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This crafts initial allure is the promise of creative expression wrought in precious metal works of art that you can do in your home with little or no metal working experience. The beauty of the media and craft is that it makes good on this promise in a fairly “green” manner. There is however common sense approaches to the craft that should be practiced. As you add tools and techniques you also need to consider the safety issues that come with each.

If it spins:

Put your hair up.
Remove jewelry from hands.
Wear safety glasses.
Dust mask when appropriate

Doesn’t even matter if it is a tumbler. You would be really surprised how quickly a tumbler can wrap your hair in it’s axle. This especially goes for rotary tools. Bracelets and rings can also get caught it ways you would least expect. Anytime something spins there is a risk of something getting flung at you which is why you should wear safety glasses. And dust masks where little particles are airborne such as during sanding and polishing.

If it is hot:

Tinted goggles for kiln and torch work.
Kiln gloves.

If it is hot enough to burn you then gloves should be used. The temperatures reached in this craft are immense. Also this heat generates light waves that’s are not good for your eyes. So whether it’s looking in to kiln or carefully torch firing you should always use tinted goggles. I must admit I have look at open kilns and flames many times with the naked eye and still have my vision but it remains sound advice

If it’s not comfortable:

Don’t do it. A large part of this craft is learning how to use your tools and workspace. Quite often you will find yourself in need of another hand or way to manipulate your work piece. In essence it’s about control of your project and tools. To give a personal example,  I was cutting off sprues with a jeweler’s handsaw. I was in a rush and rather then clean the area where my bench pin was I hunched uncomfortably over my bench top and sawed away. Long story short the blade snapped and I was in hospital having the blade removed from my finger. The point is had I used the bench pin it probably would have never happened. I would have had control and leverage over the item and tool.


If it smells

If you can smell it then you are ingesting it. While not every thing that smells is harmful you should always beware of what is your smelling and its safety precaution. Clay in its self is considered safe as far as fumes and toxicity. There are many things that we use besides it that aren’t as friendly. Oxidizing agents, embellishing material, finishes, and resins to name a few. If the product has a MSDS (material safety data sheet) then there are considerations to be made. On our site if the product has a MSDS you will see link for it on product page. Quite often artists fire organics (leaves and such) with their projects. Always maintain good ventilation during these times.

If it’s not dry.

Moisture turns to steam. Quite often this happens when working with organic material. Always make sure what you fire it completely dry. While it generally results in nothing more then a ruined piece it stills poses risk when torch firing and peering into kiln before its finished.


And always wash you hands after doing studio work.


This is by no means a complete tip list. I would love to see you add your safety tips in comments as well.

We are frequently asked “where do I start?” and “what do I need?”.

The great part of this craft is you need very little to make your first treasure in metal clay. For the purpose of keeping it simple this guide will cover metal clay silver only. The “in use video” links will demonstrate a particular tool in use.

While silver is more expensive as a material it is the least expensive to get started with in terms of tools. It is also by far the most documented and simplest to work with. The real question is which silver clay to use PMC or Art Clay. In our opinion they are comparable in features. Art Clay is considered by some though to be superior for molds while PMC is better for organic shaping. Once again we think they both do a wonderful job at both.

What is silver metal clay?

What do I need to get started?

1.Okay first you need a table top space at least 2 x 2 ½ feet to work at.
2. A non stick surface to work( in use video)
3. Non-stick lubricant for your hands and tools( in use video)
4. A craft knife and tissue blade cutter(in use video)
5. A roller for clay( in use video)
6. A deck of playing cards for rolling out clay evenly(in use video)
7. A needle tool for cutting and working with clay (in use video)
8. A quality brass brush for cleaning and polishing pieces( in use video)
9. Sandpaper(in assorted grits) or other sanding tools.

**Please note this Starter kit includes most of the items above in easy carry kit with exception to teflon, sandpaper, and oil.

Other things that you might consider from the start but not essential.
1. Liver of sulfur for antiquing and oxidizing silver
2. Clay keeper and Syringe Saver for extended storage of unused clay
3. Tumbler for work hardening and easy polishing
4. 2 Part mold silicone for making your own textures and molds
5. Hot plate for quick drying wet clay before firing
6. Content stamp and/or custom stamp for marking and signing your work.



For firing you have the following options

1.Stove top firing
2.Hand held torch (in use video)
3.Hybrid torch/kiln system
4.Kiln

What material to choose?

Once again to keep things simple this guide is center on silver clay. Even with that there is plenty to choose from

PMC
1.PMC Original – Least strongest after firing but great when you want dramatic shrinkage (28% shrinkage. should be kiln fired)
2.PMC + Great for pendants, charms medallions 3.PMC
3 PMC 3 for rings or where extra strength needed. Also lower firing temp

Art Clay
1.Art Clay Standard(best kiln or speed cone firing for 30 minutes)
2.Art Clay Standard Slow Dry(best kiln or speed cone firing for 30 minutes but longer working time)
3.Art Clay Silver 650/1200 Low Fire(lower firing temp requirements)
4.Art Clay Silver 650/1200 Low Fire Slow Dry(lower firing temp requirements and longer working time)

The second thing to consider is shrinkage. All metal clay shrinks after firing. So when making your piece in clay you must make it bigger then its intended size based on the shrinkage rate of the material. We have taken the math out of this by providing thisfree shrinkage calculator.

