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More from Murrahnithahn-i-ia
Here's my golden beauty! The body is one long braid of silver, with the wings, feet, tail and head detail added on after, then fired in a kiln to burn off the inert binders that make up metal clay. He broke into three peices before we could fire him, but I was able to bond him back together with a bit more clay. *sighs* We also fired him twice to make sure the particles of silver sintered together more strongly (also to try and bond gold paint onto his surface, which failed miserably). We had a jeweler electroplate the silver after making a few repairs with that cool laser of his. But, at least he's strong enough to wear, and even has a bit of flex like I would expect from fine silver (higher silver content than sterling). I was able to tap gently on the piece with a raw-hide mallet to carefully bend parts back into true because they'd slumped in the kiln, but the metal itself is fine.
You'd think I'd do something SENSIBLE, like make just our wedding bands (those turned out perfectly), but noooo, I had to be frakkin' AMBITIOUS, and make something huge from a material meant only for smaller items. Idiot. Stubborn. Determined. Ultimately successful, just 'cuz.
To anyone who might want to experiment with metal clays- the instructions are only a guideline, and not a very clear one. Fire the piece at a higher temp than is given in the sheet, for starters (no higher than 1650 F- silver MELTS at 1740F) and leave it in the kiln for longer than suggested in the sheet, too: a half-hour minimum, two hours optimum. Metal clays are made with silver powder and organic binders that burn off while firing. Because it's PIECES of silver, it takes a bit more effort to get a solid, strong bond with it. But, if you're patient (or crazy, like me) you can get some seriously awesome things out of it. The cool beans part is I still have some clay left, and Kani just found me a used kiln so I can bake 'em myself. RAWR.
You'd think I'd do something SENSIBLE, like make just our wedding bands (those turned out perfectly), but noooo, I had to be frakkin' AMBITIOUS, and make something huge from a material meant only for smaller items. Idiot. Stubborn. Determined. Ultimately successful, just 'cuz.
To anyone who might want to experiment with metal clays- the instructions are only a guideline, and not a very clear one. Fire the piece at a higher temp than is given in the sheet, for starters (no higher than 1650 F- silver MELTS at 1740F) and leave it in the kiln for longer than suggested in the sheet, too: a half-hour minimum, two hours optimum. Metal clays are made with silver powder and organic binders that burn off while firing. Because it's PIECES of silver, it takes a bit more effort to get a solid, strong bond with it. But, if you're patient (or crazy, like me) you can get some seriously awesome things out of it. The cool beans part is I still have some clay left, and Kani just found me a used kiln so I can bake 'em myself. RAWR.
Category Photography / Miscellaneous
Species Western Dragon
Size 1280 x 853px
File Size 729.1 kB
*chortle* Well, as you might be able to guess from the image dump- getting married and prearing all the stuff I needed for it! *grins* Trying to be four places at once, get our oufits finished, the torcs, our wedding-bands, getting the ceremony organized... etc, etc... Wanna make a murrah crazy? Ask her to be a "bride-zilla" and try to make EVERYTHING... I'm surte the family is STILL chuckling over how stuff i managed to do. O___O In fact, I wouldn't have been able to finish some things if it weren't for those kind and patient folks.
It's pretty neat material and fairly easy to work with, just note these few things: one, the stuff is brittle as fuck when it's dry, so if you intend to do anything to it in it's dry, unfired state (such as sanding or carving), be super careful. Don't drop it or press hard on it- it will shatter. Two: the temperatures given in the instructions are on crack. Those are minimum temps and times only. You will have a wearable product after, but it will be brittle. The problem is the form the silver is in: it's a powder, mixed with inert binders- the binders burn away in the kiln, leaving the silver behind. Think of a jar full of hard candies: heat 'em up so they melt at their surfaces, then cool them down. You'll have a solid mass of candy, but with a lot of spaces in between the candies. This isn't a very strong bond and is very breakable. This is exactly what's happening with the silver powder- it just needs more heat and a longer firing time to bond with itself better. So, the solution is to fire the piece twice or even three times at the highest temerature given in the instructions and for the longest time given (a half-hour)- the other solution is to fire the project for up to two hours (I'm not hugely comfortable with that one, but it's a recommendation I found from experienced users of the product) at 1650 F. Be sure to brace any part of the piece that might slump in the kiln, as the metal will be soft at that temperature and will fall over or move, distorting it's shape. DO NOT FIRE ANY SILVER CLAY OVER 1650 F- silver melts at 1740F, and the long firing-time at the higher temp is cutting that too close to make mistakes if you want your piece to survive.
Another thing to note- it shrinks a little bit, so, if you're making something that needs to fit, like a ring, then make the piece just a hair larger than your ring-size, say, two sizes up.
