Sg3 Basic Sky Guide 3 Pmc Tutorial By Rodi Frunze

SKY GUIDE III WORKING WITH PMC METAL CLAY

BY RODI FRUNZE

Introduction

Please keep in mind that this tutorial is produced to share some of the techniques I use, in order for others to enjoy the pleasure of working with metal clay. As the proceeds of this tutorial are used to create more learning opportunities, we would kindly request that you do not re-distribute this copy. The security features included in this tutorial (amongst others) limit the capacity to copy or print. If you require a printable version, please contact us by email at [email protected] - Warning or Stop

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Note: This file contains links to websites that sell the tools or products used in this guide. Please consider that these links are provided as a reference only and not meant as a recommendation to purchase. We have no affiliation with the sites referenced and cannot provide any assurance of the best pricing or service of the websites included. This tutorial is just a part of our ongoing efforts to assist you in developing and enhancing metal clay skills. If you have not done so, consider subscribing to ou Metal Cla Lea i g Oppo tu ities e slette (HERE). Not only will you enjoy a discount on the purchase of future tutorials, but you will also gain access to:     

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Before Starting Take the time to review the entire tutorial; this will help you to identify the areas that you may need a deeper understanding before arriving at that point. Take the time to ensure you have, and can comfortably identify the tools and products you will be working with. This will help you to create a comfortable and appropriate workspace. Due to the various stages of drying times and firing, we have included estimated times for each section that will help you to better plan your time. Please keep in mind that they are only estimated minimums you should dedicate to complete the section.

Remember, you are working with precious / base metals. Avoid inhaling or ingesting your clay dust and avoid prolonged / continuous exposure to children or pets. Please read ALL manufacturers warnings for ALL products. Some indicate possible allergic reactions and others potentially serious health risks. You should have the following safety equipment at the very least;  

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Eye protection, safety glasses. Regular glasses offer little to no protection when working with a rotary tool. In fact, depending on the type of glass / plastic they may actually be more dangerous! Face mask. Always recommended when dry sanding clay before firing and post fired precious / base metals. You do ’t need a bio-hazard quality face mask, just ensure that it fits well around the bridge of your nose. Heat resistant surface for soldering. A heat resistant brick (check your hardware store – they usually have bricks and tiles for in home fireplaces or outdoor BBQ or fire pits).

Having a small fire extinguisher located near your kiln and/or around your o kspa e used fo solde i g ight see a little e essi e , ut if ou a e working in your home, compare a 15$-20$ investment to the potential headache and/or heartache.

You will need: Products  1 pack (28 g) PMC tm. (any PMC or Silver clay can be used),  Sterling Silver Gallery Bezel wire  Silver Paste Solder, 650 Easy  Low Temperature Silver Solder Paste  1 Flat backed cabochon Gemstone or Glass (1.5 cm w / 2 cm L) of choice  Liver of Sulfur  Olive oil  Plastic wrap  97% Alcohol or Ethanol (Denatured Alcohol)

       

Distilled water Vinegar / Pre-enamel surface cleaner Straw 5 mm. Alumina Hydrate (optional but recommended, not required for fiber firing blanket or torch firing) Fine steel wool Fine steel brush Baking Powder PMC silver slip 15g (which will last for a VERY long time).

Tools –  Smooth, Even, Non-Porous working surface, (Plastic place mats , Acrylic (plexi glass) or even a glossy magazine work well)  Sharp scissors  Piece of heavy stock paper (Glossy photo paper works well)  Pencil  Needle Tool or Crafting knife / Scalpel  Hydrator or Small sealable jar & household cleaning sponge.  Thickness spacers or Playing cards  Toothpicks  Small paint brush (natural - smooth)  Makeup applicator sponge  Extra fine paint brush (very smooth)  Drill bit 2 mm  Cla olle o a pie e of a PCV pipe dia ete  Transparent Acrylic / Plastic / Glass disc approx.  Needle file round 3mm  #6 Soft Tapered-Point Chisel Shaper

 Rotary Tool attachments Fiber Abrasive Wheel (Fine), Bristle Disc (Extra Fine), Pumice wheel (optional) or Sandpaper - 320, 400 & 600 grit  Small container with closing airtight lid (not to be reused for other purposes)  Small spray bottle (the finer the spray the better)  Cup warmer (hair dryer or your kitchen oven)  Kiln with ramping, holding time capacity of 1650o F / 900 o C (Torch with 1650° F capacity – only recommended for those with experience of torch firing – torch firing instructions NOT INCLUDED)  Ceramic Crucible (option: firing blanket) kiln firing  Small steel wire brush  Small Rotary tool with metal polishing attachments or sandpaper if manual  Flush Cutter - Wire Cutters  1 Sheet plastic document protector  Bezel Roller (Pusher)  Small Ball Burnishing tool or toothpick

This tutorial includes a downloadable cut-out template, or draw your own template and personalize your result! You should download the template in order to get the correct dimensions for your personalized template. The following shopping guide contains links to on-line stores that sell the product. These links are to give you an idea of the product and price at least you will have a good idea of what to compare.

