Silver clay? Whatever is that? Silver clay, precious metal clay, art metal clay,Return To Tiffany, and art clay silver are all different terms and makes of “clay” that can be magically turned into gold and silver.
These unique metal clays were introduced to the North American market in the nineties. Jewelry enthusiasts and hobbyists can now form and shape expensive metal as easily as clay.
Jewellery making of course is as old as time. The difference these days is that you now don’t have to hammer or cast your metal to make jewellery if you don’t wish to. Silver clay now makes it feasible to make real metal forms without these normal methods.
Here is how metal clay operates. Art metal clays are made from fine metal particles suspended in an organic binder. This binder enables you to mold and shape the clay as you would potter’s clay. When you are happy with the form, you let your project dry for a minimum of 24 hours ( or even more ). You then fire it in a kiln or by employing a hand torch. The binder burns away, leaving the fused metal behind in the shape you shaped it.
Before you grab a lump of silver clay and go at it though,Tiffany Key Ring, you will want to keep one or two guidelines under consideration. Silver clay is expensive, so you do not need to waste it.
Metal Clay Tips
Here are a number of tips for working with silver clay :
*Metal clays shrink 10-30% when fired. Be sure to check your package for shrinkage levels especially if you’re making rings or other objects that must be exact fits. *Not all metal clays can be hand torch fired. If you will not be using a kiln be sure to check that your type of silver clay is “low fire”. *Only tiny pieces should be torch fired. Pieces bigger than 25g should be kiln fired. *Silver clay isn’t cheap. The gold version particularly is extraordinarily high-priced. Be sure to shop thoroughly and follow instructions fastidiously so you do not waste your cash futilely. *Metal Clay easily takes on impressions of other objects ( and fingerprints too ). Experiment with different textures and objects to make imprints onto the wet clay. *Gemstones that will withstand the heat of firing can be set into the wet clay. *Be sure to let your metal clay dry entirely before firing. Firing damp clay won’t work and you will not be a content camper. *Metal clays are sticky to touch so be sure to coat everything with a thin film of olive oil or other release agent. This implies coat your hands, your tools, and work surface. Just a hint of oil will do, so don’t go overboard. *You can improve drying time by placing your piece in a low heat range. ( 150-200 degrees fahrenheit ). Pieces small than your palm generally take about twenty-four hours to fully dry and toughen without the cooker treatment. *Sand your dried and toughened piece before firing. If you do not like fingerprints,Tiffany CuffLink, you won’t be well placed to remove them after firing. *Metal clay is water soluble and can be softened with water. Keep a little bowl of water or a spritzer to hand while you work. If it begins to dry out while working, you are able to add a bit of water to moisten it. *Buying smaller packages beats larger because you won’t have to fret about the whole block drying out. The price difference is negligible, and you’ll waste more money by having to through out old dried out clay. *You can extend the working time of your metal clay by adding a drop or 2 of glycerin ( available at pharmacies ) to your newly opened package of silver clay. To use : make a depression with your thumb in the clay, and add a drop or two of glycerin. Fold the clay a number of times to mix in the glycerin, then spritz with water. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit so the clay can soak up the glycerin. When you’re employed with the clay the following day, use as normal. This trick will extend the working time, but also extends the drying time mandatory before firing. *If you see a blackish mould, don’t worry. This will burn away when firing. This mold takes place when you use regular tap water to dampen the clay. *Playing cards make great “spacers” when rolling out clay to an even thickness. Just stack cards on each side of the clay, then use your roller to roll out the clay between the cards. *To store metal clay between uses, be totally sure to spritz with water and wrap it well with plastic wrap. *different clays have different firing temperatures so be sure to match your firing temperature to your clay type. *Once fired, you should brush and burnish it to get a great shine. First brush well with a stiff brush to loosen any ash or remains, then rinse with water. Then you’ll want to burnish the metal to squeeze it, make it smoother, and shinier. Use a burnishing tool made from agate or metal for this. The tool has a smooth face and pointy tip for burnishing the more detailed areas. *You can dunk the piece in water after firing to chill it fast. *Firing you clay too shortly, at too low a temperature,Tiffany Pendant on sale, or for too short a time may lead to your project to crack. Firing for too long may melt some of the detail.
Now that you have some silver clay suggestions, I bet you are psyched. You need to work with this innovative material now! What will you make first? Want to find out more about silver clay? Have a look at my website to learn more about locating metal clay retailers, find free projects, along with learn several other precious metal clay techniques: http://shop.how-to-make-jewelry.com
