Crafts are no longer just limited to the simple popsicle stick contraptions or brown bag puppets. Over the years crafts have evolved greatly especially after the revolution of scrapbooking in the 90's. There are many different home crafts today stemming from ceramics, glass, lamp working, jewelry, china painting, enameling, knife making, and beading which require a kiln for the success of the end product. A kiln is an insulated chamber that when brought to a predetermined temperature it will dry/cure the items inside. Kilns range in various sizes and voltages. Most hobby or craft kilns are small in size to accommodate jewelry work, china painting, beading, PMC clay, stained glass and enameling. These crafts require the kiln to reach a lower temperature than traditional ceramic studio kiln. They come with an electronic controller, similar to a microwave, for special firing schedules to achieve the appropriate outcome.

Paragon Kilns, www.paragonweb.com, offers various multi-purpose kilns such as their SC2 Kiln for jewelry work, beading, silver clay, glass fusing, china painting, lost wax casting, and enameling . The average size for these kilns are about 8 inches square and plug into a standard 120v outlet. The kiln retails for $710. Jewelry and some silver metals can now be fired in household microwaves with special kiln enclosures made from the same refractory materials as the traditional ceramic studio kiln. A microwave kiln provides instant gratification and is an inexpensive way for someone to fuse glass, fire silver metals, and small mixed media by using your kitchen microwave. The microwave should be preferably a 800-1000 watt microwave. This little kiln will heat to approximately 1650F (900C) in minutes. Microwave kilns typically measure between 4"-8" round.

Jen-Ken Kilns, www.jenkenkilns.com, sells the Microfusion Kiln for fun and fast glass fusing in your home at a cost of $119. Knife making or bladesmithing as it is known, requires what bladesmiths call a kiln, a furnace or oven. There are 2 basic knife blade making techniques which require a kiln. These are forging and mould casting, which require the metal to be heated to a very high temperature. The knife oven operates on 120v the same as jewelry and glass kilns. Their chambers are small as well, but are rectangular in shape often measuring 6.5" W x 4.25" H x 18" D. They are typically a bit longer to accommodate the length of a blade. Like the glass and jewelry kilns the knife furnace comes with an electronic controller for temperature ramping and holding for best annealing.

Evenheat Kilns, www.evenheat-kiln.com, offers two knife ovens suitable for both the novice as well as the experienced bladesmith. They offer two blade knife fixtures which hold the blades vertically maximizing space efficiency and stability. Evenheat offers two blade ovens starting at $979.

There are a few kiln companies that are now offering a multi-media kiln like Olympic Kilns, www.greatkilns.com, with a dual media kiln for both glass and ceramics at the flip of a switch. The Dual Media models are stackable electric kilns, which means they are built with stackable rings so they can be pulled apart for easy movement from one location to another. The stacking rings will also allow the hobbyist to use only the depth they need by easily removing and adding rings as necessary. The kiln is equipped with a lid element which is needed for the glass firing process. The Multi-Media kilns start at $1300 with a furniture kit.

Paragon Kilns introduced an all purpose kiln for the ceramic hobbyist who likes to dabble with Raku as well as having the capability of traditional electric firing called the Home Artist. This kiln is user friendly because you are able to plug right into any standard 120v outlet and features a handle and wheels for easy storage for when you are done using it. The kiln fires up rapidly to 2000F due to the "space-age ceramic fiber insulation, noted for energy efficiency." Outside of the portability and the dual firing types, this kiln is big enough for the beginner to fire 10" plates inside it. The kilns chamber is 12" x 12" round for space convenience. This multi-purpose kiln retails at an average of $807.

L & L Kilns, www.hotkilns.com, offers the Liberty Belle which is also a transportable kiln, but used for ceramic electronic firing only. It is a great starter kiln for a hobbyist making hand-built or small thrown ceramic pieces. This kiln is great for snowbirds, traveling teacher-students, workshops, summer camps or the occasional hobbyist. It will plug into a 30 amp dryer outlet for easy firing convenience. It is bigger than the Home Artist and looks more like a studio kiln measuring at 16.5"W x 18" D. The Liberty Belle with a furniture kit price range is $1400. If you are a ceramic hobbyist, making ceramics often and perhaps selling your work at art festivals or farmers markets, or even a ceramic teacher and you want a work horse pottery kiln,

Skutt Kilns, www.skuttkilns.com, has the best kiln on the market. Since ceramic kilns like the jewelry and the metal furnaces come in different sizes, the best size that you can grow into even if you are just starting out or are already professionally selling your goods and are in the market would be a 7 cu ft, measuring at 23 3/8" W x 27" D, kiln like the Skutt KM1027 with a electronic controller. This stationary kiln fires consistently at all temperatures over and over again. Studio kilns do require different voltages and phases from their smaller relatives. Most studio kilns come in a standard 240v single phase mode. It is best to check with an electrician to have the correct wiring in place for this type of kiln. The KM1027-240v/1P retails for $2080.

If electricity is not available for you and/or gas is your only source, a gas ceramic or Raku kiln might be a good option for you. Gas and Raku firings produce a much different outcome than an electronically controlled kiln. Some people prefer the beauty of the one-of-a-kind look achieved from gas kilns and Raku firings. Both gas and Raku kilns come in various sizes but most often they are larger than the standard electronic kiln and are never as small as a jewelry kiln. Most of these kilns start at 7 cu ft, 17.5" W x 27"D. Although they may be larger their price range starts at $1300 with a furniture kit.

For the money, Olympic Kilns has the best gas kilns, known as the Torchbearers or Raku, on the market retailing with a furniture kit at that price. I don't recommend a gas kiln for a novice. There is a lot involved in monitoring the firing as well as experiencing a good outcome. With gas kilns you will need to check the regulations required for having a gas source at your home or studio with your local fire department. Keep in mind that with any hobby or craft there are extra materials and accessories you will need to purchase.

Some kilns require special maintenance, amperage, and space requirements. The smaller kilns like the jewelry, glass and metal kilns ship UPS/FedEx. The larger kilns, even the small HomeArtist and Liberty Belle, ship freight. Make sure your kiln fits the size of your pieces as well. Don't buy a large kiln if your pieces are small and you are not firing often. However, if you are going to fire often and make smaller pieces, purchase a larger kiln. A full kiln will fire more efficiently and cost less to fire. Once you purchase a kiln for your craft, it is a good idea to purchase a notebook to log your firings. Keeping a kiln diary will help you evaluate the best firing times/days and how long it typically takes to fire your kiln.

Learn more about this author, Rosanne Sloane.
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