If you’re shopping for a new kiln or oven or exploring controller upgrades, you might have asked yourself: “Do I need a PID temperature controller – and what does that even mean?” You’ve probably seen those three letters show up so often in your search that it’d be easy to write them off as marketing […]
Let’s talk heat treat! Whether you’re crafting knives, blades, jewelry, tools, industrial components, or any other metal object, you’ll want those objects to have specific qualities – whether that’s shape, hardness, toughness, flexibility, or even electrical conductivity. That’s where temperature comes into play. This article will teach you the ins and outs of heat treatment […]
Heat treating knives is an integral part of the knifemaking process. After designing the knife, cutting the profile, and adding the bevel, heat treating knives is one of the final stages of knifemaking before finishing the blades and attaching the handle. What Is the Purpose of Heat Treating Knives? Knifemakers expose blades to specific temperatures […]
We hope 2026 has been amazing for you so far! But before we leave 2025 totally in the past, we wanted to share some of the strides we made for artists everywhere in our SDS Industries 2025 Year in Review. This past year was a major year for us – including new products, new partnerships, […]
When it comes to firing ceramics, different types of clays and glazes are rated for different temperatures. A kiln firing chart, also known as a cone firing chart, is a useful tool for understanding the effects of temperature on different types of clays and glazes, as well as determining what firing schedule setpoints should be […]
What happens when the brand that built one of America’s very first electric kilns partners with the company that pioneered the world’s first commercial touchscreen kiln controller? Customers get the best of both worlds – right out the box! Paragon Kilns is now offering TAP II and TAP II Pro as default kiln controller options […]
In 2025, a meeting with a kiln manufacturer gave us an idea: We could make ceramic firing faster and easier than ever before. This is the story of TAP II Pro’s exclusive Cone Fire Mode. Preset firing schedules aren’t anything new. In fact, other temperature controller manufacturers rely on preset schedules to compensate for the […]
For most artists, purchasing a kiln is a pretty big investment. Newer artists, especially, will probably have a lot of questions about what they’re getting into! How much do kilns cost? What about installation and kiln maintenance? Are kilns safe? What type of kiln is right for me? What kind of controller should I use […]
Have you ever spent hours working on a kiln formed glass art project only to have it shatter when you tried to remove it from your kiln? If you have, then you probably already understand the importance of annealing glass. But failing to anneal your glass doesn’t always result in such dramatic heartbreak. Sometimes your […]
Over the past decade, digital kiln controllers have evolved massively. While a lot of the kiln control industry is still a little bit behind the times, the best digital kiln controllers include the quality-of-life features and connectivity that today’s customers expect from their appliances. Some might argue that “best” is subjective. Different kiln operators use […]