Buying Guide – Part I Item

Image

Approximate Price (US $)

PMC+ Clay tm

28g @ 45$ - 60$

Liver of Sulfur

1oz bottle 10$

Needle Tool (Crafting knife / Scalpel)

10$ or 2$

10$ or 2$ Hydrator

16$ Thickness spacers or Playing cards 2$

Extra fine paint brush (very smooth) Small fine paint brush

5-6$

320, 400 & 600 grit sandpaper (or rotary tool attachments)

1$ - 2$

Buying Guide – Part II Item

Image

Approximate Price (US $)

Makeup applicator sponge

5$

Drill bit 2 mm

3$

16$ Clay roller or a piece of a PCV pipe 1 diameter 8 – 10 cm

1$

Document Binder

1$

Small spray bottle

1$

Cup warmer

10$ - 15$

Ceramic Crucible (Kiln Firing) Firing Blanket

18$ - 20$ Crucible 6$ Blanket

Round Needle File

2$ - 3$

Let’s Sta t – Templates 5 mins. Do ’t fo get to download your included cut-out template You can personalize this project by drawing your own template or print the included templates here. To make your own template and modify the design, you will need to consider that the measurements for your gemstone setting will eed to i lude the sh i kage (10% to 15% - PMC) of your clay when firing. This means that the position of your gemstone needs to be at least 15% larger than the gemstone + 1.5mm for your bezel wire. As most of us LOVE math , here`s a link to a simple percentage calculator. Just enter the size of your stone (I recommend using mm) 15mm & 20mm and the percentage 15%. So the pre-firing size of your stone position will be 17.25mm (.25mm is too small to have any impact) so 17mm x 23mm. When making your own templates, you can ensure the symmetry by folding your template in half. You should always consider the balance of your finished piece. If the decoration you want to add is not symmetrical in design, ensure that you use the same amount (approx.) of clay on both sides (left & right), or keep the weight of the decoration balanced towards the center. 1. Cut out and fold template A, cut out the heart and template B.

Set up & the fun begins 5 – 10 min. Make sure you have a clear and clean unobstructed workspace. This will avoid any contamination of your clay and allow you to find your most comfortable position while working. If you work with (or intend to work with) various metal clays, keep in mind that all surfaces and tools require a thorough cleaning in between. Better still, have a different workspace and tools for different metals. 2. Cut a pie e of ou do u e t i de plasti app o . – s ua e. Wo ki g ith this as ou o k surface will help to move your piece while it’s in a fragile state. You will be able to turn your piece without having to pick it up; also you will find it easier to transfer to your heated surface. Just in case the question popped into your mind, NO, do not place your plastic binder onto the heated surface! 3. Prepare your non-porous work surface by rubbing a thin coating of olive oil on ALL surfaces that will come into contact with your clay. This includes your hands, so a dry cloth nearby can be useful. WATCH VIDEO

Olive Oil! As the metal clay binder is organic in nature, I have never encountered any issues with any type of metal clay using olive oil. Yes you can use other oils, you will encounter many different options either commercially sold, instruction books or posted in groups. Feel free to experiment, but consider that the properties of some oils’ o p odu ts a i te fe e ith the fi i g p o ess a d lea e ou pie e ot si te ed (removal of all non-metal). Determining the root cause of your piece not sintering can be a long and difficult troubleshooting process.

Cla P epa atio / Lets’ Sta t! – 30 – 60 min. 4. We now need to prepare our clay. As your clay will start to dry pretty quickly, I recommend that you create (or have purchased) a hydrator pot. Simple to make using a small airtight closing jar and a simple household cleaning sponge. You will use this to store your clay once the package is opened. Place your clay in a Hydrator pot the night before or at least 2 hours before your start. Wrap your unused working clay in plastic wrap while working.

Knead approx. 20g of your clay, adding a little distilled water using a small spray bottle as needed. You are looking for a consistency that is;  Easily pliable  You can see your fingerprint  Not sticking to your fingers  Does not crack or separate when you bend it  Free from any air bubbles

5. For Template (a): Place your 1.5 mm spacers (or 6 playing cards) approx. 10 -12 cm apart. Flatten your clay and place between the spacers. Using your roller (or plastic pipe), roller your clay into a uniform flat piece. For Template (b): Use your 1 mm spacers (or 4 playing cards). WATCH VIDEO

6. Apply oil to both sides of your template and position it on your clay Pattie.

7. Place the template (A) on your clay and using your needle tool (or scalpel), cut around the template. This is where you can start to see the benefit of your plastic document cover in being able to rotate your clay to cut. Remove the excess clay and wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat for template (B).

8. Let all of your pieces dry for 10 – 20 min. before placing them on your cup warmer (or in the oven at 50o C / 122 o F) for approx. 30 min. They will be completely dry; this will help in the carving / scoring of your design. Do not warm your pieces at a temperature above 100 o C / 212 o F as they risk to crack or will be too dry at best. I prefer to let PMC+ dry naturally (2-3 hours) for the base pieces as this eliminates the risk of them warping.

Use a playing card or piece of your template paper to lift your pieces when transferring to the warmer. Your pieces will be VERY hot when removing. They will be VERY delicate so manipulate gently.

If your GENTLY happens to result in your piece breaking, do not discard it. You can use the paste or slip to repair the piece. You will need to let it dry thoroughly before continuing, but you project is still alive and our definition of gently completely aligned

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To repair a broken piece, you will need the following steps.  With your new found GENTLY, position the two pieces close to each other.  With your small paint brush, moisten the edges to be attached with distilled water.  Use the slip (paste) to reconnect your piece by painting each edge with the slip.  Re-attach the pieces, gently wiping any excess with your makeup sponge (dampened in distilled water).  Let the piece dry naturally for 2-3 hours. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying, personally I do not do this. I find that with natural drying, you can see if the join needs a little extra slip should you see any spaces or cracks. Using a hair dryer can dry your slip much faster; this means that you may still have a crack or space that is not visible covered by a very thin layer of slip. Any spaces or air pockets in your clay can have a severe (non-repairable) impact on your firing or a fragile creation that will be susceptible to breakage at the least.

