|
|
Custom Paragon Kilns
What is a STANDARD Kiln?
What is a CUSTOM Kiln?
At Paragon the distinction between STANDARD and CUSTOM is often quite blurry...
 |
Take the classic Paragon Dragon. The basic design of the Dragon was the foundation kiln idea behind the Paragon Super Dragon. When one of Dogwood Ceramic Supply's customers wanted a bigger version of the Dragon, Dogwood went to work with the Paragon design engineers to spec out what would become the Super Dragon. Everybody in the process fell in love with the design and before long the Super Dragon became a STANDARD Kiln. Within a few years the Paragon Iguana was developed from a custom kiln design that combined the front loading convenience of the Paragon Dragon with a smaller chamber that did not require the high amperage necessary to power the Dragon or Super Dragon. Today, the Paragon Iguana is one the most modified kilns in Paragon Kiln product line. |
 |
The popular Paragon Janus 24 was built off the design of the classic GL 24ADTSD. For many years before the Janus 24 was released to the public the GL 24 series glass kilns were being modified by Dogwood for use by customers in machine shops and metal fabrication crafts that needed a front loading kiln which would reach temperatures above 2200°F. Many of these upgraded GL 24 kilns had guillotine doors from the F-240 kiln or drop front doors rather than the basic, horizontally swinging door found on the GL 24. And of course Gas Injection Solenoids and flow meters were always a popular addition to the metal working kilns.
The top selling Paragon TnF 27-3 is another kiln that has a long evolution. Way back in 1993, while Dogwood's Dragon Master was undergoing training at the Paragon factory, there was a round table discussion about the need for additional designs of kilns. One of the attendees spoke of a need for a large kiln with a shallow depth for schools and production studios. Paragon had such a kiln, in the TnF 27-3, but the kiln at 18" depth was much shallower than desired by those in attendance. Paragon understood our needs and redesigned the 27 series to the current physical dimensions. The 27-3 underwent another transformation in the mid 90's as the kiln was modified for use by a chain of paint your own pottery studios, but it was still underpowered for daily use as a high fire kiln. Then in the late 90's Paragon developed the Viking 28 and Viking 24. The Viking kilns are ultra high performance kilns capable of reaching Cone 10 every day of the week with minimal element fatigue compared to their traditional powered brethren. Dogwood took one look at the Viking 28 design and asked Paragon to added much of the power of the Viking Kilns to a consumer friendly TnF 27-3. Since that power upgrade in 2001, the Paragon TnF 27-3 has become Dogwood Ceramic Supply's number one selling kiln.
Paragon was already working on the Pearl 22 design when a Dogwood Ceramic Supply customer inquired about increasing the size of the newly introduced Pearl 18. The customer had specific goals for the larger kiln, such as adding the 12-key Sentry Controller and a lid assist system. The customer's goals where integrated into Paragon's design in progress to achieve what we now know as the Paragon Pearl 22 and some of those same features have worked their way back to the Pearl 18 as well.
One of Dogwood's largest competitors took a look at the Pearl 22 and Pearl 44 and went to work on their own custom kiln design. The results of their work is the Pearl 56.
As you can see, most of Paragon's kilns at one time or another had serious customer or distributor input to the kiln design. Says a lot of about Paragon and their willingness to work their customers to achieve the perfect kiln.
Speaking of the perfect kiln, this little 22.5 cubic foot Paragon Metal Annealing kiln was designed to handle 1800 lb loads fired up to 2000F:
| • 22.5 cubic feet • 42" x 42" x 22" depth • Rated to 2000˚F with 1800 lb maximum weight loads • 480 v 3 ph, 33 amps per line, 28Kw • 12 gauge Kanthal elements • MDR (Mercury Displacement Relays) • Floating lid including corner hoists mounted into the metal frame. • 2" Tubular Steel Frame • 12" Ground Clearance, gussets added to legs for strength • Adjustable center leg for additional support • 4" IFB (Insulating Fire Brick) for Walls and Floor • 4" Ceramic Fiber for lid • Umbilical Remote access control box, 12’ cord • Dual 12 Key Sentry (Orton) Digital Controllers • AOP to control GIFM • AOP to control Orton VentMaster • Upsized GIFM for 7x per hour air exchange • Orton VentMaster, Installed • Shipping Weight approximate 1900 lbs |
 |
The kiln was designed so that mirror image kilns could share common support functions such as overhead hoists for lid functions and delivery of the loads.
Yep, Dogwood Ceramic Supply and Paragon combine together to build some pretty serious kilns.
If you are seeking a kiln for a specific purpose, always check out the 90+ standard models of Paragon Kilns for the ceramist, potter and glass artist. Beyond those "Standard" kilns, Paragon has a tremendous number of custom kilns and specialty kilns, such as those for knife making and metal heat treating applications, that have been developed over the years. Please contact Dogwood Ceramic Supply for additional information regarding how Paragon can make a kiln to your exact specifications.
Paragon Knife Making Kilns
Paragon Heat Treating Furnaces
Paragon Industrial Furnaces
..
12590 Dedeaux Road
Gulfport Mississippi, 39503
Telephone (228) 831-4848 Fax (228) 831-3111
Showroom Business Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10AM to 5PM
Thursday 1PM to 6PM
Closed Wednesday and Sunday
Specialty kilns from Paragon, including kilns for metal heat treating applications, designed by Dogwood Ceramic Supply and built by Paragon.