|
|
Size, Everything is About Size:
In general terms, the larger the kiln, the lower the cost of the kiln per cubic foot of
interior space. However larger kilns may be slower to reach maximum
temperature and will always require a much longer period of time to cool after
firing so a bigger kiln is not automatically a better kiln.
How Big is Big? Or how small is small?
Kilns are classified by their interior volume:
A typical "hobby" size pottery or ceramic kiln has approximately 3 cubic feet of interior volume (interior 16" wide by 22" deep) and is large enough to fire most cast greenware items, such as Christmas Trees or canister sets. The "hobby" size kilns are the Paragon 82 series, such as the TnF 82-3. Paragon also offers kilns that are smaller in size than the "hobby" size kilns. These smaller kilns, such as the TnF 1613-3, are perfect for firing smaller cast greenware items or porcelain dolls for individual use.
The typical ceramic, contemporary, or pottery studio will find the 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 cubic foot Paragon kilns are a better sized kiln for the active studio. Standard equipment on all of the "larger" top loading Paragon Kilns is the Paragon LiteLid. These "larger" size kilns offer several different widths and depths that allow firing of wider or taller items with ease.
The 5 cubic foot kilns, such as the
Paragon TnF 23-3, are typically 22" wide and
22" deep. The 5 cubic foot kiln is fairly comfortable to load, and is an
excellent kiln for the active studio producing hobby ceramics or pottery.
The 7 cubic foot kiln is 22" wide by 29" deep kiln, and includes the
Paragon TnF
24-3 or the Viking 24-3. The 7 cubic foot kiln is ideal for studios that need
the additional depth of this kiln to accommodate taller pieces.
The 8 cubic feet configuration is the 28" wide by 22" deep kiln, such as the Paragon TnF 27-3. The 8 cubic foot kiln is large volume kiln with a comfortable load depth.
The largest Paragon Kilns produced for the small business market are
the Paragon TnF 28-3, the
Viking 28 and the
Dragon. The Viking 28 and the
Paragon TnF 28-3 are virtually identical in appearance and both are top loading
kilns with 10 cubic feet of interior volume and are 28" wide and 29" deep. The
Dragon is a front loading kiln with 9 cubic feet of interior space, 24" wide and
deep and 27" high.
Oops, actually there are two groups of larger kilns:
The Paragon Oval Kilns. Ovals are essentially two smaller kilns, in this case the TnF 23-3, which have been stuck together (side-by-side) to create a single big kiln. Ovals are bigger in terms of total volume than the other large Paragon Kilns, but the larger volume does not mean the kiln can handle larger pieces. In many respects the Ovals are a bridge kiln for production studios who are not ready to make the jump from firing a single kiln to firing multiple kilns per day.
Beyond the land of Dragons and Ovals is the land of Super Dragons. Basically a Dragon on Steroids. If you got the amps, you can have a kiln of any volume you desire. The trick is having the amps which the average modest home or studio is not always capable of delivering. The Super Dragon is from the land of Custom Kilns. Custom always sounds like a bad word, but in reality many kilns sold by Paragon started in life as a custom kiln. The design is solid, the design has merits and the cost is fair. Suddenly the Custom Kiln becomes a Catalog Standard Kiln.
How Big is Big, how Small is Small, Part 2
Remember that large kilns require additional time for cooling and can be much more difficult to load.
A large top loading kiln that is 29" deep can be very difficult to load as the
top edge of the wall of the kiln when the kiln is mounted on it's kiln stand
will be 41" from the ground. A user of a 29" deep kiln who stands less than 6'
tall will have difficulty reaching the bottom of the 29" deep kiln.
| The 5'9" Sara is standing between the Paragon Viking 28 and Paragon TnF 24-3, both kilns are 29" deep internally and externally have a 41.5" lift over height. In front of Sara is the easy to load Paragon TnF 27-3 Short and Wide Kiln. |
 |
 |
Sara is unable to reach the bottom of the tall kilns and is straining against the wall brick of the kiln to reach the owner's manual. Repeated leaning against kiln wall bricks will damage the bricks. |
 |
If you actually require a deeper kiln to fire your ware then the 29" deep kilns may be your only option. If you require a tall firing height consider the Dragon or Super Dragon from Paragon. The Dragon, as a front loading kiln, is much easier to load than top loading kilns and offers a 27" firing chamber height. The Super Dragon from Paragon can be manufactured in nearly any possible height with 36" being the standard chamber height for the Super Dragon.
How Big is Big? Or how small is small Part 3
While we are discussing large kilns, remember that your kiln will typically be located somewhere in your studio. How wide is the kiln at the narrowest point? Will the kiln fit through the doorway? Most small kilns will fit through a common 32" interior doorway. But there are models that require a minimum 33", 36" or even a 37" doorway!
And the weight of the kiln can be also very important. Most Paragon Kilns come
equipped with hand lifts that allow fairly easy moving of even some of the
largest kilns. But if your new kiln will be moved through several rooms or a
great distance, you may need several friends with strong backs to assist you
with the lifting and moving.
Are there are hallways and stairwells to contend with. To assist moving the larger round kilns through narrow doorways and difficult stairwells Paragon now makes many models in a sectional design. The sectional kilns can be dismantled into two or three sections that can be more easily lifted and carried up or down stairs, or through narrower doorways.
Refer to the Dogwood Ceramic Supply
Paragon Kiln
Catalog for the exact doorway
space required and shipping weight of your new kiln.
