Paragon - BlueBird XL
Product Description
The Paragon BlueBird XL has a new and improved ceramic fiber roof and firing chamber, thicker doors with new gaskets, heavier mandrel holders, and a stainless steel control panel.
The BlueBird XL is a dream kiln for the glass bead enthusiast. This 20” wide, 8” deep kiln safely anneals glass to prevent breakage during cooling. With your own Paragon annealing kiln, you will never again worry about stress fractures in your glass.
The kiln opens doorways of opportunity in beadmaking. The 10” wide double doors give a total of 20” width for inserting bead rods. This kiln is ideal for seminar teachers. It is like having two kilns in one.
The user-friendly 3-key Sentry Xpress digital controller maintains the annealing temperature. Program it for the length of time desired. Adjust the cooling rate through the annealing range. The controller is packed with features but is user friendly.
Improved ceramic fiber firing chamber
The BlueBird XL features new sinusoidal “wavy” elements, which are embedded close to the inner surface of the high-tech, vacuum-formed ceramic fiber top. This is an improvement over our earlier embedded coiled elements, because the “wavy” elements are mounted closer to the surface. This enables the elements to radiate heat faster for longer element life. The ceramic fiber top reduces dust inside the kiln.
The BlueBird XL now features ceramic fiber walls and bottom, which replace the firebrick walls and bottom of earlier kilns. The BlueBird XL, with its space-age ceramic fiber, heats faster than ever.
Improved double doors with gaskets
Both doors are 3 1/2” x 10” and mounted in a 4 1/4” high opening. The 3/4” gap under the doors is filled by flexible, high temperature door gaskets, which help to hold in heat. The 2” thick ceramic fiber doors are twice the thickness of our original doors. The hinges are continuous across the top for extra longevity.
Bead mandrel holders
The kiln comes with one single and one double mandrel holder. The single holder supports rods or mandrels from one point; the double cradles the rods at two points. The holders are held to the kiln by magnets so you can adjust the height. They are sturdy and heavy duty for long life.
Rare-earth magnets hold doors open or closed
Rare-earth magnets hold the doors closed while the kiln is heating to annealing temperature. Phenolic knobs on the door handles stay cool to the touch. Use the switch on the front panel to turn off power to the controller when the kiln is not in use and to reboot the controller when needed.
We have added a glass rod warmer to the top of the kiln. Pre-heating the glass rods saves production time.
Heavy-duty construction
The steel base supports the kiln in two layers. The upper steel base supports and strengthens the firing chamber; the lower steel base covers the entire kiln bottom where it rests on your worktable. Electrical components are mounted to the lower base, away from the heat.
The Sentry Xpress digital controller is mounted under the kiln in an ergonomically sloped panel for easy operation. The design saves table space over kilns with a side switch box. The built-in base stays cool even during extended hold times for the long life of the electrical system. It is slotted to dissipate heat and comes with mar-proof plastic feet.
The BlueBird XL plugs into a standard household outlet. The kiln ships by convenient UPS/FedEx. It ships in a special carton with vacuum-formed padding to assure that the kiln will arrive safely.
And, of course, the BlueBird XL is made in Mesquite, Texas to exacting standards.
Features of the BlueBird XL
- 3-key digital Sentry Xpress controller
- 2 - 3 1/2” high doors with flexible high temperature gasket
- Rare-earth magnets hold the doors open or closed
- The firing chamber is 8” deep measured with doors closed; 10” deep measured with doors open
- ceramic fiber firing chamber for rapid heating
- 2” thick ceramic fiber doors with flexible gaskets
- Mandrel holders attach to the kiln with magnets
- 1500°F maximum temperature
- Ceramic fiber roof with embedded elements
- Mar-proof plastic feet
- On-off safety switch
- 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.
Choose Your Color
Express yourself!
One of our favorite features of all Paragon kilns is the ability to choose the color of your oven - Make your purchase truly your own with a splash of paint and make your workshop pop.
Selecting a color on your oven is absolutely no additional cost and is simply one of the many perks of choosing Paragon.