9. Now that your pieces are dried with a uniform color (no spots indicating moisture), inspect them for any rough spots. Using (320 – 400 if needed) 600 grit sandpaper, gently smooth all surfaces and edges. Capture the dust and any tiny dried pieces of clay in a small pot and grind them later to make slip….. it`s silver! 10. We will now add the decorative holes in both pieces. Place your template (a) over the piece and using your Needle Tool (or Scalpel) gently mark the position of the hole. Using your 2 mm drill bit, gently drill the hole. To enlarge the holes, use your Round Needle file. Holding your piece firmly, gently twist the file until your hole is the desired size – template (A) 3mm, template (B) is already 2mm, but you can smooth the edges. WATCH VIDEO Keep your file straight! Any side to side movement risks breaking your piece.

To avoid the chance of your hole chipping at the back, place your finger behind the position of the hole. Stop drilling once you feel the tip of the drill starting to penetrate and start to drill from the back. 11. Using your very fine (600 grit) sandpaper, gently smooth all the outer and inner edges of your pieces. You can also use the 400 grit if you need to remove larger bumps but you should always finish your sanding using the finest 600 grit to have a smooth finish before firing. Rolling a small piece of sandpaper really helps to sand the insides of openings. Do not blow the dust away! This will create airborne particles that may be inhaled. The use of a face mask and eye protection is highly recommended whenever there is a possibility of airborne base/precious metal dust. If you are not sure or have respiratory issues, wear a mask.

Decorate the back – Let`s get into the flow 60 – 75 mins. Let’s sta t ha d d a i g the s i l desig ith a pencil on the back of the main body of your pendant. This is a great opportunity to personalize your project! Also don`t forget add YOUR initials or those of who you intend giving it to.

Practice and repetition are essential keys to developing the ability and confidence that will allow you to apply all of your attention to the designing of your inspirations in the future. If you feel the need, practice drawing your swirls on a printed copy of your template.

12. We will now gently carve / score the design into the clay using your needle file, gently brushing the removed clay with a small brush. You do not need a depth of more than 1 – 1.5mm, remember that your piece will shrink when fired. So avoid carving deeper than 1.5 mm, otherwise you metal will be very thin once fired.

13. Using your Ball burnishing tool (or toothpick), smooth the lines you have carved. To smooth the edges and modify the width and depth of carving, use the end of a toothpick. The point can be used to scratch / scrape the smaller swirls. Gently rolling the toothpick between the fingers can be used to sand the edges of the swirl, gradually enlarging the middle of the swirl. See how beautiful your carving shines! WATCH VIDEO

Metal Clay is expensive, so don`t forget to scrape up as much of the dust possible and add it to your recycling $ pot. Keep in mind that this project is not intended to make an exact copy. The objective is to learn or enhance the techniques. The more you personalize your decoration, the more satisfaction you will gai ith the e d esult….. So if ou s’ does ot look e a tl the sa e i desig that’s g eat, as lo g as you have the same appearance of the texture.

Prepare to construct & embellish / decorate 15 – 20 mins. 14. No that the a k of ou pie es a e de o ated, let’s get ead to attach your decorative elements. You can purchase PMC slip, although quite expensive it lasts for a very long time. Alternatively, you can make your own. Using a small plastic or glass container (not metal!) place a small amount (approx. 1 cm ball of your clay) into your container and gradually add distilled water while mixing with a small plastic spatula (I use my finger). You are looking for a consistency similar to yogurt or thick cream. Think of your paste as glue that you need to be able to apply it with a very fine tipped soft paintbrush. This video is of bronze clay, but the consistency is the same: WATCH VIDEO 15. Let’s use ou slip to o e t sti k the s alle se tio te plate B to the (template A) and place on your warmer (or oven) to dry.

ai

od of ou pendant

16. Next we will make the raised swirls. The basic technique is always the same, but it may take some p a ti e to get the feel . Make su e ou tho oughl oil ou ha ds efo e starting. From your plastic wrapped clay take a small amount like this:

C eate a s all s ake olli g the clay using your acrylic disc. Increase the pressure while rolling when approaching the ends of your snake to bring them to a point.

17. With a very small paintbrush, brush the location you will be adding a decorative element with distilled water. Then apply a thin coating of paste. This will help in the adherence of the two pieces. Have your paste and a small bowl (not to be used for food) of distilled water ready on hand.

Sp a ou s ake to slo do the drying and help keep it flexible. To pla e the s ake i to its positio takes delicate manipulation, use your very small smooth paintbrush to lift the s ake a d pla e it i to its lo atio . OK, So this sounds easy, but balancing this small piece of clay can take a little practice and perseverance. WATCH VIDEO

Delicately manipulate the snake into its swirl position and form:

Make sure the surface of your piece has not dried before you place the snake. If so reapply some water before attempting to position your s akes to e su e a solid o e tio . As you are working with small pieces, they will dry quiet quickly. So you need to work relatively quickly, NOT RUSH, but quickly. Practice forming and manipulating your snakes on your work surface many times to help build the confidence. Each attempt can then be scooped up and placed into our work clay. 18. With your small paintbrush, add paste (if required) to any area joining the two pieces that is not 100% connected. Add very small amounts of paste at a time and gently brush into place with your paintbrush. Dip your paintbrush into your water to help brush the paste into position. Excess paste can be removed with your damp make-up sponge. Remember, keeping your piece clean of excess slip will reduce the time required to sand it before firing. 19. Repeat, repeat and repeat until you have added all the swirls to the back of you pendant. Replace your pieces back on the warmer or into the oven for at approx. 10-15mins. or until the swirls are dry. Next, we will prepare to add the leaves as a practice for decorating the front.

Making simple leaves 10 – 15 min.

