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Textured Precious Metal Clay™ Earrings
Precious Metal Clay™ (PMC), developed by Mitsubishi Materials Corp. of Japan, is comprised of tiny particles of pure silver suspended in an organic binder. PMC handles like ceramic clay, takes texture like polymer clay, and when kiln-fired, is transformed into 100% pure (fine) silver when the binder burns away. In this project, we'll make two pairs of earrings. The design of the larger, teardrop-shaped pair developed from my interest in incising (carving) wood, linoleum, and more recently, polymer clay. The design of the second pair was the serendipitous result of my reluctance to discard a pile of PMC shards leftover from carving. Carving the teardrop-shaped earrings generates the scrap pieces that become an interesting texture on the smaller earrings, which I've combined with polymer clay. You may substitute your own design for the one I've used as long as yours has at least as much surface area (the fronts, backs, and one side of the center sections). I don't oil my hands or the rolling tool, but I do oil the tissue blade and the template. One of the reasons I prefer glass as a work surface is that PMC doesn't readily stick to it. The prudent approach is to use oil as you need it, rather than oiling all your tools in advance. When fired, Precious Metal Clay (PMC) shrinks about 30%. You can use a copier set at 30% reduction to help design earrings that will be wearable size. |
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STEP 2. Position the template, oiled side down, on the clay. Cut out the shape using a pin tool and carefully use an oiled tissue blade to transfer it to a drying surface. I used nonstick cooking "cloth" but a smoothed piece of plastic wrap or an inverted dinner plate will do. Don't use waxed paper; it buckles. Cut out the center circle using the 3/4" circle cutter (or cut around a penny with a pin tool). The circles are not part of the final earring, but we'll be using them later. Gently invert the drying surface to pop out the center circle. Lay it beside the cutout shape to dry. Repeat for a second set of shapes. Drying time depends on several variables: The thickness of the PMC, the weather, the drying surface itself. For many PMC projects, you can hasten the drying time with a hairdryer or by warming the piece in a 275°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. However, for carving, you'll want the pieces to be perfectly flat, so air-drying them overnight is best. STEP 3.
At a height of 6 playing cards, the pieces are generously thick. However, since you're carving both sides, work slowly and carefully regulate the pressure you exert on the V-gouge tool so as not to go entirely through the piece.
If you don't have a flexible-shaft machine or other electric tool, make a hole now. You can drill leather-hard PMC by using a Kemper 2-sided hand drill or a drill bit in the end of a pin vise. Remember that the hole will shrink about 30%. STEP 5. Lay the shapes of a tile in the kiln. Fire at 1650°F (900°C) for 2 hours, then turn off the kiln and open the door for a few minutes to let the red glow subside. Let the pieces air-dry or quench them in a Pyrex or metal dish of water. Wear fireproof gloves and use barbecue tongs if the kiln is still hot.
Although they will appear to have a whitish coating, your pieces are now fine (pure) silver. Working at a sink, put a few drops of liquid dish detergent on a brass brush and scrub each piece to remove the whitish coating and reveal the glow of silver beneath. (You can also remove the whitish layer by using a tumbler: 1 to 2 hours with sterling silver and the manufacturer's recommended solution.) A comparable piece of milled fine silver would be too soft for this earring design. PMC, however, has a slightly different crystalline structure and is adequately rigid. STEP 7. STEP 8. Celie Fago is a Bethel, VT-based jewelry artist. Click here for Part II of II: The PMC and polymer clay earrings. |
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Save every scrap that falls out as you work! Carving the front and back of both shapes plus one side of both center circles will yield an ample amount of scrap for the other pair of earrings. **3 & 4**
Keep the hand that's holding the piece well out of the way as you push the tool across the surface. You may want to wear a leather thimble to protect the holding hand. You may interrupt the pattern on the back of one of the earrings to add your initials, the year, and the designation for fine silver, 999.
