How to make a PMC ring Part 3

Ok... so Method 2 has proven to be MUCH more effective. Here is the finished product:

The seam is slightly noticeable but overall the quality is much, much better than method one. I didn't take many photos since I was in a hurry to get this done and shipped off to my customer, but here are the steps. Feel free to comment if you have any questions.

Once it's fired, before you clean it, wrap it around a mandrel to form a ring, very similar to how you would make a soldered ring. The fired PMC should be malleable enough to bend it without much trouble. For some reason, this time it was very stiff, so I just annealed it with a torch, heating it until it glowed red and then quenched it in water. This made it easier to wrap into a ring shape. I measured it on the mandrel, bending it carefully but firmly until it was the size I wanted. It was pretty close - just a little shy of the size 6 I needed. NO worries. First, I filed the edges at the join until they met nicely, and then I added a small bit of PMC clay to seal the join. I did this similar to how I sealed the crack in Method 1. 

As I learned from the first try, you really want this to look smooth and nearly perfect before firing. smooth it over with your fingers or tools, or whatever, and then wipe the rest clean with a damp cloth. Let it dry completely, then refire in the kiln.

When I pulled it out of the kiln, it looked great. I pounded it on the mandrel until it was round and a perfect size 6. Then,  I tumbled it and polished it the same way I described in the last post, and I am very happy with the results. I like this method a lot better.

And now, voila, I have the ring for my customer and all I need to do is pack it up and mail it. I hope you've learned some things from my mistakes here and happy PMCing! 

How (not) to make a PMC ring - Part 2

I realized after firing the rings that maybe I should have called this series How NOT to make a PMC ring, as I'm not too happy with the results. However, I'm going to show you how they turned out and how these flaws could have been avoided. THEN, I'll show you Method #2, which I've had better luck with in the past.

I took these out of the kiln and put them back on my mandrel to measure them. I pounded them with a rubber mallet since they had gotten a bit distorted during the drying and firing process. One of them turned out to be a size 7 (I needed a 6). The other was just under a 6, so I pounded a little more, trying to stretch it. In the process, I created a crack on the seam. This crack was actually already there before firing (I did a poor job of joining the seam) and I should have fixed this better before firing.



All is not lost though. You can refire PMC as many times as you want. I have read that it's best to do this before you clean it, though honestly I have done that and it has turned out fine. You'll notice when you take it out of the kiln that it is white. This is just residue of the firing process and the binder and will come off. I'll show you how in a bit. First though, I had to patch the seam. I took a little more PMC (about the size of a ball bearing) and put it along the seam until it was smooth. Then I let it dry (this time I put it in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes because I was impatient). Then I refired it.






This time, it looked pretty good. I put it back on the mandrel and pounded until it was a good size 6. Then I put both rings in a tumbler with stainless steels shot and a little bit of dish soap and tumbled it for about an hour. You can also clean this by using 3M pads or a stiff wire brush and running under water.





The tumbler doesn't completely polish it, but it gives it a good start. Next, I take my polishing cloths. These are a series of about 12 cloths that you polish your piece with one at a time. It starts with a course cloth and works up to a soft cloth. It's a painstaking process but it does produce a nice mirror finish. Of course, if you have a flex shaft or similar tool, you can polish with that (one day I will purchase one!)





So after polishing, it had a nice finish, but I should not have been surprised to see the same flaws that were in my piece before firing were still there. I knew this... I did. And yet I fired it anyway. You really want the piece to look perfect before firing. It's frustrating and hard and  you often have to scrap your work and do it again and again... but hey, that's jewelry making for you.

I also didn't like the shape of the sides of the ring, so I took my big metal file out and evened it out. The end result wasn't bad. I'm sure I could sell this ring. However, this was a custom order based on a picture of a larger ring I made, so the customer is expecting something specific, and I don't feel like this is good enough. At a jewelry show, where a customer could look at this in person, I would feel fine selling it. When customer order online, I want to be sure that they are getting what they are expecting.

Notes about this method: The method I just described in this post and the last is tricky because in manhandling the ring to get it around the mandrel, you can really ruin the imprint - which is one thing that happened with me. As you can see, it's also incredibly hard to size these rings correctly this way. However, there are some instances when this method would work. 1) If you're flexible about the size and not trying to get an exact size. 2) If instead of using a texture sheet, you decide to hammer it after firing, then it doesn't really matter if the surface isn't perfect. I've made a few rings this way and they've turned out great. 

And so this brings me to method #2. And it also brings me to the sad fact that custom orders are rarely profitable. I usually make 3 items trying to get it right, and you can't charge the customer for your mistakes.. This is ok with me because I'm not in it for money, and I love trying new techniques. But I imagine this is also one reason that the markup on jewelry is so high. Not only do you need a lot of tools and inventory, plus labor, but there is also a lot of waste.

