The most popular choices for firing small-scale ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, are the Paragon Caldera and FireFly series kilns, and, for large-scale work, the Janus series kilns, although you can use any kiln that heats to 1290°C. Before looking at the choices in detail, here's a brief summary of the process:

China dolls have been popular since about 1830. Some people see them as collectibles and make a hobby out of buying unusual dolls, casting new dolls, glazing the surfaces, painting the skin tones and features, adding hair, making clothes, and displaying them. It's a hobby that soon needs a lot of space, particularly if you make an impulsive start and make them or buy them without having a plan.

Basically, dolls are made from a ceramic material, then hand painted. Firing ceramics and porcelain needs a 1290°C kiln. Decorating dolls and painting china needs a 925°C kiln.

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.

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 925°C for a long time, buy a 1095°C kiln, not a 925°C kiln.

For making figurines and dolls, you need a ceramics kiln: for painting and glazing dolls you need a china-painting kiln. The right kiln will allow you to try different sizes, and use other materials or processes.

For ceramics, porcelain, pottery, and stoneware, you need a 1290°C Caldera kiln, or a kiln from the 1290°C Janus or TNF series.

The Caldera is hot enough for small-scale everything. Janus series kilns are probably the most versatile, as they can fire glass and ceramics: for glass, use the top and middle-side elements; for ceramics, use the side elements. TNF series kilns are hot enough for ceramics, but they're not usually used for glass work as there are no top elements.

For china painting, you need a lower temperature kiln, such as the 14-9SSP, or any 925°C kiln: the only kilns that don't are the two dedicated glass-bead annealing kilns, the 650°C BlueBird and the 815°C EZ Beader.

Although kilns from the SC and Xpress series are inexpensive and versatile, they're probably more suited to making and painting small figurines rather than typical-height elaborate dolls.

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-loading; GL for glass, Q for ceramic front-loading; 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.

Paragon programmers do not have pre-set programmes: you can easily set up and re-use your own. Although pre-sets might seem useful, you won't be able to experiment, or try or use other materials, combinations, or firing sequences.

The prices include the recommended shelf kit and the legally-necessary lid or door safety switch, where appropriate, and UK mainland delivery. To look at the prices, use the shop link below the menu bar.

THE CALDERA SERIES

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

Caldera series kilns come in three versions: the 1290°C Caldera, the bead-door collar Caldera-B, and the plain collar Caldera-C. They're all four-sided, square, top-opening kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold cone-fire, Sentry Xpress 3-key digital programmers. The Caldera is shown in the diagrams.

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.

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

THE JANUS SERIES

CERAMICS, GLASS, PORCELAIN, POTTERY, AND STONEWARE

Janus series kilns come in five sizes, as the 1613, 23, 24, 27, and Ovation, in ascending order of internal size. They're firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold cone-fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmers. The Janus 1613 is shown in the diagrams.

The eight-sided Janus 1613, ten-sided Janus 23, twelve-sided Janus 27, and ten-sided Janus Ovation, are top-opening 1290°C cone 10 kilns. The four-sided, square, front-opening Janus 24 is a front-opening 1290°C cone 10 kiln.

Janus series kilns are probably the most versatile of the Paragon range as they can fire glass and pottery: for glass, use the top and middle-side elements; for pottery, use the side elements.

1290°C is the highest temperature that standard kilns reach: above that, the materials and construction change, and the cost increases dramatically.

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

THE TNF SERIES

CERAMICS, PORCELAIN, POTTERY, AND STONEWARE

TNF series kilns come in six sizes, as the Q-11A, 66-3, 1613-3, 82-3, 24-3, and 27-3, in ascending order of internal size. They're firebrick kilns, with easy-to-use, ramp-hold cone-fire, Sentry 12-key digital programmers. The TNF 66-3 is shown in the diagrams.

The four-sided, square, front-opening TNF Q11A and the seven-sided top-opening TNF 66-3 are 1260°C cone 6 kilns. The eight-sided TNF 1613-3, eight-sided TNF 82-3, ten-sided TNF 24-3, and twelve-sided TNF 27-3, are top-opening 1290°C cone 10 kilns. The TNF 27-3 is the widest and the TNF 24-3 is the highest.

TNF kilns have a higher power rating than similar looking Janus kilns: they heat up more quickly, so are popular with commercial studios and ceramic cafes. They're not usually used for glass work as there are no top elements.

1290°C is the highest temperature that standard kilns reach: above that, the materials and construction change, and the cost increases dramatically.

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

THE SC SERIES

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

SC series kilns come in two sizes, as the SC-2 and the taller SC-3. 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.

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.

The SC series elements are safely embedded in ceramic fibre, an important safety feature if you like to open the door or bead door whilst you work. Ceramic-fibre kilns heat and cool more quickly than firebrick kilns, although you can use the programmer to control the rate.

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.

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

THE XPRESS SERIES

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

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.

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 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 series elements lie in grooves in the firebricks. Ceramic-fibre kilns, such as those in the SC series, heat and cool more quickly than firebrick kilns, although you can use the programmer to control the rate. Firebrick elements are inexpensive and easy to replace, in the unlikely event that they fail.

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