FAQ's
Q. What is Silver Metal Clay? A. Metal Clay is a pure metal powder combined with non toxic organic binder and water. When kiln or torch fired, the binder burns away, leaving pure, 99.9% fine silver. Metal Clay combines well with a variety of media, glass, ceramics, stones and polymer clay. Raw Metal Clay can be rolled, sculpted and shaped easily with fingers and other simple tools. When it is dry it can be sanded, filed, engraved, drilled and pre polished. Once it has been fired it is pure silver and can be treated like any other pure silver. Metal Clay shrinkage rates vary. It is a good idea to check the shrinkage rate of the product before beginning a project, so the shrinkage rate can be taken into account. Metal Clay comes in a variety of products. Q. How do I mark my silver metal clay work? A. All metal clay is fine silver after firing and can be marked accordingly. The preferred designation is .999 which means 99.9% pure. This is the same designation as pure gold. When we write about the precious metals, we use the terms, Au 999 for gold and Ag 999 for silver. To stamp a metal clay piece after firing, a metal stamp is needed and that can be expensive. However if you stamp or carve the numbers, before firing, you can use a plastic stamp or scriber. Q. Why can't I make my own syringe type silver metal clay? A. To make your own syringe type version of metal clay you need to thin the clay with a lot of water. The mixture will exit the nozzle but the line will sag because the material is so diluted. The results will be worthless and disapponiting. Metal clay scientists reformulated a metal clay version suitable for the syringe and it is pre-loaded and ready to use. Q. How is Silver and Gold Metal Clay manufactured? A. Metal Clay is a recycled product manufactured by Mitsubishi Material Corp and Aida Chemical Industries in Japan. These companies recycle and reclaim a variety of different metals. The silver and gold comes from many different recycled sources including film stock and negatives. Q. What are the basic steps when working with Silver Metal Clay? A. Shape the raw clay. Dry it completely. Finish and smooth the piece with sandpaper and files. Fire, sand and polish. The piece is now pure silver or gold and can be soldered, drilled, enamelled and so on. Q. How can I get started with Silver Metal Clay? A. You can start a project yourself with a starter kit or with the help of any of the great books or DVD/CD's with step by step instructions. Alternatively you can take an Introductory Class where you will be shown the correct basic techniques for working with and firing Metal Clay. Metal Clay offers classes from Introductory to Advanced. See the workshops page and register your interest in a Metal Clay or Polymer Clay workshop. Q. Are there workshops available in all States? A. Most states now offer metal clay and polymer clay workshops. If you are interested in doing a workshop click on this link Workshop Enquiries - Please leave your contact details and the State where you live and we will endeavour to put you in contact with an instructor/s in your area. Q. Are there any certification programs that include the use of the modern clays, including metal clay? A. There is a new and very exciting new certification that is now available. It is called the Contemporary Clay Instructor Program Certification. For further details click here. Q. What is the difference between fine and sterling silver? A. Fine silver is pure silver (0.999 or 99.9% pure) Sterling silver is 92.5% silver, to which copper primarily and other alloys are added for strength. Metal Clay is much slower to tarnish than sterling silver. Q. Can I combine PMC and Art Clay Silver together in a design? A. As long as you use appropriate firing times and temperatures and take into account the Q. I would like to enamel my Metal Clay. Do you have any information on Enameling Metal Clay? A. We do have an information sheet on enameling Metal Clay. It is an introduction to the art of enamelling on Metal Clay. Please Click on Information Sheets. Q. Can I solder findings onto my piece after I have fired it? A. Yes, no problems at all. Burnish the area to be soldered carefully with a metal burnisher before soldering. Q. Can you add more to a piece of metal clay once it is fired? A. Yes.When adding fresh PMC to bond with metal that is already hard, you must extend the firing time to at least double the normal schedule. This extended firing allows the silver particles to penetrate into one another. Extend the time but do not ramp up the temperature. With Art Clay Sliver you can add more clay and refire it. Ensure the metal is clean before adding additional materials. To repair cracks in fired pieces or attach two already fired pieces together, use Art Clay Oil Paste (for both PMC and Art Clay Silver) for a much stronger bond. Q. What is the best material to support round or curved pieces while firing? A. Vermiculite - it is a tan-cloured lightweight material used in potting mix. It is available from some nursery suppliers, garden shops or hardware stores. This material is mica, a naturally occuring mineral. It can be used indefinitely. At the first firing you may see a little smoke coming from the vermiculite - it could be bits of grass or other organic matter accidently included in the mix. Q. Are there any information sheets available on Metal Clay? A. Yes there are! Click on Information sheets Q. Is there any Information available on working with the NEW BRONZclay? A. Yes there is! There are improvements in various techniques being discovered regularly - we try to keep information current. Please download and print off all of the latest available BRONZclay information - Click on information sheets Q. Is it true that the NEW Art Clay Copper fires in 30 minutes and does not need to be fired in Activated Carbon? A. Yes it is! Art Clay Copper is very quick firing and can be placed on a kiln shelf and fired in the same way as Silver Metal Clay Q. Can Art Clay Copper be fired with a Butane Torch? A. Yes it can! Early testing has shown amazing results when firing Art Clay Copper using a butane torch. Q. Is there a User Guide that can be printed out for Art Clay Copper? A. Yes there is! Please click on the following link to the Information Sheets Q. I have heard that there is a new low temperature, quick fire Bronze Clay available that does not not require any activated carbon? A. What you have heard is correct. Prometheus Bronze Clay in new to the market and can be fired at 700C in only 30 minutes. It does not need to be fired in a pan with activated carbon. Q. Is there any information available on the new Prometheus Bronze Clay and can I purchase it in Australia? A. Yes! it is available in Australia. We now sell Prometheus Bronze Clay (please go to the ordering page) There is an information sheet available on Proemtheus Bronze Clay. Please click on the following link to the Information Sheets Q. What can I make with Makin's Clay? A. There are any number of things that can be made using Makins Air Dry Clay. Visit the Makin's Gallery to see some of the amazing and creative work being done with Makin's products or alternatively Q. Are there any tips and techniques for using Makin's Clay? A. Yes there are! Click on Tips and Techniques. Q. Are there any instructions to help me put the Super Slicer with Comfort Handles together? A. Yes there are! Click on Information Sheets |  |    |