Recently one of my regular customers came in and asked whether I had anything in Bronze (it was their Bronze Anniversary). Well the brainwave hit that I had three packets of Bronze clay that had been sitting in my Fridge since I got them From Rio Grande 3 months ago! Did the fact that I'd never even used bronze clay deter me?
Nope, I figured how much more different to silver clay could it be??? Besides I've already cast in Bronze, so I thought maybe I could melt the stuff....
*Regular users of the clay are probably rolling on the floor now tears of laughter and pity streaming down their face.
Nope, I figured how much more different to silver clay could it be??? Besides I've already cast in Bronze, so I thought maybe I could melt the stuff....
*Regular users of the clay are probably rolling on the floor now tears of laughter and pity streaming down their face.
It is not at all like working with art clay silver at all. The texture is stickier which makes it harder to move pieces around before they’ve dried more, at which point it starts cracking. It reminds me most of the very early Silver Clays which were harder to work with than todays formulas. It imprints well though :)
My customer decided on Silver Cufflinks with a Bronze Heart on. So washed off all my silver clay tools and cutters in soapy water (so they didn't contaminate the bronze clay). I did various bits and pieces before saving 1/2 a pack for later the packs are HUGE particularly after working with silver clay. I made various sized hearts and also added a little bronze bunny and a ring.
I left them to dry 24 hours and then fired them overnight
Once fired I brass brushed them in soapy water, the hearts were fine but when I got to the ring it broke. You can see the inside in the picture, the dark area is unscintered clay. I didn't even brush the rabbit (it's thicker so if the ring broke I figure the bunny will need another toasting!)
After a quickfire programme and a good file down I was happy that the hearts were good and solid.Here's the finished result after soldering to the pre-prepared ACS cufflink base and adding Sterling fittings.
Once I oxidised the background the bronze really stood out.
My client picked them up today, she loved them so I hope her hubby does too! I think I'll make some more in various bronze/silver designs. The Hearts would look good engraved with initials too....
Nic xx
Those turned out beautiful! Great work!!
ReplyDeleteThese cufflinks are stunning Nic, really lovely xx
ReplyDeletecool, I cant wait to try bronze clay, I also wish I knew how to solder!
ReplyDeleteOhhh they look fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteI just fired my first bronze clay test pieces this week. Coming from work in porcelain, bronze clay is a breeze to handle in terms of stickiness. What carbon medium did you fire your in?
ReplyDeleteI fired it in Activated carbon :)
ReplyDeleteIs there a way in mixing silver metal clay with the bronze clay together in one firing? I'd like a two tone effect in some of my jewellery and was wondering if it was possible.
ReplyDeleteNot as far as I know -
ReplyDeleteThe bronze needs an Oxygen free environment to scinter (turn into metal) and the silver clay needs oxygen. You can combine the two but it needs to be done in two seperate stages.
Hadar Jacobsen writes a brilliant book on the subject
Nicola x
I am a neophyte at firing anything in an electric kiln. I have a quickfire 6 (no controller) and an appropriate stainless steel firing box. I've got activated charcoal on order. I can't make heads or tails of the firing schedules. Can you shed any light?
ReplyDeleteI have tried to fire my bronze pieces and had various results...first went by the package instructions for a 2 part firing schedual in charcoal and stainless steel container...thin parts bent and blistered and broke ...the thick pieces are ok...so fired again and used PMC directions for one step firing at 1500 and again the thick survived. So I fired for a 3rd time one step at 1550 for 1 hour hold..and the two thin pieces seem to be ok, but Im concerned that the inside of kiln is getting beat up...lot of ash...Also I'm wondering if the container that I bought is too large for the kiln's interior...wish I could resolve this since I love working with bronze..Sandy
ReplyDeleteAfter doing more bronze firing I've now decided that the steel container firing works best for me in my SC2.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the ash it's off the steel pan and it soon hoover up :)
Nic x
Hi. Nic.
ReplyDeleteI've just bought some of Hadar's bronze and copper clay, I was told that I could buy the carbon at any fish tank/pond suppliers, my local pet shop has the carbon for sale but they don't state if it is cocoa carbon, does it really matter?
Ann x
Hi Ann
ReplyDeleteI would avoid the carbon from pool and tank suppliers as it can have had additives added to it which when burnt are toxic.
Petra over at metalclay.co.uk has some carbon or I might have some spare I could send you :)
my e-mail is muranosilver@gmail.com just send me a missive there
Nic xx
Thanks very much for that Nic. I will buy some from Petra, but thank you for the offer.
ReplyDeleteAnn x
I recently tried to fire some bronze clay pieces and ended up with a disaster. I'd had success with silver clay and fast fire bronze but when I fired my regular bronze clay pieces according to the instructions, they were totally ruined. I embedded them in coconut fiber based carbon like the fast fire bronze and then fired per the instructions at a ramp up of 250 deg per hour to 1550 and a hold of 3 hours. The pieces were rolled at a 7 card thickness and had dried 36 hours before firing. They came out of the kiln scorched to a crisp! They were full of holes and burned beyond recognition! I was devastated! Do you have any insight on what may have gone wrong?
ReplyDeleteWere they in a metal container? The heat from that can increase the overall temperature inside and overheat the pieces. The only thing I can suggest is to try again and drop the temperature a little.
ReplyDeleteRe the holes, it might be silver clay contamination, did you use seperate tools?
Good Luck with your next batch :)
Nic x
hi nicola im trying to make a ring using bronze and pmc3 my question is can i solder together? i mean a bronze rings w a piece of silver clay
ReplyDelete