METHOD 2: Firing the ring flat

In this method, you start out the same as before. You take your PMC, roll it into a log and roll it into a sheet. I used 5 cards this time since the 2 previous rings turned out a little too thick for my liking. Like before, I used a texture sheet, removing 1 card from each stack first. Then I used a ring template to measure a size 9 (which should shrink to a size 6 in the kiln). Then I evened out the edges and trimmed. Again, I put it in teh oven to dry it out, and I'm getting ready to fire it. For this method, you fire it flat, then form it into a ring, checking the size (filing if too big), adding more PMC  like I did for fixing the crack above and then refiring. You could also solder it closed, those this tends to leave a more noticeable seam.



This photo shows pre-firing. I'm going to take my file and even out the edges just like I did last time before I fire it.

Stay tuned to see how this turns out!

Making a PMC Fine Silver Ring - Part 1

I'm going to go through the steps of making a ring in PMC+. This is a multi-step (usually multi-day) project, so here is Day 1.

First of all, what is PMC? PMC stands for Precious Metal Clay. PMC is one brand - ArtClay is another. And it is just what it sounds like. It's a workable clay that you fire and it becomes precious metal. I usually work with PMC silver, though I have also tried the copper clay. There are also different types. I use PMC+ because it has less shrinkage than regular PMC and it fires quickly (20 minutes at 1580 degrees). 

It was invented in Japan, by Mitsubishi, originally for some other type of purpose, electronics, I think. PMC Silver is fine silver dust that has a binder added to it (some think it is simple cornstarch). You can work the clay into any shape you want, then you fire it in a kiln (or you can use a torch for some projects) and the binder burns away. Volia - you are left with fine silver. Which leads me to the next question:

What is fine silver? Fine silver is 100% silver. Most silver jewelry you see is Sterling Silver, which is an alloy of fine silver and copper. The reason you see .925 to represent sterling silver is that it is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. The copper adds strength. Thus, fine silver is softer and more malleable, though I've found it to be perfectly fine for jewelry. You probably would not want to use it for flatware though. : ) 

Recently, they introduced PMC Sterling, though I haven't tried this yet. It requires a double firing in the kiln. Honestly, I find the fine silver just fine, so I don't see the point in bothering. But if you plan to handle your jewelry a lot, you may want to opt for the sterling version.

Ok - on to the ring. The first thing to note about PMC is that it shrinks. PMC+ has a shrinkage rate of about 10-13%. It's not an exact science, which makes sizing rings very challenging. For this project, I'm actually making 2 rings, which will double my chances of getting a size 6 ring, which is what I need. I'm making one at just over a size 9, and one just under a size 9. Cross your fingers! There is also another method for doing this, that I will write about some other time. This has advantages and disadvantages.

So, first, take a big gob of PMC out of the package. Rewrap the remainder. Keep it in the plastic wrap and sealed tight or it will dry out. You don't want that.

Put some oil on your hands (I use a squirt of olive oil Pam) and rub it on your hands. This is to keep it from sticking to you and also from drying out. Massage it a bit to evenly distribute moisture throughout. Then roll it into a ball and then into a little log. 

Playing cards are a great way to measure thickness. For the rings, I wanted them fairly thick so I used a thickness of 6 playing cards. I make 2 stacks and then I place another playing card in the middle that has also been sprayed lightly with Pam. 

Then I take my roller (also sprayed with Pam) and roll out a strip. If you get cracks, your clay is too dry. Take a small paintbrush with water and brush your clay. Then wait a few minutes for it to absorb. You can also smooth it out with a smoothing tool. 

I'm using a plastic pattern sheet to imprint a sun and stars pattern. Spray it with Pam, then rest it on top of your strip. I removed 2 cards from the stack and then lightly rolled on top of the pattern sheet to imprint it. 

Then I use a plastic knife to cut the edges how I like. I don't usually make totally straight rings. I like it to look organic so I usually do some waves. 

Now for the tricky part. Take your mandrel and wrap the strip around it. Since it will shrink you need to start with a bigger size. This is very cumbersome and hard to do without smudging all of your previous work. But do your best. Trim the edges where they meet in the middle and do your best to join them together using subtle force. I use a smoothing tool to clean up the seam a bit. You can also reimprint your pattern using your sheet on the seam. 

I let this dry on the mandrel for a little while until it can retain its shape on its own. Put it somewhere out of the way. In the winter, I put mine on top of the running pellet stove. This dries it out really fast. If you're somewhere warm and dry, it could take a few hours. When in doubt, leave it overnight. You need it to be completely dry. 

