The most popular choice for small-scale glass-bead annealing is the Paragon SC-2B kiln, and, for large-scale commercial batch-annealing, the BlueBird, BlueBird XL, and EZ Beader kilns, although you can use any kiln that heats to 650°C. Before looking at the choices in detail, here's a brief summary of the process:

During annealing, the stress in the glass is relieved and the molecules are allowed to cool and arrange themselves into a solid, stable form. Successful annealing is the key to creating glasswork that will remain attractive and durable.

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 bead-door width, 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 925°C for a long time, buy a 1095°C kiln, not a 925°C kiln.

For annealing, you can use any kiln that heats up to about 650°C, such as the 650°C BlueBird and the 815°C EZ Beader.

The BlueBird is a 650°C kiln and the EZ Beader is an 815°C kiln, both with ceramic-fibre firing chambers. They each have two bead doors, and are designed to hold a wide row of bead rods, or mandrels. The door height limits what you can put inside, so you can't stack shelves or anneal large pieces of work.

The EZBeader could be used for Art Clay 650 silver clay, but it's not hot enough for Art Clay and PMC gold clays, glass fusing, sagging, and slumping.

The Caldera B is a 1095°C two-part firebrick kiln. The SC2B, SC2BW, SC3B, and SC3BW are 1095°C ceramic-fibre kilns. The Xpress E10ABW is a 1230°C firebrick kiln. The Xpress E14ABW is a 1095°C firebrick kiln. No other kilns have a bead door.

The 650°C 960W Blue Bird has a bead-door width of 508mm, 1.81 times wider than the 815°C 800W EZBeader, and 3.08 times wider than the Caldera B, SC2B, SC2BW, SC3B, SC3BW, E10BW, and E14ABW. The generous door width makes it ideal for a bead business, annealing beads in quantity for retail.

Bead artists usually prefer small front-opening fast-heating kilns, such as the BlueBird, EZ Beader, and those in the SC series, described below. They heat and cool more quickly than similar small firebrick kilns, such as those in the Caldera and Xpress series, also described below, although you can use the programmer to control the rate for other materials and processes.

The BlueBird, EZ Beader, and SC series elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. The Xpress series elements lie in grooves in the firebrick, and are quick, easy, and inexpensive to replace in the unlikely event of a failure.

Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures, so are generally preferred for ceramics, glass, porcelain, pottery, or stoneware. They typically offer a larger interior, top-heating elements, and a higher maximum temperature.

If you're working with several materials, it's useful to have a bead kiln and a multipurpose kiln, so that you make better use of your time. The 1290°C Caldera will do small-scale everything, so is particularly versatile.
The removable bead-door collar increases the internal height from 171mm to 281mm but, as it doesn't have heating elements, the maximum temperature is reduced to 1095°C.
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.

If you want to make ceramic beads, rather than just anneal glass beads, the BlueBird and EZ Beader aren't hot enough. The Xpress E-10ABW, described below, is a good choice, but you should learn more about making ceramic beads and the temperatures needed before buying a kiln.

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.

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 BLUEBIRD

ANNEALING BEADS

The Paragon BlueBird is ideal for annealing glass beads. It's a 650°C, four-sided, rectangular, front-opening kiln, with an easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmer.

The UK kiln is rated at 230V 960W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, or jewellery studio, as it only weighs about 22Kg.

The outer steel case measures 966mm x 458mm x 356mm, and is slotted for air circulation: so it keeps cool. There are two separate outward-opening letter-box style doors, each 254mm x 70mm, giving a total door width of 508mm.

The whole ceramic-fibre firing chamber measures 508mm x 127mm x 127mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements safely embedded in the fibre.

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 start link below the menu bar at the top of the page, then choose programmers.

The Blue Bird was designed for batch-annealing glass beads threaded onto bead rods, or mandrels. Although it has a wide bead-door, making it time and energy efficient, 650°C is not hot enough for most other materials and processes, so there's no recommended furniture kit.

The Blue Bird elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to add and remove bead rods whilst the kiln is on. However, never get careless: kilns are hot and connected to the mains.

Ceramic-fibre kilns, such as the BlueBird and those in the SC series, heat and cool more quickly than firebrick kilns, such as those in the Xpress series, although you can use the programmer to control the rate.

THE CALDERA SERIES

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, CERAMICS, ENAMELS, GLASS, PORCELAIN, POTTERY, AND STONEWARE

The Paragon Caldera series kilns are ideal for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, Fimo Polymer Clay, glass bead annealing, china paint, dichroics, enamelling, jewellery, and small-scale glass fusing, sagging, slumping, ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware.

The Paragon Caldera series kilns come in three versions: the Caldera, the bead-door collar Caldera-B, and the plain collar Caldera-C. They're four-sided, square, top-opening kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers. The Caldera is shown in the diagrams, although they all look similar.

The Caldera is a versatile kiln for small-scale everything in your craft workshop or ceramics studio: it's compact and easy to move, it uses a regular mains socket, it's fully programmable, it heats and cools quickly, and it's inexpensive to run.

The collars on the Caldera-B and Caldera-C increase the internal height from 171mm to 281mm but, as they don't have heating elements, the maximum temperature is reduced to 1095°C.
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 CALDERA-B: BEAD DOOR COLLAR

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

The Paragon Caldera-B has a separate bead-door collar, increasing the internal height from 171mm to 281mm. The bead collar includes an outward-opening letter-box style door, 165mm x 64mm, and a mandrel holder. Otherwise it's the same as the Caldera.

The bead-door collar is fitted facing front, so that heat rising from an open bead door doesn't heat the programmer box. The collar increases the internal height from 171mm to 281mm but, as it doesn't have heating elements, the maximum temperature is reduced to 1095°C.
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.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose ceramics.

