PMC: Who's tried it?

Just before my newsgroups stopped working, I took classes in PMC (precious
metal clay). Who else here has done some? Besides me and Sooz.

PMC is really cool for those of use who are not silversmiths. It comes in
sheets, clay balls, and paste. And varieties in those.

First we worked with the sheets. Those were the easliest material (chemical
formula) to work with, but by far the least intuitive form for me. Others
did all kinds of cool things with it. Fine silver oragami cranes (ooo! ooo!
Marilee, like your paper cranes!). Draped and folded and accordianed
shapes. If I had lots of time, I'd make a collographic "picture". I'll bet
you'd be good with that form, Sooz, with all your experience with paper,
stamping, and scrapbook stuff.

Then we used PMC3 clay. Made textured fold-over pendants, including some
with simulated stones (natural ones usually have stress points). Also made
molds and beads from those molds. I made a mold from flower shaped buttons
and put a coil of fine silver on the back to string the bead. Also for
making buttons.

Needed PMC+ to use glass with it. I put a fused glass "beetle" on a leaf;
added a coil loop on the back which winds back around to the front like
tendrils. I also put a rope of clay around a transparent dichroic cab,
brought the ends around front for a loop, and tidied it up where it came
together by putting leaves at the join. This clay was the stickiest and
fastest drying and hardest to use clay.

And then we used paste, in two forms (as well as two formulas). First we
used a cork "clay" to make an armature that would burn out in the kiln. We
all made urns/amphorae, then layered it with paste (then dry and repeat,
etc). We also made kimonos of paper to paste over. In addition I made a
goddess armature, and painted the backs of leaves with paste. Then we used
paste in syringes. We made a flat form, and also formed a squiggle bead
over an armature. Then having practiced with the syringe, we used that to
embellish some other beads we made. I also put a leave on my urn that I
hadn't put enough layers on to survive on its own.

Anyone else?

Tina

Very cool sounding stuff. Can we see????

Deirdre

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 05:12:18 GMT, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

Just before my newsgroups stopped working, I took classes in PMC (precious
metal clay). Who else here has done some? Besides me and Sooz.

PMC is really cool for those of use who are not silversmiths. It comes in
sheets, clay balls, and paste. And varieties in those.

First we worked with the sheets. Those were the easliest material (chemical
formula) to work with, but by far the least intuitive form for me. Others
did all kinds of cool things with it. Fine silver oragami cranes (ooo! ooo!
Marilee, like your paper cranes!). Draped and folded and accordianed
shapes. If I had lots of time, I'd make a collographic "picture". I'll bet
you'd be good with that form, Sooz, with all your experience with paper,
stamping, and scrapbook stuff.

Then we used PMC3 clay. Made textured fold-over pendants, including some
with simulated stones (natural ones usually have stress points). Also made
molds and beads from those molds. I made a mold from flower shaped buttons
and put a coil of fine silver on the back to string the bead. Also for
making buttons.

Needed PMC+ to use glass with it. I put a fused glass "beetle" on a leaf;
added a coil loop on the back which winds back around to the front like
tendrils. I also put a rope of clay around a transparent dichroic cab,
brought the ends around front for a loop, and tidied it up where it came
together by putting leaves at the join. This clay was the stickiest and
fastest drying and hardest to use clay.

And then we used paste, in two forms (as well as two formulas). First we
used a cork "clay" to make an armature that would burn out in the kiln. We
all made urns/amphorae, then layered it with paste (then dry and repeat,
etc). We also made kimonos of paper to paste over. In addition I made a
goddess armature, and painted the backs of leaves with paste. Then we used
paste in syringes. We made a flat form, and also formed a squiggle bead
over an armature. Then having practiced with the syringe, we used that to
embellish some other beads we made. I also put a leave on my urn that I
hadn't put enough layers on to survive on its own.

Anyone else?

Tina

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 05:12:18 GMT, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

Just before my newsgroups stopped working, I took classes in PMC (precious
metal clay). Who else here has done some? Besides me and Sooz.


I can't stand the stuff. I guess that's the problem with
being a metalsmith. It's much easier for me to just make
the stuff out of metal. And cheaper too!
I bought clay and slip. Still have some of each left.
Maybe I'll use it up someday (ha! with all the other
stuff I'm going to do "someday"). I just can't get
comfortable with it.
Barbara
Dream Master
www.dreamweaverstudio.com


"Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what
you have not; remember that what you now have
was once among the things only hoped for."

On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 23:24:54 GMT, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

I'd prefer smithing too if I were successful with a torch. Even just
soldering (or rather failing to) makes me just about cry.

Tina

When you solder make sure your pieces are very
clean and then coat with flux. When you heat the
flux, wait until it turns clear, at that point the piece
is ready to be soldered and the solder will run easily.
Also make sure that both pieces are heated equally,
or only the hottest one will have solder on it.
That's really all there is to it. If the piece starts to
turn red, get the torch off it, it's about to melt.
Pretty simple really.
Barbara
Dream Master
www.dreamweaverstudio.com


"Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what
you have not; remember that what you now have
was once among the things only hoped for."