Last but not least. “Gluing” metal clay together. Quite often you will need to join items together before firing. This is accomplished by using “slip” or a “syringe”. Both provide a slurry form of silver metal clay that can be used like glue. It is also great for filling in cracks. The syringes give you the ability to decorate as well as filling and bonding but is more expensive. The slip can actually be made at home if you have scrap otherwise you can purchase ready made that is perfectly mixed. You should use the same brand as your clay.

For Art Clay Slip and Syringes click here

PMC Slip and Syringes click here

If you have any question along the way we would be happy to answer them just click here to contact us

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We have just completed this online calculator for determining the shrinkage rate of PMC and other metal clay. This is still beta but fully functional. We would love to get your input on how it works and how we can improve it.

Click picture above to open calculator

Hi, My name is Sushi cause I look like a yummy sushi roll in a blanket. I am new to this world and wanna to meet new friends. So I decided to sponsor a contest. If you were not already aware I am the official mascot for metalclays.com. So I can do things like that. So here is goes. I am 241 grams right now. I lost my real mommy so my family feeds me formula from a syringe. I vary on the amount I eat each feeding. However I am consistent on frequency which is every 3-4 hours around the clock. Yep you guessed it the family is taking shifts keeping my tummy full and my diaper clean.

The rules... 1. You must be registered at metalclays.com - its free :) 2. You must send me an email to sushi@metalclays.com with a guess on how much I will weigh on May 8th 2011 9am PST. If I am sleeping at that time it will be how much I weigh after I roll out of bed. 3. Your guess must come from the email you registered your account with. That way I know who to give all the clay to. 4. The closest 2 guesses will get the weight that I gained since now (241 grams) in BronzClay. We are going to round off clay amo6iunt to the nearest hundred to make it easy. 5. Winners will have the prize posted to their account. When the winner makes any order the clay will be sent to them with that order. Or if winner is willing to pay shipping ($10.50) clay will be sent immediately. I promise to get as fat as I can by May 8th. Good luck!

For printable instructions click here

Tired of making rings that crack at the seam? Want to be able to take orders for a ring size without spending hours trying to get the size right? Our exclusive ring maker kits allow just that.

The width of the band is expressed in wet clay measurements.

"Full Round" molds pertain to the cross section of band. This shape of band is visually pleasing as well as more comfortable to wear. Especially in thick bands.

These molds are sized in US Standard ring sizes. They are designed around PMC 3 and its shrinkage properties. Unlike the competition we made the size allowance so they can accommodate all the metal clays available. In other words size 6-7 for example will actually work for size 5 3/4 to 7 1/4 when using PMC 3. If you tried to use PMC Pro in this range it wouldn't work. So by overlapping the sizes you can confidently work with all metals. It is best to use different set for each metal clay you work with. We highly suggest using ring plugs during firing to guarantee sizing. If you don't use them you can expect the ring to fire to the smaller size. For example size 6-7 without a plug will fire to about 6. You can then size up the ring or round using the technique in this video.

Clay Thickness Guide  This chart gives you the approximate thickness in cards you should roll out the ball clay for cut out. Amount of cards may vary depending on the thickness of your cards.  6mm  17 cards  8mm  23 cards  10mm  31 cards  12mm  40 cards

The instructions to use these molds are very easy. 1. Lubricate molds with your usual lubricant. 2. Roll out a ball of clay and flatten it to the thickness and circumference of ring band thickness and ring size of mold you are using. For example if you are making a size 6 ring that has 6mm wide band then flattened clay should be 6mm thick and slightly wider then size 6 ring. It is best to start with a 50 gram pack of "fresh" clay. It will be easier to work with the larger amount and the "fresh" makes a perfect ring every time. 3. Make slight impression with mold into clay. Just enough to see ring circles. 4. With needle tool cut clay along outside ring. Place extra back in bag so it doesn't dry. 5.Place clay cut out in center of of one side of mold and squeeze other side on evenly till mold keys are lock in to place. Pop the clay out in the middle with your finger and return extra to clay bag. 6. Gently remove one side and place to dry till leather dry. Once one side is dry gently remove ring and flip to other side to dry. 7. Sand and decorate to your hearts content 9. Fire as normal for the material you are using. Preferably with ring plugs. Click for product pricing and details

Ring Conversion Chart - Molds are in US sizes Number Sizes Wheat Sheaf US/Canada British Japanese Swiss Standard Irish Equivalent Equivalent Australian Equivalent 4 H  7 4 1/4 H 1/2 7.75 4 1/2 I  8 4 3/4 J 9.00 5 J 1/2 9 5 1/4 K 10.00 5 1/2 K 1/2 10 5 3/4 L 11.75 6 L 1/2 11 12.75 6 1/4 M  12 6 1/2 M 1/2 13 14.00 6 3/4 N 7 N 1/2 14 15.25 7 1/4 O  7 1/2 O 1/2 15 16.50 7 3/4 P  8 P 1/2 16 17.75 8 1/4 Q  8 1/2 Q 1/2 17 8 3/4 R 19 9 R 1/2 18 9 1/4 S 20.25 9 1/2 S 1/2 19 9 3/4 T 21.5 10 T 1/2 20 10 1/4 U 21 10 1/2 U 1/2 22 22.75 10 3/4 V 11 V 1/2 23 11 1/4 W 25 11 1/2 W 1/2 24 11 3/4 X 12 X 1/2 25 27.50 12 1/4 Y  12 1/2 Z 26 28.75 12 3/4 Z 1/2 13 27