20. So hopefull ou a e feeli g a little o e o fide t ith pla i g the s akes, so lets’ ake a d pla e the small leaves. Adding the leaves to the back of your pendant first will help to practice the technique in preparation for the front. This is a great opportunity to practice making leaves AND personalize your project. The sizes of these pieces are what make them a challenge. Keep in mind that working with such small amounts of clay means a much faster drying time. As ith the s akes ou ill e usi g ou e small fine paint brush, slip and distilled water is the key. Rolling very small spheres is not too difficult.

21. To create the leaves, use the same technique as aki g the s akes . Ve ti s akes , ut the same technique. Place a very small amount of clay into the palm of your hand and delicately roll the clay with a backward and forward motion. WATCH VIDEO

Pla e ou s ake o to ou work surface (we will be adding water so make sure your surface is waterproof), a plastic spacer or piece of your document binder. Gently flatten, using your finger while ensuring they are slightly rounded. You will need as many leaves as you would like to add to the back.

22. Add a small amount of water to the position you will be placing the piece. Dip your paintbrush into the water, add a small amount of slip and brush the piece you will be adding. Brush (roll) the piece until the piece starts to stick to your paintbrush and gently lift it into place. Make sure that that the position is still moist before adding your piece.

Let’s ot o e de o ate the a k, just enough to keep the pendant interesting if it happens to turn while wearing. Design tip: Try to keep in mind the back will be either uncomfortable against the skin or get caught (snagged) on certain textiles if there are sharp edges.

You should have noticed by now that the small pieces dry into place very quickly. If you have added a little too much water, just let the back fully dry before starting the a i g of the s akes o the a k.

Use your make-up sponge (lightly damp) to clean and smooth any excess slip. If it has dried, you will need to gently sand with 600 grit sandpaper.

Carving Details – The Back, first steps 60 min. 23. Once dry, we are now ready to carve some detail into the swirls. First make sure you clean any excess slip from the connection with the base using 320 to 600 grit sandpaper. Gently rub the surface brushing away the dust frequently so you can see the amount removed.

Keep in mind, that there are many, many tools you can use to carve detail into PMC. The trick is to find what is most comfortable for you. I have found that very sharp pointed tools (like Needle tool) can cause small chips in the surface, leaving an unequal line or design. This is not the case for Bronze or Copper metal clay. Fine silver clays like PMC work better when you are sa di g the details i to the la athe tha cutting the su fa e.

Using your Scalpel & Needle File tool, you will be adding a carved line detail into the 3 snakes. The key here is to start gently, do not try to carve the line in one pass. This will risk breaking your piece, gently file away thin layers of clay until you reach a depth of approx. 1mm WATCH VIDEO

Brush the dust into your collecting pot and with your damp sponge clean the lines you have just carved.

Embellishment – isFdry, o sand little to400 lots’, it’s all aanyout 8 paste – 120 min 24. Once your decoration (300 & grit sandpaper) areasYOU! with excess or scratches. After the next steps will be firing, so make sure you are happy with the smooth surface texture as it will take a lot more work to correct once fired. Sand all the edges to give them a rounded finish. Roll a small piece of 600 grit sandpaper (like a straw) to sand the inner heart shape edges. Take the time to clean your piece between each of the following steps as you will find that you will be creating spaces that will become inaccessible as you progress. So from here, you will be combining the previous steps; rolling & placing snakes, drying, carving, cleaning, rolling and placing more snakes, carving, adding beads and leaves. Remember, if you are having any issues you can get live assistance consultation with Rodi: for details click here 25. Using the same steps 16 - 19, we will add some swirls to the front of your piece. So, you may have noticed that I did not draw my design first? Well this is because; (a) I use the lines when carving (removing clay) as they serve as guidelines and (b) Placing (adding clay) my swirls free form is more fun. Also the fact that replacing removed clay to correct any errors, means filling with paste, drying and sanding before continuing. This is a much longer corrective process than just removing added clay if my swirl is not in the right position or not to my taste. It is important to notice that I did draw the size (POST SHRINKAGE) 23mm x 17mm and position of the stone dimension, along with a additio safe zo e of . This is to e su e that the e ill e enough space around the stone to solder the bezel setting after firing. Replace your pieces back on the warmer or into the oven for at approx. 10 mins. or until the swirls are dry.

Once dry, we are going to sand the middle swirl from its’ round appearance to a more flattened look. Start with 400 grit sandpaper and gently rub the surface brushing away the dust frequently so you can see the amount removed. Finish the surface with 600 grit until smooth.

Using your Needle File tool, add a carved line detail into the inside snake.

Using your scalpel, carve lines approximately 1mm apart into the outside snake. Do not attempt to cut the lines, e e e e eed to s at h the clay. You risk breaking the snake or worse your piece if you try to cut the clay.

Make sure you clean your base surface before placing the next 2 snakes. You can now see how difficult it will be to access the space between the 2 snakes after. Use your very fine brush to smooth any slip in between your snakes. If you have added too much slip, remove the snake, clean and replace it.

Once your snakes are dried, carve lines approximately 1mm apart into the outside snake. Make sure that the ends of your snakes are connected to the main body.

Again, make sure you clean your base surface before placing the next 3 snakes. If you are having difficulty manipulating your snakes into a tight swirl, this is indicating that your clay is a little too dry. Spray your clay with distilled water and knead it to make it softer. You might find wrapping your clay in cling film to knead it easier as it will become sti k to the fi ge s at the beginning. Your clay should not be sticky to work with, just to the point that you can see your finger print when you touch it.