Yeah, this stuff is fuggin' touchy. But it makes some really neat things. Anyway, the brand I used comes in a variety of weights (I got the fifty gram packets, six of them), and it's called Art Clay 650 (the number is the temperature in Celsius you fire it at). The stuff is expensive, though- the fifty-gram packets cost me 67$ American each, and that was the cheapest I could find it at- most other places sold it at 71 to 81 dollars a packet. But that one packet can make something like four rings or two larger pendants, if you're frugal with it. I wasn't quite sure how many I'd need, so we did a prototype in sculpy and did the volume measurement thing- ask KaniS to explain how that works, 'cuz I haven't a clue. We guessed about four packets worth- two hundred grams- to make both of our torcs. So we got six, just to be sure we had enough. We got it through a place called New Mexico Clay online. Just google art clay or precious metal clay (another brand of a similar material) and you'll find a bunch of sites that sell it. You can also find it at some of the more high-end craft-stores, like the ones that cater to the trade or the serious home-jeweler.
Anyway, hope my wall of text was helpful! >^.____.^<
Another thing to note- it shrinks a little bit, so, if you're making something that needs to fit, like a ring, then make the piece just a hair larger than your ring-size, say, two sizes up.
Yeah, this stuff is fuggin' touchy. But it makes some really neat things. Anyway, the brand I used comes in a variety of weights (I got the fifty gram packets, six of them), and it's called Art Clay 650 (the number is the temperature in Celsius you fire it at). The stuff is expensive, though- the fifty-gram packets cost me 67$ American each, and that was the cheapest I could find it at- most other places sold it at 71 to 81 dollars a packet. But that one packet can make something like four rings or two larger pendants, if you're frugal with it. I wasn't quite sure how many I'd need, so we did a prototype in sculpy and did the volume measurement thing- ask KaniS to explain how that works, 'cuz I haven't a clue. We guessed about four packets worth- two hundred grams- to make both of our torcs. So we got six, just to be sure we had enough. We got it through a place called New Mexico Clay online. Just google art clay or precious metal clay (another brand of a similar material) and you'll find a bunch of sites that sell it. You can also find it at some of the more high-end craft-stores, like the ones that cater to the trade or the serious home-jeweler.
Anyway, hope my wall of text was helpful! >^.____.^<
I've considered doing that, but having any kind of a solid material in the clay while you're trying to shape it just cause endless problems. The clay deforms or tears, the wire doesn't stay in the centre and so on. Though I hear a thin band of silver that you lay the clay on apparently may work.
I was thinking of something somewhat wider, like say, a quarter-inch wide strip you could form as a bracelet, then attach you silver clay to, then fire it as one piece. I'm not certain if it would work, and it would a hellaciously expensive "experiment". My "usual" projects for that material are going be either plates with jump-ring holes that can be ringed together to form a bracelet or I'll stick to pendants, rings and earrings. The material just isn't very easy to work with for anything larger- really high breakage problems, I've found.
Damn me for being ridiculously ambitious with the stuff.
Damn me for being ridiculously ambitious with the stuff.
Frankyly I was in a bit of a hurry. *chuckles* One of the biggest reasons for stuff not working out for me. See, I was here in the U.S, on a fiance Visa and I had a three-month time-limit for my wedding to 
I had three months to design our outfits, make them, get wedding bands and these torcs made up and plan the wedding itself. Ooof! Got called "bridezilla" (in a good way) for all the work I was putting in. I felt like I had to prove myself to Kani's family- they didn't know me well, and I also wanted to show Kani that I could contribute to our partnership because I certainly had little hope of finding work in this economy. He's the guy with the RL job, but what I can do is limited to my art-skills, mostly. I'm so glad he's a patient dragon. *chuckles* He's letting me stay out of the RL job world so I can build up my art and costume business instead- THAT'S now my job. Awesome stuff. >^__^<
I'd love to try lost-wax casting sometime- it's a neat technique. I'd be making permanent molds of the sculpted wax, though, instead of the old way where you just make the clay mold that you break afterward. Want to be able to repeat a design, after all.
I had three months to design our outfits, make them, get wedding bands and these torcs made up and plan the wedding itself. Ooof! Got called "bridezilla" (in a good way) for all the work I was putting in. I felt like I had to prove myself to Kani's family- they didn't know me well, and I also wanted to show Kani that I could contribute to our partnership because I certainly had little hope of finding work in this economy. He's the guy with the RL job, but what I can do is limited to my art-skills, mostly. I'm so glad he's a patient dragon. *chuckles* He's letting me stay out of the RL job world so I can build up my art and costume business instead- THAT'S now my job. Awesome stuff. >^__^<I'd love to try lost-wax casting sometime- it's a neat technique. I'd be making permanent molds of the sculpted wax, though, instead of the old way where you just make the clay mold that you break afterward. Want to be able to repeat a design, after all.
I bet you were the classic "bridezilla", wanting everything done in a timely fashion. Perhaps I shall have to ask for your assistance when my fiance and I finally get officially married.
You seem to have a very understanding mate. My mate and I both work but I think both of us would go nuts if we weren't working...him with money worries, me with boredom.
The only way I know to make permanent molds for lost wax casting is to make the piece in wax first, then cast it in metal than make the mold from the metal item. Its actually really handy, being able to make the rubber molds once you have a piece you like. I am going to be making a bunch this coming weekend of pendant designs.
You seem to have a very understanding mate. My mate and I both work but I think both of us would go nuts if we weren't working...him with money worries, me with boredom.
