A Free-form Hollow Metal Bead Trumped-up From Silver Clayc
In modern elderliness, the employment of precious metal clay has soared. Bronze or silver particles are embedded in clay and are easily shaped and moulded. When the Dried apricot clay is fired in a kiln, the clay burns outside and leaves solid sterling silver or bronze. The relative support of call makes this a typical hobby and incident.
This course makes it quite clean to devise stunning silver and bronze jewellery. You can again delineation and assemble your own hollow Ambition using metal clay and a kiln.
Instructions
Forming the Bead
1. To allow your bead anatomy, you Testament duty to account some Category of information that Testament clinch its shape as you mould the clay on all sides of it on the contrary Testament besides burn absent in the kiln. Paper can be used, on the contrary commercially mythical cork clay works fresh over it holds its shape against coercion and Testament cleanly burn away.
Form the cork clay to the shape that you want. To create holes, use a toothpick. Let dry completely.
2. On a flat clean surface, lay out two piles of two to four playing cards about 4 inches apart.
The cards will assure a uniform thickness.4. Lay the sheet of metal clay on your form and carefully form it around the cork.3. Work your metal clay until it is pliable and form a ball. Lay it between the playing cards, and use the PVC pipe like a rolling pin.
Trim the clay with the Exacto knife a little more than 1/2 way around the form.
5. Repeat the procedure with the other side of the form. Using the rubber tipped tool and the distilled water, seal the seam of the bead and smooth out any rough spots.
6. After the bead is partially dry, you can add any metal clay embellishments that you like by "gluing" them on with slip. You can make slip by taking a small amount of metal clay and mixing it with water until it's the consistency of pudding.
7. Let dry completely for at least 24 hours. Once the bead is dry, sand rough edges and smooth out imperfections with the sandpaper.
Firing
8. To avoid having your bead come out of the kiln misshapen, place it on a fiber kiln shelf.
9. If you are using a programmable kiln, program it according to the manufacturer's directions. If you have a manual kiln, ramp the temperature to the appropriate temperature and hold time outlined in the kiln's firing schedule.
10. Let cool completely before handling.
Finishing
11. When the bead is cool enough to handle, you can begin polish. Start buffing the bead with a metal brush or electric polishing tool.
12. Use the roughest grit of sandpaper to polish the bead and work your way to the finest.
13. Stop polishing when you get the desired effect.
