Creating Precious Metal
Clay Jewelry



Using Precious Metal, a wide range of pure silver jewelry pieces can be molded and fired in an appropriate heating kiln.

Precious Metal Clay is a combination of pure silver particles, organic binder and water, which when burnt away leaves a solid pure silver item, it is also non-toxic and safe to use.

Precious metal clay allows the home jewelry maker to easily make pure silver hand crafted items.

There are two manufacturers of metal clay. Art Clay made by AIDA Chemical Industries and PMC made by Mitsubishi Materials.




Using Metal Clay

Working with metal clay is similar to working with modeling clay in that it can be shaped and kneaded by hand, textured, cut with craft knives or cookie cutters and shaped with silicone molds.

You don't need to be a metalsmith to work with metal clay, it requires only a basic set of tools for you to produce great jewelry pieces.

Metal clay can be shaped into an almost endless variety of objects.

Designs can be as simple as a textured disk for earrings, a pendant or as intricate as a hinged locket.

Glass cabochons, especially dichroic glass, are very popular in metal clay pieces. Polymer, paper, leather, fabric, shells, found objects, enamels, wood also work well.

Popular designs for metal clay are pendants, earrings, brooches, bracelets, rings, beads and other decorative items.

Metal clay, when dried, can be drilled, sanded, carved or additional pieces of metal clay added.

Any broken or cracked pieces can be repaired quite easily or you can even start over by adding a small amount of distilled water to the piece and cover with plastic wrap until it becomes soft again.

Metal clay is very forgiving.

Metal clay designs are very simple to produce. Once you have rolled, shaped and dried your item/s then sanded them you will then need to burn off the binders at high heat.

There are a number of ways to achieve this.

When heated to a high temperature, the binder burns away and the metal particles fuse to form solid metal, which retains its original molded shape.

Due to its pure nature metal clay can be hallmarked as .999 fine silver.

Metal clay comes with full instructions on firing temperatures required to produce a finished piece.

After firing the piece/s can be burnished, polished, antiqued, enameled, engraved, drilled, hammered, soldered.

Precious metal clay is available in sheet form, lump form, syringe and paste.

Metal clay is also available in gold and sterling silver, more recently bronze and copper clays have come onto the market.

For a wide range of tools and supplies visit the Silver Jewelry Clay section at Delphi Glass.

Range Of Metal Clays Available

PMC Pro Clay Is A New Version Of Pmc

Metal Clay Powders

Using Faux Boneā„¢

Burnishing Precious Metal Clay

Drying Metal Clay Before Firing

Making Metal Clay Slip

PMC Domed Earrings Tutorial

Adding A Patina With Liver Of Sulfur

Mold Making With Silicone Putty Tutorial

Metal Clay And Glass Cabochon Tutorial

Working With Fine Silver Wire

PMC Filigree Heart Tutorial

Gilding Metal Clay With Baroque Art Paste

Imagepac Stampmaker Kit

Copper Clay Pendant

PMC Draped Earrings



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