The only way I know to make permanent molds for lost wax casting is to make the piece in wax first, then cast it in metal than make the mold from the metal item. Its actually really handy, being able to make the rubber molds once you have a piece you like. I am going to be making a bunch this coming weekend of pendant designs.
I don't know about "timely", but I managed to get most of the things I wanted finished in time. Phew! Not perfect, but then, nothing in my life is- EVER. but I didn't care, it was still a brilliant wedding, folks had fun, memories were made, and we still loved each other after the stress was over. *giggles* The only "bridezilla" that I'd been familiar with was the bitchy, nit-picky control freak who orders everyone around and makes folks miserable. When I was called that, I actually had to ask if it I'd been rude to anyone! (apparently not, thankfully)
From what little I understand, that's the method I was thinking of- make the item in wax, cast it's first molding, then make a mold from that. Though, I think you can create your wax figure out of jeweler's wax (harder than regular wax), then use a kind of plaster or other heat-resistant material to make the mold, and then use that to cast multiple items, but I'm not sure about that one. The only thing is, I've heard that it's suggested that you make several molds of the item to save for later because you can only use one mold for a certain amount of castings before it starts to lose detail.
I'm not a professional jeweler, by any means- not in the silver and gold-smithing sense, anyway.
From what little I understand, that's the method I was thinking of- make the item in wax, cast it's first molding, then make a mold from that. Though, I think you can create your wax figure out of jeweler's wax (harder than regular wax), then use a kind of plaster or other heat-resistant material to make the mold, and then use that to cast multiple items, but I'm not sure about that one. The only thing is, I've heard that it's suggested that you make several molds of the item to save for later because you can only use one mold for a certain amount of castings before it starts to lose detail.
I'm not a professional jeweler, by any means- not in the silver and gold-smithing sense, anyway.
I think weddings are some sort of test of the relationship and how much stress the relationship can handle.
As for mold making, the only way I know is you make the original in wax (jewelers wax can be harder than regular wax or it can be softer, it comes in a huge range) and then cast it, usually in a cheap metal since its the "mold master". Then you take special rubber sheets and cut them to the right size for the piece you are casting, stack up three of them on a sheet of steel inside a steel frame (the rubber I use has adhesive on both sides so it makes this part a lot easier), put the item you want to cast on the rubber sheets and stack up enough rubber over it to come a bit over the top of the frame (being sure to mark where the item you are molding is on the last piece of rubber with a Sharpie) and put another sheet of steel over it and put the whole "sandwich" into a heated press called a Vulcanizer. After a time that is equal to 7 minutes per sheet of rubber, you take the whole mess out and promptly deposit it in a bucket of water to cool it down quickly, since its really hot when it comes out of the machine and would take ages to cool on its own (hot enough to bet felt through thick leather welding gloves). Once the mold is cool, the metal frame and sheets are removed. This is the "fun part", cutting the mold (ie removing the thing you wanted to make a mold of) with an Exacto knife. There is a neat rig for doing this that pulls the top of the mold apart as you cut, said rig could also probably double as a torture devise (that was an interesting discussion in class when one of the teachers pulled the rig out to show us how to cut a mold). Once the item has been removed, sprew lines are added to allow wax to be injected into the mold.
As for mold making, the only way I know is you make the original in wax (jewelers wax can be harder than regular wax or it can be softer, it comes in a huge range) and then cast it, usually in a cheap metal since its the "mold master". Then you take special rubber sheets and cut them to the right size for the piece you are casting, stack up three of them on a sheet of steel inside a steel frame (the rubber I use has adhesive on both sides so it makes this part a lot easier), put the item you want to cast on the rubber sheets and stack up enough rubber over it to come a bit over the top of the frame (being sure to mark where the item you are molding is on the last piece of rubber with a Sharpie) and put another sheet of steel over it and put the whole "sandwich" into a heated press called a Vulcanizer. After a time that is equal to 7 minutes per sheet of rubber, you take the whole mess out and promptly deposit it in a bucket of water to cool it down quickly, since its really hot when it comes out of the machine and would take ages to cool on its own (hot enough to bet felt through thick leather welding gloves). Once the mold is cool, the metal frame and sheets are removed. This is the "fun part", cutting the mold (ie removing the thing you wanted to make a mold of) with an Exacto knife. There is a neat rig for doing this that pulls the top of the mold apart as you cut, said rig could also probably double as a torture devise (that was an interesting discussion in class when one of the teachers pulled the rig out to show us how to cut a mold). Once the item has been removed, sprew lines are added to allow wax to be injected into the mold.
You know, you just might be right about weddings being a tress-test! *giggle* I didn't blow up at anyone, or be nasty, snippy, short or even come close to losing my temper. Pretty cool. Neither did my Kani, but then, his part might not have been as stressful- I don't know- maybe I should ask. <3
And the molding technique you describe sounds really cool...
And the molding technique you describe sounds really cool...
Oddly, we were able to handle the move of my stuff down south all by ourselves without losing our minds on each other. Heh. My Kani is a rather logical fellow who helps a lot with making things run smoothly. He PLANS. We'd likely have the assistance of a couple of friends or family-members, too.
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