The Legendary Paragon Dragon
The Paragon Dragon is an industrial-grade furnace designed for pottery and ceramic studios. Potters who struggle with top-loading kilns will enjoy the Dragon. The door swings open 160 degrees on a heavy ¾” steel rod with sealed bearings. Two spring-loaded latches press the door tightly closed.
Quick to load
If you fire ware that is similar in size from one firing to the next, you can leave the shelves and posts stacked in the Dragon between firings. Reach into the kiln to remove the ware and reload the kiln for the next firing.
Since you are loading from the side, you can easily see how close the ware is to the kiln walls and the shelf above. Think of how much time this will save you.
Loading sculptures
Loading a tall sculpture into a top-loading kiln requires skill and care to avoid nudging the piece against the kiln wall. Loading sculpture into a front-loading kiln is faster and easier, because you can see what you are doing. There is far less risk of damaging the piece.
Exceptional element life
The Dragon exudes power. With 16,500 watts, there is ample power to heat the 24” W x 24” D x 27” H interior to cone 10. Having power to spare improves element life, because the elements do not “struggle” to reach high temperatures. The industrial-gauge heating elements are seated and protected in dropped, recessed grooves.
The elements are “tuned,” which means hotter elements are placed in the top and bottom of the firing chamber where more heat is needed. This results in superior heat distribution.
The benefits of extra insulation: save energy and benefit from down firing
Extra insulation saves energy and lengthens cooling. The 4” thick walls, top, and door are made of 3” firebrick backed by 1” of ceramic fiber block insulation. The floor is 4 ½” thick firebrick. The inner door is recessed to help seal in the heat. Because these kilns store heat so efficiently, elements last longer.
The extra insulation not only saves energy but also cools the kiln slowly without having to turn the elements back on. This gives the micro-crystalline structure and color of the glaze sufficient time for full development. Achieve dramatic shifts in glaze color such as iron reds and enjoy the richer look of gas firing with “down firing,” or slow cooling. Create breathtaking pottery in this exciting kiln.
Hinged switch box for easy maintenance
The ventilated switch box is generously slotted for air circulation for the long life of the electrical components. Hinged at the bottom, the switch box opens wide for easy maintenance. Open the box in seconds by merely removing two screws at the top. A folding support arm holds the box in the open position. There is plenty of working space around electrical components. A bank of built-in NEC/UL compliant high-amperage fuses protects the kiln and circuit wiring.
The Dragon will fit through a 34” doorway if the handles and back element cover are temporarily removed.
Dragon features
- Saves electricity with extra insulation
- Cone 10, 2350°F
- 3” insulating firebrick and 1” non-organic block insulation in walls, top and door: 4” total thickness
- 4 ½” thick firebrick bottom
- Case temperature at cone 10: 170°F (compared to 400-500°F for standard firebrick kilns)
- Two 1” non-tapered peepholes in the left side of the kiln
- 1” space between switch box and kiln keeps electrical components cooler for long life.
- Hinged switch box for easy access
- UL/CUL & NEC compliant fuses for safety
- Proportional power elements for more even heating
| Thermocouple with “special limit” wire
The thermocouple senses temperature inside the kiln. It is the small rod that extends into the firing chamber. The ¼” wide Type-K, 14-gauge, exposed-tip thermocouple is made with special-limit wire for superior accuracy. The exposed tip gives the controller a fast response time for even temperatures during holds. The thermocouple is made in America to our exacting standards.
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| Designed for production
Paragon’s warranty is not affected by frequency of use. Fire your new kiln every day if you want, even in commercial settings. That will have no effect on the warranty period.
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| Optional colors at no extra charge
Brighten your studio with color! Order your kiln in one of our standard colors at no extra charge . . . berry, black, blue, hot pink, jade, navy, purple, or turquoise. Scroll down to see color samples in the options section.
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Have something good to say about the DRAGON24? Tell Us |
"We love our new stainless steel Dragon. Here is a picture of it standing next to our old Dragon and Janus. We notice quite a few improvements. The finish is great so that the paint does not burn away. The controller cabinet is redesigned having some more distance from the heat and opens for easy access. The door hinge box is below away from heat. The bricks do not have cracks in them. There is also a little dragon picture on the door." - Cha-Rie Tang, Pasadena, California
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