This brass stamp is designed for soft clay marking. We have tested on fired clay(just in case you forgot to stamp) as well and it works too but it is brass so regular stamping will wear it prematurely.The actually stamp before shrinkage is 5.5 mm across. The actually letters extrude from head of stamp 1mm so as not to create impression from the head other then the letters. The stamp is 44mm or about a 1 ½ long and is relative to a pencil or pen in diameter. We grooved handle for easy grip and control.The handle is notched with arrow on one side so you have stamp orientation at all times. We will be selling the S.900 approximately at the same time the release of PMC Pro.

This has been updated to this product

How to make a PMC ring.

MetalClays Seamless Ring Molds

1. Takes only few minutes to make.
2. Hands down the strongest way to make ring.
3. Reliable results everytime.
4. Perfect shape everytime.

We are proud to introduce this new product from our studio. While there is lots of ways to make a ring one of the common problem remains how to close and the strength of the seam. This new product eliminates the seam entirely. It takes a few minutes to make and is a great platform to create on knowing each time the band will come out the right size and perfectly round. In fact you can resize up one entire size without concern if it will break. This system will be applied to many different band styles in the coming months.

The molds are made of high strength thermo plastic. Just use your usual balm or lubricant to keep clay from sticking. Molds are can safely be used on hot plate. 

We would really love to hear from you as to what you would like to see in terms of base styles. We plan to list on site for sale by end of October. Register users will be given substantial discount off list prices for first 2 weeks of official launch.

Please view video for full demonstration of making a metal clay ring band. The ring in video is 5mm wide X 2mm thick size 7 but is available in all sizes.

A new metal clay product from Mitsubishi is about to hit the shelves in October. A 90% silver alloy mixture with superior strength to PMC3. Great for rings but needs to be fired in carbon.

Enough with the marketing horns. What does it mean to us as artists. At first glance it answers for me so many problems that have plagued us personally as artists. Liad  my wife and partner has worn her PMC3 rings for years without damage. Granted she removes them when cleaning and doing dishes but for the most part wears them at all times. They look good and they exhibit fairly little signs of wear. On the other hand much to our horror we have had requests to refinish rings that we have sold. As a policy we offer refinishing for free. In any case the condition and shape they have come back in leaves little doubt for the need of a stronger base metal.

So at first glance we were overjoyed at the headlines. As we researched though our community has brought many issues to light. One is how do you mark the silver .90 purity when it doesn’t truly fall into any recognized current day jewelry standard. While it would seem to me the customer might get a better product, in terms of wear, I think it would in deed be a harder sell.

This new PMC Pro also boasts superior flexibility for bending after firing. I must admit for us this not an issue as we have mastered creating our rings while in wet clay form. No doubt though this is a tangible benefit for various crafting scenarios.

Another issue that comes to light is the need to fire in carbon, which poses health risks. PMC has always boasted a safe working platform when compared to other platforms in jewelry fabrication. It is my experience though as an artist delves deep into this craft and related experimentation you are going to test this line anyway. For us once we took our polishing beyond the tumbler a respirator became necessary. Black Max is very detrimental to your health so on and so forth.

We also question the “alloy”. Fine silver as always carried the benefit of low allergic reaction. Customer’s allergies to silver are mostly the secondary material the silver is mixed with. I am very curious as to what this product will present if any in terms of adverse reactions.

When it comes to market we will carry it and we will play with it. As with any craft as the community of artists gets more sophisticated so goes the materials and techniques. The true measure of success will rest upon the community and its willingness to adopt this metal clay.

For technical specifications click here.

Let us know your thoughts, as we will tailor our offering of this metal clay with user input in mind.

It has happen to the best of us. We spent hours pouring all of our love into and upon removal of ring from kiln its too small. Even worse it was sent to customer and it is wrong size. Well there is a solution in most cases to adjust 1/2 to 1 full ring size. This technique will work for resizing, re-rounding, and sometimes correcting un-even shrinkage.All you need is a metal mandrel, something hard to tap against and physics does the rest.

The following video demonstrates a easy technique to re-size or re-round a metal clay or silver pmc ring.

Please take note as this video demonstration assumes the following

1.The ring must have a strong seam.
2.It only works within 1/2 to 1 ring size.
3.Better to repeat the technique many times over gently to achieve size then to try to accomplish in one pass such as in video.
4. For wide(and even not wide) band rings always repeat technique equally on both sides of ring.
5.This will only enlarge a ring that is too small.
6.Use only your hand or a rag inside your hand to hold ring. This prevents marring of outside and helps soften the impact and shock to ring.