You should e getti g the flo snakes at this point.

of

If ot, Call fo help p oje t assista e Skype TM consultation is available: click the button for details

If you choose to use a paper towel to help manipulate your piece while carving, DO NOT THROW THEM AWAY! Accumulate and Store them in a plastic bag. Remember they contain pure silver, you can send them to a recycling program and get $ back ;-)

Carve a line the length of the top snake.

The following snakes will be positioned horizontally on your piece giving the effect of bands.

The outer end of your snake should look like this when finished.

We now need to continue to add bands. You should have a total of 9 bands.

This should help you to see the positions of where the bands are attached. Do not be intimidated if you find this step challenging, it is not an easy step. Remember you can personalize, it is better to preserve the hard work up to now than to struggle with these delicate pieces.

Call fo help p oje t assistance Skype TM consultation is available: click the button for details

A little carving of the bands. This may seem a little excessive, until you realize the effect on the finished piece when you apply the patina. Carve in your lines that run along the band (12a) and across the band (12b).

We should be Looking a little Like this. Unless You added your o tou hes…

The leaves?

26. We will now add some leaves and beads to enhance the overall design. Reviewing the section on making and attaching leaves before you start can really help. Keep in mind that the beads are the same as the leaves, except you will not flatten them. REVIEW VIDEO Prepare your leaves and beads and place them on a movable non-stick surface; you will need approx. 10 leaves (vary the size from 3mm – 5mm) & 37 small balls (beads) a gi g f o as s all as possi le to 2mm – 4 mm.

First, we will add the leaves;

When adding the leaves, make sure your leaf has not dried; this will help in molding the leaf to the curve of the position ensuring it is completely attached. Add a little more water than with the other leaves as this will help in moving the leaves into position.

Let’s add so e eads to ou e ellish e t. B o ou should e ell o ou a to aste i g the adding of small elements. Water (the surface) – Slip (the surface) – Water (your brush) – Roll, Lift & position (with your brush) – Water (if needed) to smooth or Sponge to remove excess slip.

Place your piece on you warmer to dry. Your piece needs to be very dry for the next step or you risk breaking of decorative elements from the front.

27. Before firing we need to add the bail. We will give form to the bail by using a straw (5 mm) that is oiled! Roll a snake 4 cm long tapering one end only. Flatten the opposite end with your finger (like making a leaf). Spray with water.

Place your straw at the end of the flattened end towards the center of the snake. With your very fine brush, gently lift the tapered end over the top of the straw. Note that the end curves a little to the left. This is to ensure that it does not attach to a decoration on the back of the pendant. We need to attach the bail directly to the pendant base to ensure the best possible connection.

Add a small snake of 1.5 cm long on each side and fill the space between the snakes with slip. Let the bail dry naturally for approx. 15 mins. before attempting to move it. Make sure that your piece does not o e out of its’ positio he you are ready to place it on your pendant.

On the back of your pendant, add a little water and slip to both of the positions that the bail will attach to and to both ends of the bail.

To ensure that your bail fully supports your pendant, it is critical to ensure that there are no spaces along the joint of the bail and the pendant. As you can see, I also added a few beads around the base of my bail. This is the last step before we will be firing our piece. Take the time to sand any excess slip, it is sooooo much easier than sanding the metal post firing.

If you have any scratches or chipping of clay, take the time to fill them with slip and let them dry and sand before firing.

Kiln Firing PMC – Make or Break 20 min. + 2 hrs of waiting The o ious a s e to the uestio ho lo g do I fi e pie e should e; Follo the i st u tio s of the la a ufa tu e . Ho e e , if ou ha e al ead used Metal Clay you will have already realized that this is no assurance that you piece will fully sinter. There are just too many factors that can influence the sintering process, resulting in incomplete sintering (recoverable by re-firing) to catastrophic failure. You can get some idea of elements that influence your firing form this article we wrote: Ho to get the est fi i g esults f o ou kil The article also gives advice on how get consistent results for all types of metal clay. So let’s e ie the critical points you need to keep in mind to avoid serious negative firing impacts; Your piece will bubble / distort and will not be recoverable If;   

All of your pieces are not completely dry before being placed in the kiln. You have air pockets embedded into your clay from kneading your clay. The firing temperature is too high. You can increase the firing TIME but never the TEMPERATURE!

If the holding time is not long enough, the piece will not fully sinter but will be recoverable. As long as you respect the maximum firing temperature (based on the melting point) for your metal, you can refi e ou pie e. As lo g as ou kil is apa le of ai tai i g a sta le holdi g te pe atu e, ou a extend the firing time. Keep in mind that the position of your piece in the kiln can have an effect on the firing process. Your kilns temperature is usually based on the center of the kiln. If you fire multiple pieces, ou ill e fo ed to positio so e ele e ts outside the e te s eet spot , in effect these pieces are not assured of reaching the kilns setting temperature. The above article provides insight into how you can establish a reliable firing schedule. Relia le should e o side ed as ajo it of the ti e , as the e ill always remai a possi ilit of fi i g failu e . To determine if your piece is fully sintered, gently tap the piece on to a steel or iron surface. If the sound is dull (no ringing sound), your piece needs to be re-fired. So it’s important to keep in mind that the following firing schedule is based on the size, weight and number of pieces being fired. Following the steps should result in your piece sintering or at the very least recoverable if it does not sinter on the first attempt. Based on the fact that this piece cannot be laid flat without placing pressure on either the bail or decorative elements on the front, it is important to support the piece during firing. We also need air circulation around the piece during firing to ensure uniform sintering.

For this p oje t I used a Fi i g C u i le (Ceramic Melting Dish). Although the primary usage of a crucible in jewelry making is to melt metals, in this case it provides a safe for firing container for the Alumina Hydrate. The Alumina Hydrate serves to support the uneven surfaces of the piece while allowing air to circulate around the piece and reduce the risk of the metal warping during firing.