One additional note about space requirements. Please remember to allow 12" between the side walls of the kiln and the surrounding walls or any combustible materials. To the front of the kiln allow adequate space for the control panel to swing down for access to the internal controls if repairs should be necessary and allow the kiln user adequate space for loading and operating the kiln. Generally 18" to 24" to the front of the kiln is adequate for user comfort.
| Customers often ask about
safe working distances of their new kiln. Paragon and many other
kiln manufacturers recommend 12" between the kiln and combustible
materials. Based upon Orton's research (see
Kiln_Safety_Manual (pdf warning)) the 12" recommendation should be more than adequate
for most kiln operators: The two biggest conclusions draw from the Orton test are: 1) Distance is our friend. Objects (flammable or not) that rest against the exterior of the kiln can present a serious hazard. But just two inches away from the kiln surface is enough distance to prevent the combustion of newspaper exposed to the heat generated from a kiln. Obviously the greater the distance, the lesser the safety risk. 2) Confined spaces are not ideal for firing a kiln. Heat retention can be a safety issue. Heat retention is also a performance issue for the Digital Controller. Dogwood adds three additional general recommendations: 1) An operating kiln does not present a significant safety hazard when used near conventional fire retardant wall coverings or flooring such as sheet rock and vinyl composition tile. That said, some of the fire retardant specialty products may become discolored from exposure to continuous temperatures above 100˚F. Increasing the distance between the kiln and these temperature sensitive products is the preferred method of dealing with the heat exposure issue. 2) Do not operate kilns in the presence of overhead fire suppression sprinklers as they are designed to engage as low as 135˚F. Obviously a kiln operating in a confined space could potentially create an issue with the sprinklers. 3) Storage of highly flammable materials, such as gasoline, in the kiln room is not recommended. Remember, a loose wire and your kiln becomes a 60 amp spark plug. |
How Big is Big, how Small is Small, Part 4
One of the biggest mistakes made by hobby customers is assuming the dimensions listed for the kiln are the maximum size object that the kiln can handle. That assumption is entirely incorrect. The measurements are the best description of the kiln chamber and, with the exception of the width of the kiln for a multisided kiln, the measurement is an accurate measurement of the kiln chamber. For a top loading "round" kiln with 6 or more side walls the width will be measured at the narrowest point within the kiln, what Dogwood Ceramic Supply refers to as side wall to side wall. The side wall to side wall measurement in a top loading "round" kiln is the narrowest point in the kiln and there is a small amount of additional space in the corners of the kiln where the bricks join together. Occasionally the corner space is usable, but for most objects the extra space is not usable.
The size of the object that can be placed into a kiln is proportional to the
chamber size. Proportional is the key word as the objects fired in a kiln will
expand as the temperature rises within the kiln. Every type of clay, glass,
metal etc has a different expansion rate which is affected by the temperature
achieved in the kiln. Traditionally clay artists will allow up to 1" of
expansion of their wares within a kiln. That 1" distance is due to the expansion
of the object as well as flexing of the kiln lid and bottom during high
temperatures. Thus a kiln with a chamber size of 10" x 10" can hold a clay
object not bigger than 9" x 9", IF the item is fired directly on the kiln floor
(bottom) and does not require stilting. Adding a ¾" thick kiln shelf to protect
the brick floor and using a stilt to keep the object from fusing to the kiln
shelf could combine together to consume nearly 2" of vertical space within the
kiln, thus a 10" vertical chamber could be marginally sufficient for a 7" tall
object.
Always consider the size of the objects to be fired in the kiln and allow for
expansion of the object, allowance for shelving and stilts as well flexing of
the kiln brick during the firing.
Which size kiln is right for you?
Consider the size of the items that you will typically fire, as well as the total number of items you will fire. Select the kiln that will handle most of your routine firing needs. For customers within easy traveling distance of Dogwood Ceramic Supply you are welcome to bring your wares for a kiln fitting. Much like the fitting for a wedding dress or a new suit, we will examine your wares and determine the size and shape of the kiln that would best serve your needs.
There are several points to consider in selecting the perfect size of kiln for your needs:
As the kiln volume increases, the relative cost of the kiln
decreases. A small hobby sized kiln may cost $1200 and have about 3 cubic feet
of interior space, while the large production kiln may cost $2000 have 10 cubic
feet of interior space. The large kiln may cost nearly twice the price of the smaller
kiln, but you get over three times the firing volume.
Firing volume is king. The firing cycle can be 8 to 12 hours with a cool down of 24 hours or more. Remember, Speed is Not your Friend when computing the time for a firing cycle. Having inadequate space (volume) in your kiln and then waiting days to complete your projects doesn't make much sense if you could have bought a slightly larger kiln and solved your production bottle neck for only a few dollars more.
Buying the biggest, baddest hunker of a kiln (as much as we really desire to sell it too you) doesn't make much sense either if the kiln volume is never going to be used. If you have regular access to a larger kiln (such as local customers that bring their larger pieces to Dogwood Ceramic Supply for firing), then a slightly smaller kiln may be perfect for your needs as you can always pay to have the once in a life time excessively large object d'art be fired.
If you are considering a small kiln, please refer to Paragon Small Kiln Comparison for additional 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
In general terms, the larger the kiln, the lower the cost of the kiln per cubic foot of interior space. However larger kilns may be slower to reach maximum temperature and will always require a much longer period of time to cool after firing so a bigger kiln is not automatically a better kiln.