THE EZ BEADER

ANNEALING BEADS

The Paragon EZ Beader is ideal for annealing glass beads. It's an 815°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 800W, so can use a regular mains socket. It's small enough to use in your home, school, craft workshop, or jewellery studio, as it only weighs about 27Kg.

The outer steel case measures 381mm x 445mm x 432mm, and is slotted for air circulation. There are two separate outward-opening letter-box style doors, each 140mm x 64mm, giving a total bead-door width of 280mm.

The ceramic-fibre firing chamber measures 280mm x 178mm x 108mm internally, and heats from the top, with the fast-firing elements safely embedded in the fibre. The firing chamber floor is made of durable firebrick.

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 start link below the menu bar, then choose programmers.

The EZBeader was designed for annealing glass beads threaded onto bead rods, or mandrels. Although it has a wide bead-door, making it time and energy efficient, 815°C is too low for most other materials and processes, so there's no recommended furniture kit.

If you want to work with other temperature-appropriate materials and processes, you'll need two shelves. These come as an extra kit: two 127mm x 110mm x 6mm ceramic-fibre shelves.

The EZBeader elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to add and remove bead rods whilst the kiln is on. However, never get careless: kilns are hot and connected to the mains.

Ceramic-fibre kilns heat and cool more quickly than firebrick kilns, such as those in the Xpress series, although you can use the programmer to control the rate.

THE SC SERIES

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

The Paragon SC series kilns are ideal for Art Clay and PMC metal clays, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, Fimo Polymer Clay, glass-bead annealing, china painting, dichroics, enamelling, jewellery, lost-wax casting, low-fire ceramics, and small scale glass fusing, sagging, and slumping.

The Paragon SC series kilns come in eight versions, as the SC-2, SC-2B, SC-2W, and SC-2BW, and the 50mm taller SC-3, SC-3B, SC-3W, and SC-3BW. They're four-sided, square, front-opening, ceramic fibre kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers. The SC-2 is shown in the diagrams above, although they all look similar.

Bead artists usually prefer small front-opening fast-heating kilns, such as those in the SC series, described below. They heat and cool more quickly than similar small firebrick kilns, such as those in the Xpress series, although you can use the programmer to control the rate for other materials and processes.

The SC series elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. The Xpress series elements lie in grooves in the firebrick, and are quick, easy, and inexpensive to replace in the unlikely event of a failure.

Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures, so are generally preferred for ceramics, glass, porcelain, pottery, or stoneware. They typically offer a larger interior, top-heating elements, and a higher maximum temperature.

The 1095°C 1745W SC-2, and the 1095°C 2000W SC-3, are good first-kilns for your home, school, craft workshop, or jewellery studio: they're compact and easy to move, they use a regular mains socket, they're fully programmable, they heat and cool quickly, and they're inexpensive to run.

Both are available with bead-annealing doors, as the SC2B and SC3B; with glass viewing-windows, as the SC2W and SC3W; and with bead-annealing doors and glass viewing-windows, as the more versatile SC2BW and SC3BW.

The SC3 firing chamber is 1.34 times higher inside than that of the SC2, so will accommodate taller pieces of work or two extra shelves, making five in all.

Apart from their 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 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.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

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.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

THE SC-3B: BEAD DOOR

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, ENAMELS, AND SMALL-SCALE GLASS WORK

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.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

THE SC-3BW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, ENAMELS, AND SMALL-SCALE GLASS WORK

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.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

THE XPRESS SERIES

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

The Paragon Xpress series kilns are ideal for Art Clay, PMC, Accent Gold, Metal Clay Veneer, Fimo Polymer Clay, bead annealing, china paint, decals, dichroics, enamelling, and small-scale glass fusing, ceramics, porcelain, and stoneware.

The Paragon Xpress series kilns come in four sizes, as the Q-11A, E-9A, E-10A, and E-14A, in ascending order of internal size. They're four-sided, square, front-opening, firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers. The Xpress E-14A is shown in the diagrams above, although they all look similar.

The Xpress series kilns, described below, can be used for Art Clay and PMC silver clays, china painting, dichroics, and enamels. However, jewellery artists usually prefer small front-opening fast-heating kilns, such as those in the SC series. They heat and cool more quickly than similar small firebrick kilns, although you can use the programmer to control the rate for other materials and processes.

Firebrick kilns are better suited to continual high temperatures, so are generally preferred for ceramics, glass, porcelain, pottery, or stoneware. They typically offer a larger interior, top-heating elements, and a higher maximum temperature.

The Xpress series elements lie in grooves in the firebrick, and are quick, easy, and inexpensive to replace in the unlikely event of a failure. The SC series elements are embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work.

The Xpress E9A is a 1095°C kiln; the Xpress E10A is a 1230°C kiln; the Xpress E14A is a 1095°C kiln; and the Xpress Q11A is a 1260°C kiln. The Xpress E14A is the largest kiln, internally, that can use a regular mains socket.

The Xpress E9A has an inside floor area 1.22 times larger than that of the SC2; the E10A is 1.94 times higher inside than the E9A; and the E14A has an inside floor area 2.29 times larger than that of the E10A.

The Xpress E10A and Xpress E14A are available with bead-annealing doors and glass viewing-windows, as the more versatile Xpress E10ABW and Xpress E14ABW.

The 1260°C 1440W 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.

THE XPRESS E-10ABW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, ENAMELS, AND GLASS

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 E-10A.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

THE XPRESS E-14ABW: BEAD DOOR AND WINDOW

ART CLAY, PMC, BEADS, 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 E-14A.

To learn more about this kiln, and other complementary kilns in the series, use the kilns link below the menu bar at the top of the page, then choose artclay, then scroll down.

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