Using Metal Clay Powders
To Make Jewelry
Base metal clay powders of copper, bronze or brass are now becoming more popular as the price of pure silver precious metal clay continues to increase.
Excellent metal clay jewelry pieces can be made from these copper, bronze or brass clay powders.
Under certain conditions precious metal clay silver can be combined with these clays.
One of the largest range of base metal copper and bronze metal clay powders is made by Hadar Jacobson and is sold as Hadar's Clay™.
It is available in 25, 50 and 100gram sizes and is priced from about $12.00 to $25.00 depending on size and color.
Some of the colors available are as follows:
• Copper
• Bronze
• Rose Bronze
• White Bronze
• Pearl Grey Steel
Other variations of these powders can also be purchased.
When it is in powder form it can be kept indefinitely.
Mixing And Keeping Metal Clay Powder
The metal clay powder is simply mixed with distilled water to form a pliable dough which is then ready to make metal clay objects.
Different colors of copper and bronze can be used alongside each other, bronze and copper clays can be mixed to make canes, gradients as well as mokume-gane pieces.
Unused mixed clay can be wrapped in food wrap inside a sealed plastic container and kept in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on how soon it is to be re-used. It generally will keep for a few months in the refrigerator.
Firing Metal Clay Powder
Like other copper and bronze clays, finished dried clay objects are buried in a container of activated carbon to reduce exposure to oxygen when fired in a fusing kiln.
These base metals cannot be fired in the open in a fusing kiln as oxides will develop which will prevent proper bonding of the metallic elements.
Stainless steel containers or ceramic containers may be used to hold the carbon. Containers made from woven ceramic cloth or fiber blanket are also suitable.
There is a special foil now available to make carbon containers.
Instruction Manual
A free downloadable manual covering major aspects of the clay can be found at Hadar's Online Store. The manual also has extensive firing schedules for the various clays.
The manual is a good starting point for those interested in making metal clay jewelry or objects.
Hadar has also published a number of books with many projects. The later books rely heavily on the information in the earlier editions, particularly about tools and finishing techniques.
Many of the projects in these books can be made from other brands of metal clay.
There is a site blog which is used to keep everybody up to date about any new clay developments or technical information.
The blog archive is full of interesting details and photos.
Hadar's Clay™ is available on her site or from a number of online metal clay stores.
Brass Clay Powder
Claymania Art Clay sell BrasClay™ which is a brass powder clay with separate binder that must be mixed with the powder.
Depending on firing temperature it will fire to a gold tone or a warm red brass color.
Claymania supply copper and bronze metal clay powder which is mixed with water prior to use.
A book on using these clays is also available.
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