Art Clay Silver General Instructions

• Art Clay Silver is a pure metal powder mixed with non-toxic binders and water. When kiln, torch or stove fired, the binders burn away, leaving pure, 99.9% silver. Art Clay Silver can be added to a variety of media: glass, ceramics, porcelain and polymer clay to name a few. It can be rolled, sculpted, stamped, sanded, filed, engraved, drilled and pre-polished, all prior to firing. Once fired its pure silver and can treated like any other pure silver.
  
  
• Silver Art Clay shrinks only 8-10%, with Low Fire shrinking only 8-9%, the lowest in the industry. Art Clay Silver includes a broad range of products, like Oil Paste and Overlay Paste, Slow Dry and 22k Gold Clay products that fit particular needs, and offer a more complete range of materials to create with. Using Art Clay Silver consistently results in beautiful pieces.
  
  
• Art Clay is a recycled product manufactured by Aida Industries in Japan. Aida recycles and reclaims a variety of different metals, and the silver comes from many different sources, like film stock and negatives.
  
  
• Read the directions which are included in the package. Shape the malleable clay. Dry following one of the recommended processes. Detail the green ware with files, sandpaper or your favorite tools. Dry again to ensure it is ready to fire. Finish.
  
  
• The secret is to follow the 10-80-10 rule. Spend no more than 10% of your time working on the roughing out the shape while the clay is malleable. Allow 80% of your time to focus on working the dry clay into the exact state you want. This is where you file, sand, cut, and engrave your work. The piece should be mostly finished. The remaining 10% should come after the firing, and spent finishing the piece, sanding and polishing.
  
  
• Once you open the Mylar package the clay begins to dry, much like porcelain. You can use water and a moist brush to lightly hydrate the Art Clay while you shape your work. Keeping the clay covered with something moist will let you put it down momentarily.
  
  
• In its Mylar packaging, Art Clay Silver should be fine for up to five years. Store in a cool dark place, but don’t refrigerate or freeze.
  
  
• Keep all unused portions of Art Clay pliable in an airtight package, like a clay keeper. You can also use plastic wrap, then double seal it in a small plastic bag, with a moist sponge at the bottom will also keep the clay pliable. Store in a cool dark place, but don’t refrigerate or freeze
  
  
• The suggested drying times of regular Art Clay is:
  
  Hair dryer: At least 10-15 minute 4 inches (10cm) from the piece.
  Food Dehydrator: 10 minutes at 145ºF
  Cooking plate, kiln or oven: At least 7-10 minutes at 300ºF
  Natural dry: At least 24 hours at room temperature.
  
  These times are approximates, as different conditions like humidity will affect drying time. Drying times for other products can found on the product description and directions page.
  
  
• You can check to see if a piece is dry by holding to a piece of clean glass and any condensation on the glass indicates a piece that isn't completely dry. Extend the drying time to ensure the piece is completely dry before firing. Art Clay must be dry before firing; any water in the piece may cause the work to break.
  
  
• Art Clay Silver properly fired will be about as strong as 18k cast gold. This is strong enough to make pendants, earring, rings and most common jewelry items. Art Clay is quite durable, but requires additional support, such as 12 gauge silver wire, to make bangle style bracelets.
  
  
• Fine silver is pure silver (0.999 or 99.9% pure). Sterling silver is 92.5% silver to which is added other metals, primarily copper, as alloys. These other metals make the sterling harder than fine silver.
  
  
• Fine silver will tarnish, but not as fast as sterling. The copper in sterling will cause it to tarnish more rapidly.