Product Specifications
| Model | BlueBird XL |
| Max Temperature | 1500 °F |
| Loading Type | Bead door |
| Inside Dimensions | 20" W x 8" D x 4.5" H |
| Exterior Dimensions | 29.00" W x 20.00" D x 17.00" H |
| Volume (Cu. Ft.) | 0.47 |
| Power Plug Type | NEMA 5-15 |
| Voltage | 120 |
| Watts | 1700 |
| Amps | 14 |
| Breaker Size (amps) | 20 |
| Shipping Weight (lbs.) | 90 |
| Shipping Lead Time | Made To Order - Please Inquire |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
Price Guarantee
At Soul Ceramics, we want our customers to know they are getting the best prices online. When you see the blue "Lowest Price Guarantee" words on our website, we are guaranteeing that we have the lowest price anywhere on the internet. In fact, if you find another online store that offers a lower price then us within 30 days of your purchase date please let us know and we will hand you the difference - in cash. We want you to shop confidently knowing that you are getting the absolute best price on your kiln or wheel.
To request your partial refund, e-mail us a link to the same product on our competitor's website within 30 days from the date of your order and we will process the credit accordingly.
Our Lowest Price Guarantee has some restrictions:
- You must purchase the item from our website before requesting your partial refund
- Special promotion offers are not eligible
- The competitor must be an online store only
- The website can not be a discounter or auction website, such as eBay
- The competitor must be an Authorized Retailer for the product
- The price on the competitor's website must include all shipping and processing fees
- The model must be "like-for-like" (eg: In-stock vs. In-stock or Made-to-order vs. Made-to-order)
- The manufacturer must be either Evenheat Kiln, Jen-Ken Kilns, or Paragon Industries
Shipping & Returns
At Soul Ceramics, we know how annoying it can be when you are hit with hidden costs and fees when you purchase items online. That's why we offer FREE SHIPPING* on all standard orders through Soul Ceramics.
We even cover extra costs such as lift gate service, so the price you see is the price you pay!
For the full details on this offer and our detailed shipping and returns policies, click here.
* Non standard orders include shipments outside of our standard shipping range, and orders that do not include a kiln or pottery wheel in the same shipment. Soul Ceramics reserves the right to inform you of shipping costs before orders are finalized.
Warranty
Paragon warranty highlights
- One to two years depending on the model: most kilns rated 2300°F or lower get 2 years; QuickFire 3 months; HT, KM, SC and J series and kilns rated above 2300°F get 1 year.
- Controllers: Sentry 12-key, Sentinel Smarttouch and TouchXpress 2½ years; Sentry Xpress for the length of the kiln warranty.
- Knife and heat treat kilns (Dragon, Super Dragon, Iguana, Viking): 2 years, with standard elements 6 months and Type-K thermocouples not warranted.
- Register online with Paragon. Your claim must name the dealer the kiln was bought from, so keep your order confirmation.
- Paragon ships replacement parts postpaid after examining the defective part, with installation instructions. Factory installation is available with transport paid by the owner.
- Not covered: overfiring, exceeding the nameplate temperature, reduction or salt firing, improper electrical installation, element burnout from foreign material, and kilns that have been modified.
Extended warranty (Clyde)
- Optional extended protection from Clyde can be added to eligible products at checkout, on top of the manufacturer's warranty.
- Clyde plans cover the core product only. Add-on options such as controllers, furniture kits, stands, blade fixtures and vents are not included.
- Claims under a Clyde plan are filed with Clyde, not with the manufacturer. Keep your Clyde confirmation email with your order confirmation.
In every case
- Keep your order confirmation. It is your proof of purchase date and every manufacturer asks for it.
- Report a problem as soon as you notice it. Several manufacturers require notice within 10 to 15 days of discovering a defect.
- Contact Soul Ceramics first. We are the authorized dealer for everything we sell and we coordinate claims with the manufacturer on your behalf.
- Do not discard any failed parts until the claim is resolved. Manufacturers may ask for them back for inspection.
Reviews
* Reviews may be for a similar product in the same series, but a different size.











