How To
How To Use Aura 22 Accent Paint On Your PMC Designs
See how to easily add touches of 22 karat gold to your PMC and other silver designs with Aura 22 accent paint. The result is a permanent, natural, fluid-looking layer of gold that is substantially thicker than electroplating.
• Because Aura 22 is relatively thick, you can easily control your application, accenting your design where and how you like.
• Aura 22 is especially effective on heavily textured surfaces and in areas normally difficult to accent.
Please Note: Aura 22 must be applied to fine silver or gold. To use it on sterling pieces, you must first depletion-gild the metal to create a layer of fine silver. Information on this process is available from Rio Grande.
Each one-gram jar of Aura 22 will accent approximately 20–30 small pieces, depending on the amount of accenting you wish to do.
Step 1
Be sure that your workpiece is fine silver. If the piece is sterling silver, you must depletion-gild it to bring a layer of fine silver to the surface. IMPORTANT: Aura 22 will not adhere to sterling silver without this step.
Step 2
Make sure that your silver workpiece is clean and free of any oil, fingerprints or debris. The surface should be "kiln white" or "pickle white." Aura 22 will not adhere to polished surfaces.
Step 3
Aura 22 should have the consistency of nail polish, thick but easily spreadable. If the solution is dried out or too thick, follow the instructions on the rehydrating agent included with your Aura 22 to restore the correct consistency. Be careful to follow the instructions carefully to avoid ruining the consistency or dulling the color of the Aura 22.
Step 4
Apply the Aura 22 to your silver piece using a clean, dry paint brush or rubber-tipped tool. Apply the solution in even layers, allowing each layer to dry for 15 minutes between applications. Usually 2 to 3 layers deliver the best results. Allow the piece to dry thoroughly after the final layer is applied; the color when dry should be a dark gold. Please Note: Any moisture left between layers will become steam during firing and will cause blistering and/or poor adhesion.
Step 5
TIP: After applying Aura 22, clean your paint brush by swirling it in a small jar of water. Keep a separate, dedicated jar for this purpose to capture the gold from the brush. When there is noticeable sediment in the bottom of the jar, allow the water to mostly evaporate and return the semi-dry gold residue to the Aura 22 jar.
Step 6
Fire the piece, either in a kiln, at 850°F (450°C) for 30 mins., or using a torch to fuse the metals. The torch method is the most effective because it allows you to watch your progress and burnish the piece as soon as the firing is complete. Any simple butane-fueled, hand-held torch can be used for this purpose. Remember to take every precaution for safety when working with kilns, torches and hot metal.
Step 7
To torch-fire, move the torch constantly around the accent painted on your workpiece. You will notice the binder in the Aura 22 solution burning off first (the fumes from this are completely non-toxic and present no health hazard to you or your shop).
Step 8
Shortly after the binder burns away, the piece will begin to glow a pale red. When this happens, watch the accent on your workpiece while continuing to move the flame over and around it. Before long, the Aura 22 will change color from the dark gold to a pale yellow. As soon as this color change happens, shut off your torch—the silver piece SHOULD NOT be heated beyond the pale red color.
Step 9
Whether you've used a torch or a kiln, immediately after firing, while the work piece is still hot, the Aura 22 MUST BE burnished to complete the fusion process and prevent the gold layer from flaking off. Burnish well, covering every part of your painted accent. DO NOT QUENCH THE WORKPIECE PRIOR TO BURNISHING!
Step 10
Once the piece has cooled, complete the workpiece with the desired finish. Pieces can be left burnished or can be further finished with tumbling, brushing or polishing just like any piece of gold to produce the desired final finish.
How To Use Cork Clay
Learn how to use cork clay to create hollow beads and other forms with metal clay. Cork clay is useful as a core for making hollow objects with Precious Metal Clay®. The clay burns out cleanly when fired with PMC.
Cork clay is made of cork powder, carboxymethylcellulose (non-toxic), water, anti-mold agent and fungicide.
Helpful Hints
• Wash your hands before and after handling cork clay.
• Keep the unused portion of cork clay tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent the material from drying out. Please note: Once cork clay is dry, it cannot be re-hydrated.
• Store your cork clay at room temperature.
• Always fire the material in a well-ventilated area. Cork clay produces smoke as it burns.
Step 1
Form a shape with cork clay.
Step 2
If desired, insert a toothpick or wood skewer into the cork clay form so that you will have a handle to hold later as you apply the PMC® to the shape. If you would like a hole in your finished PMC piece for stringing, penetrate the form from end to end with the toothpick or skewer.
Step 3
Allow the cork clay form to air dry completely—moisture in the material will produce steam when fired and could damage your project. The drying process usually takes at least 24 hours and the material will be hard when completely dry.
