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Paragon Dragon Kiln
Paragon's Ultimate Front Loading Pottery Kiln
List Price $5,820.00
Dogwood Ceramic Supply's Discounted Price $3,840.00
The Paragon Dragon Kiln truly is an industrial furnace designed for pottery and ceramic studios. Since October 2001, Dogwood Ceramic Supply has been a proud owner & user of one of the very first Paragon Dragon Kilns ever made. Fired nearly on a daily basis, with many loads to Cone 6 or hotter, the Paragon Dragon at Dogwood Ceramic Supply has performed flawlessly in over 10 years of usage, with absolutely no elements or other parts needing to be replaced. A true testament to the design and durability of the Paragon Dragon Kiln.
Why is the Paragon Dragon so durable? The 16,500 watts of power is heating 9 cubic feet of chamber backed by 4" of insulation. A comparative top loading kiln of similar size, such as the Paragon TnF 27-3, will typically be powered with only 11,500 watts of power and utilize 2.5" or 3" insulation. Comparatively the Paragon Dragon is over-powered and over-insulated which results in longer element life as the elements do not struggle to repeatedly reach high temperatures.
As durable as the Paragon Dragon Kiln may be, it is even more accurate in firing performance. The element design is balanced, applying more heat to the top and bottom of the chamber to compensate for heat loss over the unheated areas. The results of the element design is flawless performance with nearly perfect front to back, side to side and top to bottom heat distribution using a single zone S-Type Thermocouple as documented by the Orton Witness Cones used in every kiln load by Dogwood Ceramic Supply.
Paragon Dragon, combining accuracy and durability into a single high performance front loading pottery kiln.
Paragon Dragon Kiln's Standard Features:
◊ Cone 10, 2350°F
◊ 9 cubic foot interior: 24" wide x 24" deep x 27" tall
◊ 3" insulating firebrick and 1" non-organic block insulation in walls, door, and top. 4" total thickness.
◊ 4 ½" thick firebrick bottom
◊ Exterior case temperature at Cone 10 is only 170°F (compared to 400-500°F for many standard round kilns)
◊ Proportional power elements for even heating
◊ Sentry 2.0 12-Key Digital Controller with programmed cool-down and full range of programmable firing options
◊ 16,500 watts of power. Requires #4 wire, direct service, 75 amp circuit breaker.
◊ Long-lasting mercury relays (MDR) UL/CUL & NEC compliant fuses for safety
◊ Hinged Control Panel for ease of access
◊ Single Zone K Type Thermocouple temperature sensor and control
◊ Available in 200, 208, 220, 240, 480v, 1 & 3 phase power options
◊ Doorway clearance is 39½", 34" if door handles and element cover are temporarily removed.
◊ Shipping weight 905 lbs.
◊ Kiln weight, approximately 660 lbs
Paragon Dragon Options:
◊ Furniture Kit:
1 C-30 Shelf (22" x 22" x 1" thick), 4 C-30H 1/2 Shelves (22" x 11" x 1" thick)
8 each of 4”, 6” and 8" lengths 1 ½” wide Square Posts
1 lb. Bag Kiln Wash
Furniture Kit Shipping Weight: 128 lbs
◊ Choice of stand heights
◊ Optional casters on stand
◊ Orton Vent Master down draft ventilation system
◊ Auxiliary Output to control Orton KilnVent
◊ S Type Thermocouple temperature sensor and control
◊ 3 Zone K Type or S Type Thermocouple temperature sensor and control
◊ Door elements with Door safety switch
◊ Janus (glass) option
◊ Stainless Steel Exterior
◊ APM Elements
2012 Paragon Dragon Prices
| Dogwood's Discounted Price |
|
| Paragon Dragon Kiln MSRP $5,820.00 | $3,840.00 |
| Furniture Kit | $450.00 |
| 18" Stand without casters | $350.00 |
| 24" Stand without casters | $400.00 |
| 24" Stand with casters | $600.00 |
| Orton Vent Master Package | |
| 208-240v Vent Master includes installation to the kiln |
$440.00 |
| optional Auxiliary Output | $95.00 |
| Single Zone S Type Thermocouple | $185.00 |
| Door Element | $360.00 |
| Optional Door Safety Switch(required with Door Elements) | $70.00 |
| Stainless Steel Exterior | $300.00 |
| 200, 208, 220v same price as 240v | No charge |
| 3 phase 200, 208, 220v, 240v same price as 240v 1ph | No charge |
| 3-phase 480v | $225.00 |
| Paragon Janus Dragon, Upgrade ($810 MSRP upgrade) | $640.00 |
| Paragon Janus Dragon includes: | |
| Door Element with optional Safety Switch | |
| Roof Element with control | |
| Paragon Freight Group: | F |
Notes:
$5,820.00 is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for the Paragon Dragon. Dogwood Ceramic Supply's discounted price is $3,840.00. All options have the appropriate discounts applied from the MSRP.
Freight charges are based upon the weight of the kiln, services required and the customer's location. Please refer to Paragon freight information for complete information including special rates and any adjustments to the basic freight charges for your specific location or delivery situation. The standard freight charges includes the furniture kit and most common accessories that may be added to the purchase of the Paragon Dragon.
The Paragon Factory Freight Free Program applies to purchases of 2 or more Paragon Dragon Kilns for commercial or school delivery with loading dock. Additional charges for standard adjustments including liftgate may apply.
Options Explained:
Kiln Stand:
The Dragon (shown above) is mounted in a 24" stand. The stand is optional as the ventilated mounting base (the area below the brick bottom of the kiln with vertical slits) could allow the kiln to be safely used on a work table that is capable of holding a 660 lb kiln. Most customers will chose to add a stand. The kiln will be mounted in the stand, unless the customer requests otherwise. Paragon standard selection of stands are 18" without casters, and 24" with or without casters.
