass work. Its internal floor area is 2.79 times that of the SC-2.

Apart from its internal size, the only minor limitation is that, although 1095°C is hot enough for low-fire ceramics, it's not hot enough for normal ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware: they need a 1260°C or 1290°C kiln.

THE XPRESS E-14AW

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress E-14AW door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 50mm x 50mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the E14A.

THE XPRESS E-14ABW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress E-14ABW door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, a bead-mandrel holder, and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the E14A.

THE XPRESS J-14A

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress J-14A is a 2400W kiln with a faster-firing ceramic-fibre firing chamber and a top vent. Otherwise, it's the same as the E14A.

THE XPRESS J-14AW

ART CLAY, PMC, LOW-FIRE CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress J-14AW door includes a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 50mm x 50mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the J14A.

THE XPRESS J-14ABW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

The Paragon Xpress J-14ABW door includes a bead-anealing letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, a bead-mandrel holder, and a heat-resistant glass viewing-window, 75mm x 25mm. Otherwise, it's the same as the J14A.

THE XPRESS Q-11A

ART CLAY, PMC, CERAMICS, DICHROICS, ENAMELS, GLASS, PORCELAIN, AND STONEWARE

The Paragon Xpress Q-11A is ideal for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, china painting, dichroics, enamels, jewellery, and small-scale glass fusing, ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware. It's a 1260°C, four-sided, square, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold cone-fire, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 1440W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, jewellery studio, or take to a course venue, as it only weighs about 16Kg.

The outer steel case measures 280mm x 362mm x 475mm high, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. The door is hinged on the right but it can be re-engineered and hinged on the left: remember this when ordering.

To comply with EU safety regulations, the kiln is fitted with a door switch which cuts off power to the elements whenever the kiln is opened: an important safety feature included in the price.

The firebrick firing chamber measures 147mm x 153mm x 159mm high internally, and heats from both sides and the back, with the fast-firing elements lying in grooves in the 64mm thick bricks. The door has a peephole-vent in the middle.

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.

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 for the Q11A, included in the price, consists of one 127mm x 127mm x 10mm cordierite shelf and four 25mm x 25mm x 12mm posts.

Cordierite is a magnesium aluminium silicate that resists thermal distortion and fracture. A thick shelf, on 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.

For enamelling and glass fusing, you'll need to put kiln paper on the shelf to stop anything sticking: it's simpler and cleaner to use than glass separator. You can buy shelf paper in the on-line shop.

Firebricks hold more heat than ceramic fibre so firebrick kilns generally heat more evenly and take longer to cool, making the Xpress Q11A ideal for small-scale glass work.

The 1260°C 1440W Q11A is the smallest and hottest of the Xpress series. However, it's large enough for metal clays, dichroics, enamels, and glass fusing. And, to compensate for its size, it's hot enough for small scale ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, allowing you to experiment with materials and processes.

RESOURCES

To learn more about Art Clay metal clays, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, buying and using kilns and tools, choosing a course, or discovering more at The Art Clay Club, use the Art Clay Club link above the menu bar at the top of the page.

The Art Clay Club is an information resource, not a shop, providing free on-line help, 24 7 52: you don't have to register, log on, or remember a password.

SHOPPING

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

The on-line shop includes Paragon Kilns, BullsEye ThinFire kiln paper, ceramic blocks, ceramic cloths, digital pyrometers, reminder-timers, fire extinguishers, glare-resistant glasses, heat-resistant gloves, kiln shelves, kiln tables, and other tools and accessories. Alternatively, visit the Cherry Heaven Shop in Corfe Castle village.

CHERRY HEAVEN

Cherry Heaven, through Electric Kilns, is an EU distributor for Paragon Kilns made by Paragon Industries in the US, and the Prometheus Pro kilns made by Odak Sanat in Turkey.

Cherry Heaven, through Advance Kilns, is the EU distributor for Advance Kiklns made by Advance Kilns in Canada, and, through The UltraLite Kiln, an EU distributor for the Ultra Lite Kiln made by JEC Products in the US.

Cherry Heaven, through The Kitiki Studio, is a UK distributor for Art Clay made by Aida Chemical Industries in Japan, and an EU distributor for AccentGold For Silver paint and Metal Clay Veneer, both made in the US.

EDUCATIONAL DISCOUNTS AND RESALE