If you do not have a Crucible, you can use a firing fiber blanket placed on your kiln shelf. The Fiber Blanket provides the support to the piece while allowing oxygen to flow around your piece like the Alumina Hydrate. 28. Prepare your Crucible by adding approx. 2.5 cm / of Alumina Hydrate. Place your pendant FACE UP in the center of the Crucible. 29. Place your Crucible (or Blanket) in the center of your kiln. Hopefully you are familiar with the settings to control your kiln, if not; this is the opportunity to read your instruction manual. You will need to be able to set your kiln for the following schedule. If this is your first time firing PMC, I recommend test firing a small piece of clay rolled to the same thickness as your piece. Sure Silver is expensive (keep your test piece for recycling $), but the loss of a much larger piece along with the time invested? RAMP TIME Full Ramp

TEMPERATURE 1625o F / 885 o C

HOLDING TIME 2 HOURS

Set your kiln settings and let that Massage Therapist get to work on providing 2 hours of bliss!

OK, this may seem obvious BUT your health and safety is very important. You will be working with temperatures that are unforgiving of ANY mishandling! Make sure that you DO NOT attempt to remove your pan from the kiln before the temperature is that of at least a conventional oven 230 o C / 450 o F.Besides the very dangerous burns you can receive, if you drop the pan, the risk of fire is EXTREMLY HIGH. Let your piece cool down naturally inside the kiln, no risk and one less thing to consider if you encounter firing issues. If you are like me, waiting for the kiln to cool down is a test of patience as I find it so exciting to see the transformation, a glass (or 3) of wine can help fill the time. We hear a great deal of discussion on shrinkage within the metal clay community; however I rarely come across comments regarding an important advantage of shrinkage. Although we made some very small details on this pendant, once fired, you can see the effect of shrinkage making those details even smaller. 30. So before you open the kiln door, make sure you have a heat resistant surface to place your crucible. If you are using a blanket not required. Great, we are ready to remove our piece. It should be looking something like this:

You pe da t should o e pea l hite i appea a e. This is due to the fa t that the po es o the surface of the metal are open. Once we brush the piece with a stainless steel wire brush, this will rearrange the metal particles on the surface and close the pores and produce the silver look. IMPORTANT: Brush your piece under running water! Without getting too much into the chemistry, if you do not brush your piece under running water, you will be adding steel particles to the surface of your silver. This can have an impact on the quality of the finish you will get in the finishing stages.

Making A Bezel Setting 60 mins 31. Cleaning is not always a task we look forward to, but in this case the revealing of the metal makes it a real pleasure. Using fine steel brush, brush under running water u til the halk esidue is removed.

Your piece should now be silver with a satin finish. Dry it thoroughly before we start the next step of making the bezel setting for our stone. Befo e e sta t to ake a d add the ezel setti g to ou pe da t, let’s e ie the tools a d p odu ts we will need. Intimidated by soldering? Rodi is just a call away: click the button for details

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50mm of bezel wire (min.) Straight edge (flush cut) wire cutters Silver solder paste Low temperature silver solder (usually comes in a syringe) Bezel pusher Bowl of water (tap water)

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Long tweezers Wire brush stainless steel Rotary tool (or 400 grit sandpaper) Rotary tool attachment sanding stone Rotary tool attachment fine sanding Torch

As ou a see, I use a kil shelf it’s a tuall sitti g o a lo k of ood to p ote t o k su fa e. On top of the heat resistant kiln shelf, I have my iron tapping block. This is to help reflect the heat back onto the piece while soldering.

32. First, we need to measure the length of the bezel wire. To do this, place your stone on a flat surface and wrap the bezel wire around the stone.  Keep the wire as close as possible to the form of your stone.  Mark the point of connection (a fine point sharpie works well).  With your straight edge wire cutters cut your wire. You will need a clean straight edge to ensure a good connection. If needed, gently sand the ends.  Mould your wire to the stone and make sure that your ends meet. If there is a space between the ends, your stone will not fit once soldered. If this is your first time soldering, I STRONGLY recommend practicing before working on your project. You do not have to use silver to practice; you can use plain copper bezel wire to form a bezel and a small sheet of copper as a simulated base. You can use the same low temperature silver solder paste. These instructions give the sense that soldering is easy. It is easy, but getting clean soldered lines can only be achieved through hands-on practice. WATCH VIDEO Eye protection – wear your safety glasses while soldering! 

Place your formed bezel wire onto your heat resistant surface (preferably a metal surface as mentioned before). Whe I sa fo ed , it is important that your bezel maintains its shape of the stone and the joint should not have a space greater than 0.5mm. Ideally, you will not be able to see a space between the two connecting ends.

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DO NOT TOUCH the ends of your wire, the oil from your hands a dis upt the solde lea i g spa es… ot good. Use a toothpick to add a small amount of Silver Solder (not the low temp.) to the inside of the joint. To gauge the amount, consider that you only need enough to fill the space.

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With your torch on its highest setting, heat your bezel in a circular motion. You want the whole piece to have a uniform high heat.

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Keep your eye on the solder, as your bezel starts to reach the point of changing color, you should see the solder start to give off a little smoke. This is at the point that your solder should liquefy. Remove your heat and make sure that all the solder paste has turned to metal.  DO NOT TOUCH! (ever wondered why jewelry makers are missing fingerprints on their thumbs ? If you know the answer it’s because you have the repeated experience of touching ;-) With your long tweezers place your bezel into your bowl of water to quench it. NOW you can touch.  Inspect your joint, it should withstand a little pulling (apart) and maintain its’ o e tio . If it breaks apart, this is indicating either a) Not enough solder was applied or b) You did not apply heat for long enough. Sometimes you can re-heat the joint to complete the soldering, but generally the fact that the joint is no longer clean it is better to start again. Save the wire for a smaller stone setting or add to your recycling stash$.

