Paragon's Janus Kilns

Combination Kilns for glass and pottery

    Drawn from the most popular Paragon pottery kiln designs, the Paragon Janus Kilns are the newest series of kilns from Paragon. The Paragon Janus Kilns were designed with a dual purpose, to fire both glass and pottery in a single kiln.  The Janus name for the newest Paragon Kilns was derived from Janus, the Roman god, who is often depicted having two faces which faced in opposite directions or even simultaneously looking into the past and the future.  The Janus name is quite appropriate for these kilns as firing glass or pottery are often require radically different element designs to achieve even firing.

    To achieve the dual purpose firing goal, Paragon transferred the top firing element from the Paragon Fusion Kilns to a traditional pottery kiln and then added control circuits to limit the side wall elements during the firing.  The results is a kiln series that can handle wider and/or taller glass objects than any of the Fusion Kilns yet fire the glass just as precisely as the Fusion Kilns. More importantly, because the power levels of the kilns were not compromised, the Janus Kilns are capable of repeatedly firing to Cone 10 just as well as any of the TnF Kilns from which they were based in design.

   So who should buy the Janus Kilns?  First and foremost, Glass Artists needing a deeper kiln for large slumping projects will find the Paragon Janus Kilns the absolutely perfect kiln for their studio.  In fact the Paragon Janus 27 is most often purchased strictly as a dedicated glass slumping kiln just because of the shear size of the kiln.  The Janus Kilns can also fire clay projects which means these kilns are ideal for manufacturing glass molds as well as accomplishing glass projects.  From the pottery side of the equation, the Janus Kilns are ideal for Potters who want to experiment with a little glass without the expense of purchasing a separate glass kiln.

    Are there drawbacks to the Janus Kilns?  Yes.  For starters, clay is dirty.  Small chunks of clay debris should always be expected.  Good hygiene or house keeping practices between firings should be enforced to prevent clay contamination of critical glass projects.  Secondly, because of the temperature rating of the Janus Kilns, it is impossible to install the Ceramic Fiber lids commonly found on the professional glass kilns.  Without the ceramic fiber, the issue of dust and debris will be amplified as the element vibrating in the large lid will generate brick dust.  From the pottery side of the house, the Paragon Janus Kilns have an element installed in the lid of the kiln.  The installation of the roof/lid element removes a portion of the insulating brick from the kiln.  Because heat rises, and a portion of the insulating brick has been removed, the electrical consumption of the kiln will be higher than a dedicated pottery kiln of the same volume.  In addition, while MDR (Mercury Displacement Relays) are an option for the Janus Kilns, because of the amperage required for these kilns to reach Cone 10 the cost of the MDR will be significantly higher than a comparative volume dedicated glass temperature rated kiln.

    Bottom line, customers considering the Paragon Janus Kilns should look at the option of purchasing a dedicated kiln for each of the tasks desired to be accomplished in the kiln.  The initial cost of purchasing dedicated kilns may be higher than purchasing a single kiln, but dedicated kilns can have less side effects and eliminate the need to wait for one kiln load to complete before the next load can start.

    As with every Paragon Kiln series, the Janus Kilns are available in many sizes, ranging from the compact Janus 1613 to the studio sized Janus 23 and of course a Janus kiln, the Janus 27, based upon upon the #1 selling TnF 27-3.  The Janus kilns also include the Janus 24 which is a pottery version of the Paragon GL 24 ADTSD.  There is also an oval or bathtub version of the Janus Kilns called the Janus Ovation.  The Janus Ovation is listed on a separate page on the website.

Standard Features for every Paragon Janus Kiln:
◊ Cone 10, 2350°F maximum temperature.
◊ 3" insulating firebrick on walls, door, bottom and top
◊ 2" Blank top brick to protect elements from user contact (except Janus 24)
◊ Paragon's spring loaded counter balanced LiteLid for ease of opening the heavy brick lid (except Janus 24 and 1613)
◊ Reversible brick bottom (except Janus 24).
◊ Full-formed galvanized steel base plate to reinforce the brick bottom (except Janus 24 and 1613)
◊ Louvered base allows kiln to set on work tables(only the Janus 24).
◊ Dust-free coating in the peepholes, both sides of the lid and the top rim of the wall bricks.
◊ Proportional power elements in deep recessed brick groves for even heating
◊ One piece wall construction, with hand lifts(on the small kilns)
◊ Sectional construction, with hand lifts for entry through narrow doorways and stairwells (on the largest kilns)
◊ Sections lock together for safety (on the largest kilns)
◊ Hinged, drop down, control panel for easy access for maintenance and repairs (except Janus 24 and 1613).
◊ Digital controller mounted at the top of the control panel for ease of viewing and programming.
◊ Basic operating instructions silk screened on control panel
◊ Heavy duty kiln stand accommodates the Orton KilnVent
◊ Sentry 2.0 12-Key Digital Controller with programmed cool-down and full range of programmable firing options
◊ Digital Controller warranted for 30 months.
◊ Single Zone K Type Thermocouple temperature sensor and control
◊ Available in 200, 208, 220, 240, 480v 1 & 3 phase power options
◊ Certified to CSA and UL Standard 499

Standard Options for every Paragon Janus Kiln:
◊ Furniture Kit
◊ Deluxe stand on casters
◊ 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
◊ APM Elements

2012 Paragon Common Janus Kiln Options

2012 Paragon Janus 27 Kiln

The Most Versatile Kiln

    The Janus 27 is identical to the TnF 27-3 in size and shape, plus adds the element in the lid design from the Paragon Fusion series of kilns for even firing of glass.  The Janus 27 takes the Fusion series of kilns one step further by being able to handle wider and taller glass objects than any of the Fusion kilns.  All in all, the Janus 27 is Paragon's most versatile dual purpose kiln.

