There is a simple way to fire metal clay without using a kiln by simply using a butane torch. Low-fire metal clay is called ‘low-fire’ because it does not require the same amount of heat that standard clays need. Because of this it means that you can use a held hand torch to burn out the organic material in the clay which in turn will produce hard metal. The sizes need to be 25 grams per firing in order for the process to be done in this way.

This method is ideal for those who are just starting out or are not ready to purchase a kiln, especially good for those who just make occasional pieces of jewellery. The process is simple and to get started you will need low-fire metal clay that is ready for firing, a butane torch, a jar of water, metal tongs and a fire or heat resistance pad or alternatively a fire break built for this purpose.

The first thing to do is to set the dried metal clay you want to fire on the heated brick or pad and make sure that you have a the tongs and jar of water at hand. It is also important that you use a room with good ventilation for obvious reasons.

Once the metal clay is in position point the torch towards the clay holding the flame around two inches away, moving in circular motions to make sure that the whole piece of clay is caught by the flame.

You need to continue this process until the clay is glowing. If the clay starts to bubble or shine, step back with the torch as this means that the clay is getting over-heated.

Continue heating until the clay turns an orange colour then after two minutes move the flame off completely. Don’t worry if the clay starts to smoke, this is normal as it’s the organic material being burned out from the clay.

When the piece is cool, it can be dipped into the jar of water to help speed up the cooling process.

Once the piece has cooled it can then be shaped and polished, ready to turn into jewellery.

Polishing is simple and you can buy specialised polishing paper to polish any metals from silver, bronze, brass, copper and gold.

The paper comes in varies grits and colours, and the higher the grit the shinier the product becomes.

The silver clay, of course, does shine up a little more quickly because it is fine silver, but with enough time and elbow grease, you can create a high shine on the sterling sheet and even copper sheet as well. When using the polishing paper, make sure to move it around in either a circular or a figure-eight pattern to help polish it evenly avoid making lines or scratches across the metal piece.

So it really is that simple, there is no need to invest in expensive equipment to start making jewellery just following these simple instructions and you can be on your way.

Author Bio: Adam Hunter – E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver wire, jewellery findings, tools, silver clay and precious metal sheet – gold, silver, platinum and palladium plus technical information for jewellers, jobbers, designer, craftsmen, artisans and students.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: precious metal clay, pmc, silver art clay, copper metal clay