When it's dry, it will be hard to the touch. BUT IT IS FRAGILE. Be careful with it. It will easily crumble. However, if you handle it carefully, it is sturdy enough to file, and even carve. Now I take a file or some fine grit sandpaper and clean it up. Really file the seam so it's smooth and there are no sharp edges. You can also file the sides so they are straight (but again, I don't really like straight). If you're filing a lot off, capture the dust. This stuff is pricey so you don't want to waste it. You can add water and reconstitute it later to make a paste. This paste is useful in touching things up.

Ok - so at this point I'm not thrilled with either ring. They both have flaws. And usually firing doesn't magically fix them. But I still continue to hope. So now's the time to throw them in the kiln. Again, 1580 degrees for 20 minutes. It sounds quick, but it actually takes many hours to get up to the temp, and then cool off enough to open. This is the point where I usually go to bed. And so it is this time.

Tomorrow, I'll take them out, clean 'em up, measure them and hope one of them is a 6! If not, you will have the pleasure of seeing me try the OTHER METHOD. : ) Happy jewelry making! 

Making an Etched Copper Cuff Bracelet

A few weeks ago, I watched a video on Craftsy about etching. I have to admit, I had never really considered even trying this before until I saw how cool it was, and how relatively easy. So tonight I decided to hone my metal forging skills while at the same time experimenting with etching. I decided to make a copper cuff bracelet with an etched eagle design.

Tools:

Jeweler's Saw, saw blades, and bur life
Metal file
Bracelet mandrel (or something round and wrist-size to form the bracelet around)
Plastic or rubber mallet
Household iron
Wood block
Cloth
Tweezers
Glass or ceramic tray big enough for the flat bracelet to lie flat
Sharpie marker
Polishing cloths

Materials:

1 sheet of 18 gauge copper (big enough to cut a 1/2" X 6" piece)
e3 etching papers
Copper mordant
Liver of sulpher

Ready? Ok take your copper sheet and measure a 1/2" X 6" piece and cut out with your jeweler's saw. Hopefully you'll do a better job than I do and will NOT break 4 saw blades in the process and will actually cut a straight line. At any rate, I got lots of practice installing new saw blades.

Since mine was so crooked, I had to spend quite a while filing it until it was fairly straight. I kind of like things a little bit rustic so I was fine with it not being 100% straight, but file it however you like. Filing also removes sharp edges. I tapered to corners a bit so they weren't too pointy. 

Now, you need to find a design to use, which you will print on your etching paper. I just googled "free vector eagle art" or something like that. Vector art is good because you want something with clean lines. You also need a black and white image. This was the image I found: 

This is not the exact image I used, but this would work well. You don't want too many thin lines. Now whatever is in black will NOT be etched, and whatever is in white WILL be etched. I wanted my eagle to be etched, not everything else, so I used photoshop to create an inverse image, so my eagle was in white and the background was in black. Then I printed it out on a sheet of the etching paper. 

I sanded my copper slightly to give it some tooth for the paper to stick to, and then cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. Then I cut out my eagle and laid it face down on the copper blank. I placed it on a wood block and then placed a cloth over it and set a hot iron (no steam) on top for several minutes. I used some pressure to make sure it stuck.

Then I waited for it to cool off and I put it in water for 10 minutes. 

I opened my mordant. This must be dangerous stuff because there were warning all over the box. I felt like I was opening a shipment of uranium. Be careful with the stuff and dispose of it properly. Do NOT dump the leftover down the sink. Not good.

Ok, now VERY CAREFULLY peel off the paper. This didn't work well for me, so I ended up leaving a lot of it on. If you unintentionally peel off part of your pattern, you can touch it up with a sharpie. This will have the effect as the transfer paper, which is essentially to create a "resist" where the mordant will not etch into the metal. Now you will also want to cover the back side of your blank and the sides with a sharpie. Just color it in until you can't see the copper anymore. This is important. 

Now, in a well ventilated location, pour the mordant into a glass or ceramic dish and lay your copper blank in it. Use safety glasses and gloves. Let it sit for 30 - 60 minutes. The mordant will now eat into the metal anywhere where there is no resist, which should only be where your design is. I let mine sit for about 45 minutes, but could have gone longer. Don't let it sit too long though or it will eat through the metal too much.

When it's ready, use your tweezers to remove and rinse thoroughly. I used steel wool to remove the mordant, the leftover paper, and the sharpie. Then I cleaned it again with rubbing alcohol to remove any traces of the mordant. You won't want this anywhere near your skin. Here's what it looked like... very subtle. Uh oh... But wait. We're not done.

Now we're going to patina it with liver of sulpher to really make the etching pop.

Place the blank in a dish and add 4-5 drops of liver of sulpher.It will turn black, essentially. 

Take it out, rinse it off and sand it, being careful not to sand it where the design is. You want to keep the patina on that section. Then give it a good polish and buff. NOW you should be able to see your design. In addition to the design, there are other sections that are etched, where the paper came off or the sharpie wasn't applied thickly enough. I think this is ok - it gives it a nice rustic look. I'm actually really pleased with how it turned out, especially since taking the paper off looked a bit like a nightmare. 