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Once you have your bezel, using a round tube (like a pen), place the tube through your bezel and gently roll the bezel to give it a uniform oval form.

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Place your bezel over your stone, it should have a tight fit. If you have to force the stone into the bezel, then it is too tight (you will have difficulty once you solder the bezel to the base). Your stone should not have space to move around inside your bezel. If so, there is a risk that your stone will not be centered once you set it.

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Depending on the thickness of your cabochon and the bezel wire you have, you may find that your bezel is going to cover too much of the cabochon. You can adjust the height of your bezel wire by sanding. Use 220 grit sandpaper placed on a flat surface, sand the bottom of your bezel wire in a figure of 8 motion. Sand in stages to avoid over sanding.

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Remove your stone, unless you are 100% aware of the heat impact on the stone you are setting, NEVER solder your bezel into place with the stone! If you do and are very lucky, you will either see your stone change color or crack. If you are unlucky, the stone can explode.

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Using Alcohol (I prefer 97% (check the Liquor Store when you buy the wine ;-), but most jewelers use denatured alcohol), clean the position of the bezel on the base.

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It is very important that your base is completely level. If you have spaces showing at the base of your bezel when it is placed on the base, you will need to gently grind any high points from your base using your rotary tool with a medium mini fiber wheel. Do not forget to clean your base if you have to grind it a little. As you can see, I use the end of my fire resistant shelf and let the bail extend past the end, this keeps it flat.

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Position your bezel onto the base of your pendant and using your LOW TEMPERATURE solder syringe, place a continuous line of solder around the INSIDE of your bezel. You need your pendant base to be LEVEL to avoid the solder leaking out from the solder line.

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With your torch, slowly (this solder does not require high heat, so keep your torch approx. 10cm from your piece) heat the bezel in a circular motion from the exterior of the bezel. Watch carefully as this solder will liquefy pretty quickly and overheating can cause the solder to leak to the front of your bezel. This is not a fun task to clean solder from your base before you will be able to start again. You should see a very fine line (or no line even better) on the outside of your bezel and base. The fact that it is very difficult to see the silver solder, I applied patina to show the result of the soldering. As you can see, in this case a little too much solder applied but the bezel is soldered well in place. It will be possible to clean the excess solder by; - Fi st, Pi kli g athi g i a id – sounds dangerous, until we clarify a id as i ega - Gently grinding with a fine grit (400 grit) sandpaper or rotary tool attachment

Application Of Patina (Oxidization) We need to clean and sand the pieces before adding the patina. The patina will darken the spaces below the swirls, the base of all the carving and decoration. This will enhance the polished areas so they are highlighted. 33. So we are ready to add the patina. To make sure our patina is even, we will need to remove any oils (and ALL excess solder) that has accumulated on the piece by handling. This is k o as pi kli g there are many products you can buy to accomplish this. We will be using boiling vinegar, it works and its’ inexpensive. We also need a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Make sure you have good ventilation over your cooker! The vinegar gives off a not so pleasant odor and the fumes can irritate the eyes. Add app o i atel . / ½ of hite i ega (almost any vinegar will work) to a small pan and bring it to boiling point. Carefully lay your piece into the vinegar, peroxide (2 table spoons) and salt (1 tea spoon) for approximately 2-3 min. or until the piece is uniform in color with no dark areas. A great alternative to pickling for PMC or silver clays is Pre-Enamel Surface Scrub. Unlike Copper or Bronze, Silver oxidizes very slowly. The primary purpose of Pickling is to remove oxidation and ensure an even application of the patina which is in effect oxidizing the metal. The Pre-Enamel Surface Scrub (although more expensive than vinegar) gives a really clean surface to your silver producing a uniform application to the patina. 34. Prepare your patina by following the instructions carefully on the Liver of Sulfur. I usually add ¼ of a teaspoon to 1 cup of boiling water. Please take note of the warnings on the Liver of Sulfur as it is a toxic substance. You will also need a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda (baking powder) to rinse your piece. The baking powder serves to stop the oxidation process while cleaning away the liver of sulphur. 35. Using your long tweezers, place your piece into the liver of sulphur for 10 – 15 seconds. Remove and repeat until you are happy with the dark appearance. Patina is applied in stages, each time you place the piece into the liver of sulphur it will become darker. Once you reach your desired level of patina, drop you piece into the bowl of water and rinse thoroughly. Cleaning your piece under running water AFTER the baking soda bath helps to ensure all of the liver of sulphur is removed. WATCH VIDEO

Do not use a metal container or any container that may come into contact with food! Avoid inhaling the fumes as they can be harmful. The use or latex of rubber gloves and eye protection is also recommended. Using a disposable plastic container that can be sealed will allow you to reuse the mixture.

Setting The Stone 36. Before setting our stone, lets’ give the piece a little cleaning and remove patina from our highlights. Re e e that the appli atio of pati a is i effe t to p odu e a A ti ue look. With this i i d, try to visualize how the surfaces of the piece would wear during regular use. The areas that would be handled or would rub against the material of clothing would not be as oxidized at areas that are recessed.

To achieve this look, use fine steel wool and gently brush the top of the highlighted surfaces of the decoration front and back. Avoid removing patina from the base (this area would not be exposed to friction due to the raised effect of the decoration and the stone. The edges of the base on the other hand would be exposed to friction, so removing some of the patina effect will look natural. I also use an extra fine polishing pad rotary tool attachment to lightly polish away some of the patina. Although not a requirement, a) it saves time and b) I love my flex shaft tool.