A special 18" stand without casters was requested by Dogwood Ceramic Supply for our customers after we used the Paragon designed 24" stand on the Paragon Dragon Kiln in our business. We determined that a lower floor height of the kiln would allow easier access for loading the kiln. With the 18" stand the base of the kiln interior is approximately 32" above the ground, versus the 38" height with the regular 24" stands. The lower height of the floor of the kiln is extremely important when trying to lift heavy kiln shelves up to chest or shoulder height.
The casters on the Paragon Dragon stand DO NOT lock nor are they capable of being leveled. For safety of the kiln and the customer using the kiln a stand with casters should be purchased only if you will have a regular need to move the kiln, OR require the casters to move the kiln into a basement or interior room.
Orton Vent Master:
See Orton Kiln Vent for general product information. The Orton Kiln Vent requires an unusual
connection for use with the Paragon Dragon. The prices listed above include the cost of installing the Orton Kiln Vent to the Dragon.
The AOP is mounted into the control box of the kiln. See Auxiliary Output (AOP) for product information.
Door Element:
As with the 3 Zone Control, not every customer will have the need for a Door Element to be installed on their new Paragon Dragon Kiln. In the standard Dragon
configuration the elements wrap around the side walls and back of the kiln chamber. As one would anticipate, the door area is the natural cold spot
within the kiln. However, as we heat the kiln to typical ceramic and pottery temperatures, the cold spot in the kiln nearly disappears as the method of
heating at high temperatures in the kiln is solely via infrared. At Cone 10, the front to back temperature difference in an empty Paragon Dragon, without the door elements,
is only 1°C. So, like the 3 Zone Control mentioned above, the door element is typically not required for the majority of all customers.
Who should add the Door Element to their Paragon Dragon?
◊ Customers who know that they will be loading large amounts of mass, such as plate or tile racks, up to or nearly touching the door. A single tile rack or kiln shelf is not the issue. A kiln chamber completely loaded with tile or plate racks (floor to ceiling, front to back) is the issue.
◊ Customers firing to low fire temperatures (below 2000˚F) while utilizing the full width and depth of the Dragon kiln chamber. This is especially true if firing glazed wares as a small temperature difference could affect the glaze/color development. Alternatively, skipping the first inch or so of the kiln interior can also avoid the cold spot issue.
| The addition of Door Elements does not reduce or increase the amount of power consumption of the Paragon Dragon and will not affect the firing time. The Door Elements simply cause the power to be redistributed to compensate for the natural cold spot of the kiln which may affect certain firing conditions. |
The optional door safety switch is required with all Paragon Dragons that are sold with the Door Element and should be purchased by other users if the door will opened at any time during the firing stages.
Stainless Steel Exterior:
The standard Dragon has a painted metal exterior surface. For the majority of kilns sold by Dogwood Ceramic Supply, the painted metal surface will not rust
for many, many years. However, humidity in the air, moisture in the clays that are fired, metallic salts in the glazes that are used and the presence of salt
in the air from being close to the seashore all combine to quickly attack the painted steel exterior of the kiln.
Paragon added the Stainless Steel Exterior as an option to the Dragon, primarily for those customers living on an island or close to the ocean. If you are located more than 10 miles from the seashore, fire dry clay only, use high quality commercial glazes and the kiln is located in a temperature regulated (HVAC) room there is little need to upgrade to the Stainless Steel Exterior. But if you are really close to the seashore, always fire wet ware or corrosive glazes you may want to upgrade to the Stainless Steel Exterior.
Please note: Dogwood Ceramic Supply is located 6 miles from the Mississippi Sound. Our Dragon is located in our warehouse and is vented with an Orton downdraft kiln vent and after nearly 10 years of continual usage firing commercial glazes and "dry" greenware there is significant rust is showing on the edges of the painted steel case.
| Dogwood's recommendation: Buy the Stainless Steel Exterior if you are close to any saltwater bay, inlet, or ocean. |
Janus Option:
In the spring of 2004 Paragon started manufacturing the Janus series of kilns. The Janus kilns are multifaceted kilns designed to fire both glass and ceramics
or pottery. Glass is typically heated to a fairly low temperature, and the best glass kilns will have an element in the lid as well as the side walls so as to
heat the glass as uniformly as possible. The Janus kilns were born by adding the required element in the lid (or top) of the kiln, reconfiguring the application
of power from the side wall elements, and adding a switch to change the operation of the kiln from glass to pottery and then back again. By the fall of
2004, Dogwood Ceramic Supply was adding the Janus option to a number of the Dragon kilns that we sold.
Today, customers can fuse or slump large glass projects on a single shelf at the top of their Dragon kiln and fire the same kiln to normal ceramic and pottery temperatures. All this through the simple addition of the Janus option. The Janus Option increases the price of the regular Paragon Dragon by $640.
| Dogwood recommends customers contemplating the Paragon Janus Dragon option to evaluate purchasing the standard Dragon Kiln and adding a small dedicated glass kiln, such as the Fusion 7. Two dedicated kilns are less of a production bottleneck than a single large kiln and the customer utilizes each kiln specifically for its design strengths. |
Ready to buy your own Paragon Dragon Kiln? Then pickup the telephone and call the Dragon Master at Dogwood Ceramic Supply. The Dragon Master will talk you through the selection process of all of the available options and insure that your Paragon Dragon is equipped to meet all of your needs. And in a few short weeks, your new Paragon Dragon will be delivered to your studio, ready to breath FIRE into your ceramic projects.
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
The Front Loading Paragon Dragon is an industrial high performance furnace designed for pottery and ceramic studios as well as other high temperature furnace needs.