Now, just take your bracelet mandrel and carefully but firmly wrap the copper around it until it is the size and shape you like. Use a rubber or plastic mallet to get the ends at a flat angle (so they're not pointing out). 

 Voila!

How to make a pearl and Swarovski necklace on silk cord

I received a custom order for a bridal necklace featuring coin pearls and Swarovski crystals on a white silk cord. This is how I did it. 

Supplies:

Flush wire cutter

Rule

Paper and pen

Cyanoacrylate (crazy glue)

An awl or something similar

Plyers

Materials:

3 10mm coin pearls

8 4-5mm round pearls

6 4mm bicone Swarovski crystals (I used light rose)

4 6mm round Swarovski crystals (in same color as the bicones)

About 25 inches of white silk cord. I used #3 as this was the largest that would fit through the hole in the coin pearls. I would go as big as you can comfortably go.

2 clam shell bead tips (I used sterling silver)

1 lobster clasp and closure (or use a larger jump ring for a closure)

2 small jump rings 

2 small pieces of french wire 

 I wanted to make the necklace roughly 16" long (even though it turned out to be a bit longer). Since I was knotting the cord, I needed to figure out the math to figure out at the exact spacing. So first I measured each of the components. The coin pearls and 2 bicones on either side was the first component. There are three of these and each measures about 18mm. You need to factor in how much space the knot on either side will be too. I figured it would be about a mm on each side, for a total of 20mm for that component.

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The next component is the 2 round pearls and 1 round crystal. These are roughly 13mm plus 2mm for the knots, for a total of 15mm.

I figured the bead tips and the clasp would measure about 20mm. From here I added up all the components and then subtracted it from the total length of the necklace (I converted 16" into its milimeter equivalent). That number represents the part of the necklace that does not have a component on it (the spaces between the beads). I divided that number by 8 (because there are 8 sections of blank space) and came up with a little over 33 mm. I rounded this to 35 to make it easier (though this made my necklace slightly longer than I planned). This allowed me to measure 35mm between each set of beads and made it easy. It's always better to figure out the math first, otherwise, I tend to get confused later. Drawing a picture helps. 

So now we're ready to get started! First tie a knot at the end of your silk cord. Then tie another one on top of it to double it. Put a generous amount of crazy glue on to make sure that sucker never unravels. 

Take the tiny piece of french wire and string it on so it is sitting next to the knot. This will protect the cord from rubbing against the bead tip and will make it last longer. Add the clam shell bead and fold it over the knot (cut any excess off the end first). The ring on the tip should be facing out. Then, measure 3mm from the inside end of the bead tip. Make a loop in the cord to tie a knot, but before you pull too tight, insert the tip of your awl (or you can use a needle - but something with a long handle makes it much easier). Use the awl to position the knot exactly where you want it. This is very tricky and hard to do with just 2 hands. Be patient. When you have it where you want it, slowly pull the awl out, holding the knot down with your finger. Then pull both sides of the cord to tighten the knot. I found that even when I was careful, the knot ended up further away then I wanted it, so you may want to undershoot the length before you pull the awl out. 

One tip I discovered after a few of these was that the ruler was too hard to see, so I took a piece of paper and marked 35mm on it. Then I used that paper to measure each section. That was easier. 

Ok, deep breath. This is nerve wracking stuff. Now add your round pearl, round crystal and another round pearl, and tie a knot at the other end. Try to get the knot as close as you can to the final pearl, because, again, the knots tend to get further away then you want. You don't want the beads to wriggle around too much, though it's ok if it's not super tight. Just do the best you can. 

 Now measure another 35mm from the end of that section and tie another knot using your awl. Now string a bicone crystal, a coin pearl and another bicone onto the cord and tie a knot at the end of that section to hold them all tight.

Keep repeating these steps, alternating the round pearls/round crystal with the coin pearls and bicones. In the end there will be 3 sections of coin pearls and 4 sections of round pearls. 

When you have tied off your final section of pearls, string your other piece of french wire onto the cord. Then your clam shell bead tip (make sure it is facing so when you close it the rings face outside. 

Then measure the last 35mm from your last knot and tie the knot on the other side of the bead tip/french wire. Add your crazy glue and let it dry for a few minutes. Cut off any extra cord and close your bead tip around the knot. The french wire should be between the knot and the bead tip (sticking out from the bead tip slightly).

Now add a jump ring to the ring of the bead tip and your lobster clasp. On the other side, add a jump ring and a closure, or just a large jump ring that the clasp will attach to. 

Voila! What do you think? 

I'm charging $45 for this and will make matching earrings as well. I sent the bride photos and she loved it! I love it when a story ends like that.