Step 4
Once the cork clay has dried, you can drill, sand or carve it.
Step 5
Apply PMC clay, or PMC slip to the cork clay. Always leave a hole in the clay to allow for burnout of the cork clay; you can patch the hole and re-fire if you do not want it in your finished piece.
Step 6
If your piece is larger than 1" in diameter and you are planning to fire at 1650°F for two hours, lower your ramp speed to 1500°F to allow the cork clay to burn out a bit slower. This will prevent the possibility of a flash burn of the cork clay. Caution: Do not open the kiln during the firing process. Oxygen could cause the cork clay to ignite, injuring anyone near the kiln.
How To Finish PMC Designs
You have several options when it comes to finishing your PMC designs. Get a quick view of the various hand and machine finishing options.
HAND FINISHING:
The simplest way to finish PMC® is to use your hands and some good, old-fashioned elbow grease.
• Polishing papers are rated in grits. The grit tells you how many particles per square inch the paper has; the lower the number, the more coarse the paper.
• Begin with a coarse paper (about 400-grit) and graduate to increasingly finer papers until you achieve the finish you want. Change the direction of the stroke when you change grits to see when the marks from the previous paper have been removed. Use adequate pressure so each grit paper can work effectively.
• A hand burnisher can be an alternative to using sanding paper. After firing, run the burnisher along the surface of the metal, moving in the same direction for each stroke, and overlapping strokes to avoid leaving drag marks.
MECHANICAL FINISHING:
Use a mechanical polisher, such as a flex shaft, to create textures with less time and effort. They hold a variety of attachments, offering a range of application options. Most polishers accept a range of accessories.
• A foot-pedal control is an important accessory; it keeps your hands free to work and allow you to control the motor speed as you work, changing speeds as needed for each piece.
• A flex shaft reduces hand fatigue and strain; it allows you to hang the motor from a stand and work with a smaller, lighter handpiece.
• Mounted motors give you the convenience of hands-free operation and accept larger attachments; they are ideal for large or flat pieces and for higher production needs.
Duplicating Forms in PMC3 Paste
Learn how to use PMC3 slip to coat organic material and fire, creating a beautiful fine silver piece. Courtesy of the PMC Guild archives.
One of the wonderful benefits of PMC3 in paste form is its ability to make replicas of organic materials. Leaves, branches, bark, paper, cotton, lace, or almost any organic material can be used as a mold to create its likeness in solid fine silver. PMC3 paste is liquid enough to be applied with a paintbrush and will conform to all of the surface features of the original. The process is simple.
The process is the same to create either a flat, solid silver piece (such as a leaf) or a hollow, three-dimensional form (such as a flower bud) using almost any organic material.
You can apply PMC3 paste over folded paper sculptures (such as origami), breakfast cereal, dried mushrooms, almost anything organic that will not dissolve in the paste’s water content and that will burn out in the firing without toxic or noxious fumes.
When you select your organic material, the amount of moisture in it will affect how you convert it to silver.
Material that is completely dry usually will not affect the silver as it is fired. Material that contains some moisture (e.g. green branches) may affect the silver. The moisture in the organic matter will turn to steam and may cause the silver to split if it completely encloses the organic material. If this happens, simply fill in the split with more paste and fire the PMC again.
The variety of materials you can use with PMC3 paste is almost limitless. Let your imagination run free and see what amazing things you can transform into fine silver.
1
Select an organic form you want to transform; a leaf, for example. (Pick a leaf with a matte surface, not one that is oily or hairy.) Make sure it has prominent veins on the back. Don’t be fooled by how the leaf looks. Touch the back to be sure the veins are raised.
2
Now take the PMC3 paste and apply a thin layer on the back of the leaf with a paintbrush.
3
Dry the PMC3 paste. You can allow it to air dry or speed up the process using a hair dryer.
4
When the paste is dry, apply another layer of paste. Repeat the process until you have a sufficient thickness of paste on the leaf: about 0.75mm to 1mm.
5
After the final drying, place the leaf in a kiln and fire at 1650°F for 10 minutes. The leaf will burn away in the firing, leaving a solid silver leaf.
6
Finish the silver using a stainless steel wire brush to bring up a matte finish. Use a burnishing tool or rotary tumbler with mixed stainless steel shot to bring out a bright finish.
Instructions
Getting your feet wet with PMC®? This guide is your full introduction to the formulas, tools and techniques for working with precious metal clay.
This short guide introduces precious metal clay and its working properties.
A great tip from the PMC Guild archives! Learn how to make and use lavender oil to add to your PMC slip for a stronger bond.
MSDS
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