You a al a s Pi kle and reapply patina if you remove too much, just make su e that ou Pi kle to remove all of the oxidation (patina).

As you can see, the carving is also highlighted by the patina adding to the various dimensions that helps to make a piece of this style interesting. NOTE: The following photos show the patina darker than it really is. They have been enhanced to show the areas where the patina has been removed.

The addition of the gemstone is another stage that always seems to totally transform your project. Although we are close to the final stages, resisting the urge to rush to finish will pay off greatly. At this stage, avoiding tool marks, dents and scratches will facilitate the finishing. Placing your piece on a soft surface rather than rough or metal surfaces is recommended. Again we need to place our piece in a position to avoid placing undue pressure on the bail. Try to position the bail off the end of a block, now my use of a wooden block makes more sense? Place your stone into the bezel and push firmly to ensure it is seated on the pendant base. Press firmly on the stone and using your ezel pushe tool sta t to push the top of your bezel while gently rocking the tool backwards and forwards, along the bezel until it is tight against the stone. Turn your piece and push the bezel from the opposite side. Repeat this circling the stone until you have a smooth uniform fit.

Cleaning / Polishing and the crowning glory! 60 min.

So we arrive at the finishing steps. The cleaning and polishing make the difference to the overall look and feel of your piece. Take the time it takes to arrive at the point that you are completely satisfied and your final result will hopefully meet (or exceed) your original expectation.

37. So ho do ou get su h a eautiful fi ish? is o e of the ost asked uestio s I e ei e. The si ple answer patience! The long answer, patience and the right rotary tool attachment. If you are not using a rotary tool, you should have already noticed the time it takes to sand by hand can be very long. Whether you purchase a small Dremel TM (go for cordless for ease of use, you will not regret it!) or a flex shaft, this is an indispensible tool. Polishing always has a minimum or three stages, four if we are looking for a high gloss shine; 1. Rough – Grinding; to remove imperfections such as tool marks and scratches 2. Medium – Sanding; to reduce and remove the grinding marks or for a satin finish 3. Fine – Polishing; to give a smooth finish satin or gloss 4. Extra fine – Buffing (high gloss finish); this will rearrange the metal molecules on the surface of the metal filling in any open pores, leaving a shiny surface. These steps apply to either manual or tools and to any base (or light alloy) metals such as Copper, Bronze or Silver. The million dollar question is which attachments work best? Well, like many aspects of jewelry making, there is not a single right answer. Depending on your personal p efe e e a d udget tole a e, ou eed to e pe i e t to fi d hat o ks fo ou . The follo i g guide is to give you an idea of your options. Two things to keep in mind, a) there are hundreds of options, these options are the better options based on my e pe ie e; Ou defi itio of shi is al a s subjective, the options presented are based on a finish that compliments both the design and the style of my pieces, so keep in mind you may find other products that better suit your future projects.

Rotary Tool Attachments Grinding

Sanding

Polishing

Extra Coarse, Coarse Bronze/Copper/Silver

Medium, Fine – Bronze / Copper/Silver

Extra Fine – Satin finish for Bronze / Copper/*Silver

Gemstones

N/A

*Silver – 400 grit Bronze / Copper – 120 grit

Bronze / Copper/Silver – 400 grit, pumice, 6µ, 1µ µ = micron

Abrasive Mini Fiber Wheel (available in Extra Coarse, Coarse, Medium, Fine & Extra Fine)

Pumice Wheel (also available for cutting)

*Silver, Copper, Bronze & most gemstones (not optimal attachment, but works for small adjustments)

Radial Bristle Disc (available in various coarseness – refer to the sandpaper grit level desired – also available polishing)

Silver – 220 grit Bronze / Copper – 80 grit

*- Used in this project: Abrasive wheel used to remove patina, Pumice Wheel used to clean (straighten) the ends of bezel wire, Bristle Disc used for sanding bezel and highlights.

Buffing:

Buffing Felt Pads

Light Sanding

Polishing

Buffing

Aggressive Compound – Remove scratches

Universal Compound – Remove light scratches

Red Rouge Compound – Buffing to a shine

Used with possibly 3 stage compounds or just 1 polishing compound;

This table should give you an idea of the variations in finishing attachments. As I mentioned before, you can finish of this project manually, but you may only achieve 95% of the finish. You will find it very difficult (if not impossible) to achieve a high gloss finish without buffing with rouge compound. This is due to the high speed requirement of the rotary tool to get this finish. Ha e a uestio o ? Call fo help : li k the utto fo details ALWAYS use eye protection if using a rotary tool as there is always a possibility of a small decorative piece detaching.

With that said, let’s finish our project.

As long as you have kept your pre-fired clay smooth and free from excess slip or scratches, you should only need the polishing steps. Using the bristle wheel attachment 6µ (microns), rotary tool at approximately half speed 15,000 rpm, gently pass over all the highlighted silver surfaces. Once you are happy with the look and feel, change your attachment to a felt buffing wheel. You should only need the Red Rouge compound in a very small amount. Using a clean felt wheel, run your rotary tool at low speed (the felt and the compound will produce dust = facemask!) and gently rub the felt wheel against your block of Rouge. Not too much, just enough until you see the felt turn red. Always use a fresh felt pad or one used just for fine silver to avoid any cross contamination with other metals. Running your rotary tool at close to maximum 30,000 rpm, polish all the silver highlighted areas. You do not need to put pressure on your felt wheel, just run it over the surface and watch the magic!