Paragon Janus 27:
◊ 8.11 cubic foot interior: 28" wide x 22¼" deep.
◊ Doorway clearance required is 37", 12" if disassembled into sections.
◊ Shipping weight 397 lbs
◊ Shipping crate is approximately 42"w x 47"d x 42"h.

Paragon Janus 27 Optional Furniture Kit:
◊ 6 C-24H 1/2 Shelves (26” round x ¾" thick)
◊ 1½” wide Square Posts, 6 of each: 1”, 2”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6” lengths
◊ 1 lb. Bag Kiln Wash
◊ Shipping Weight: 145 lbs.

2012 Paragon Janus 27 Kiln Prices

2012 Paragon Janus 24 Kiln

The Front Loader for Everybody

    The Paragon Janus 24 is the perfect kiln for everybody that needs a front loading kiln to do a bit of everything. The Paragon Janus was based upon the ever popular GL-24 ADTSD Glass Kiln to achieve a fully functional glass AND pottery front loading kiln with heating elements mounted in the top, sidewall and door.  With a flip of a switch the user can select between glass and pottery modes.  In glass mode, the top elements as well as the middle sidewall element and middle door element are powered.  In pottery mode all elements except the top (roof) element are powered.

    Why a front loading kiln?  Being a box design is it possible to have elements firing from above (top element) as well as all 4 sides of a large piece of glass AND to have access to the hot kiln chamber for raking and other glass techniques.  The box kiln design also benefits potters that are seeking a kiln with more insulation or a tighter fit (no heat leaking from the lid to body juncture) to slow down the cooling of the kiln and improve the conditions for growing crystal glazes.

Paragon Janus 24 Kiln:
◊ 4.68 cubic foot interior: 24" wide x 22½" deep (front to back) x 15" tall
◊ Doorway clearance is 33".
◊ Shipping weight 397 lbs.
◊ Kiln weight, approximately 340 lbs
◊ Shipping crate is approximately 46.5"w x 36"d x 36.5"h

Paragon Janus 24 Options:
◊ Furniture Kit:

◊ ST-8 Deluxe GL Stand with or without casters
◊ Digital controller can be mounted on the left or right side. Door hinge must be mounted on the same side as the controller.

2012 Paragon Janus 24 Prices

2012 Paragon Janus 23 Kiln

Studio Sized for Glass and Pottery

    The studio sized Paragon Janus 23 is perfect for the small studio or school which needs the ability to slump and fuse glass as well as fire pottery up to Cone 10.  Smaller in width than the Paragon Janus 27, the Janus 23 is also 2" shorter than the Janus 27, Paragon TnF 27-3 or Paragon TnF 23-3 due to a necessary design change to allow accurate firing of glass.  Because of this shorter depth, the lift height of the kiln is only 33" above ground which may allow younger students to participate in loading the kiln with their glass projects.

Paragon Janus 23 Kiln:
◊ 4.90 cubic foot interior: 22.5" wide x 20¼" deep.
◊ Doorway clearance required is 32".
◊ Shipping weight 313 lbs
◊ Shipping crate is approximately 36"w x 41"d x 42"h

Paragon Janus 23 Optional Furniture Kit:
◊ 6 C-23H 1/2 Shelves (20” round x ¾” thick)
◊ 1½” wide Square Posts, 8 of each: 1”, 2”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6” lengths
◊ 1 lb. Bag Kiln Wash
◊ Shipping Weight: 77 lbs.

2012 Paragon Janus 23 Kiln Prices

2012 Paragon Janus 1613 Kiln

The Personal Kiln for Glass and Pottery

    The compact sized Paragon Janus 1613 is perfect for the home artist that desires to slump and fuse glass as well as fire pottery up to Cone 10. The full featured Janus 1613 is the smallest sized kiln in the Janus series and is based upon the popular TnF 1613-3. Like the TnF 1613-3, the Janus 1613-3 is perfect for the artist that works on a smaller scale or for firing single pieces per load.

Paragon Janus 1613 Kiln:
◊ 1.75 cubic foot interior: 16.5" wide x 13¼" deep.
◊ Doorway clearance required is 26".
◊ Shipping weight 171 lbs
◊ Shipping crate is approximately 31"w x 31"d x 27"h

Paragon Janus 1613 Optional Furniture Kit:
◊ 2 C-18 Full Shelves (15” round x ⅝" thick)
◊ 1 C-18 1/2 Shelf (15" round ⅝" thick)
◊ 1” wide Square Posts, 3 of each: ½", 1”, 2”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6” lengths
◊ 1 lb. Bag Kiln Wash
◊ Shipping Weight: 28 lbs.

2012 Paragon Janus 1613 Kiln Prices

Notes:

    The Paragon Janus Kilns are popular for pickup at the Dogwood Ceramic Supply Showroom and Warehouse.  Please make note of the shipping crates listed with each kiln.  The size of the shipping crate is especially important for the Paragon Janus 27 as the wider kilns may not fit in the bed of a small pickup truck, especially if a bed liner has been installed.

    Kiln customers who are NOT seeking to "do" a bit of glass with their ceramics, pottery or porcelain should consider the Paragon TnF Kilns as an alternative to the Paragon Janus Kilns as the TnF kilns are simpler in design and cost less than the comparable Paragon Janus Kilns.  Serious glass artists should always consider purchasing a dedicated glass kiln, such as the Paragon Fusion, Pearl or GL 24 ADTSD glass kilns instead of the Janus Kilns.

    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.

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Paragon Information

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 Paragon Janus Dual Purpose Kilns are for customers desiring a single kiln to use for both glass and pottery.