Firing Metal Clay With A Butane Torch

[@travissmith7471]

Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate... This has been very helpful...

[@catmpofu]

Awesommmmme! I just found out about the blowtorch this morning! Great video. Simple, clear and safe.

[@tishsmiddy71]

I’m so ready to try it

[@zoethegreatfish]

i forgot about this stuff! always wanted to try it but never saw anyone use it. Thanks for posting!

[@Tania-yp5qo]

Thanks for this. I've been afraid to buy the stuff to do it not sure why. You're giving me courage. ❤️

[@FireMountainGems]

You can do it! 😀

[@corbetcrow]

Thanks for this! How do you know when your piece is fully fired? Is there a maximum thickness possible with hand firing?

[@monsieurlemarquis]

great video! thank you! i read that you're not supposed to torchfire pieces bigger than a silver dollar nor weighing more thank 25gr...do you by any chanche know why? thank you

[@FireMountainGems]

It has to do with how even the heat can be throughout the piece all at the same time. If the heat doesn't stay within a certain zone through the whole piece at the same time, it can split and crack as the water and organic materials burn off/out at different rates.

[@sherrys.2259]

Can you then take your piece and solder onto it?

[@sanjayjogdand9102]

Thanks for great information. What this putty is called commercially? Thanks.

[@FireMountainGems]

It's metal clay. Here's a link to the products www.firemountaingems.com/shop/metal_clay

[@curiouskitteh8215]

Great video, new sub! Any recommendation for the best silver formula for a newbie to work with?

[@FireMountainGems]

Thanks for subbing! Be sure you hit that bell icon too so you're notified when we upload a new video! There are a number of metal clays to work with. It's really a personal preference. Before getting started we'd recommend checking all the resources we have available on metal clay. Here's a link fmg.co/fig7IP. Here'a a link to the metal clay that we offer: fmg.co/H04e0Q You might also consider checking to see if there are any metal clay classes in your area. Thanks for watching and happy creating!

[@curiouskitteh8215]

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads thanks very much, I am checking both your links now, and am putting together a birthday wish list, thank you!! I did indeed click the bell already! I appreciate your tips and response, have a great day!

[@curiouskitteh8215]

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads those were very helpful and your metal clay starter set was the first thing I put on my wish list, thanks again! My friend also bought the large size package of pmc flex from you yesterday! Thanks again!

[@FireMountainGems]

You're very welcome! Great! A starter kit is always a great thing to get when getting started!

[@alyssam4034]

Does this work with thicker, more detailed pieces? Or is it better for flat shapes

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi there. When firing with a butane torch, the finished design should be no larger than a half dollar. Anything larger should be fired in a kiln.

[@MindBodyMoodMusic]

Hi, can I use a torch and what type of torch please for pmc3 silver clay? Thank you

[@FireMountainGems]

People with experience in metalwork and a good idea for heat colors will be able to fire PMC+ and PMC3 with any traditional torch. If a person is buying a torch specifically to fire PM, I recommend a small self-contained butane torch.

[@MindBodyMoodMusic]

@@FireMountainGems thank you , much appreciated 🙏 😊

[@sanjayjogdand9102]

I request you to visit india once,see the indian jewlery requirements and use this techniques for market here. Just for information,what is the carat value of the fired piece? Thanks.🌷

[@FireMountainGems]

No idea what the carat value is of this fired piece.

[@lesbiazuleta628]

how long to let dry... my first pieces inflate when cooking. please

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi there. Watch this short video "Is My Metal Clay Dry Enough" to learn more about drying times: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4qbmnZol6udY68

[@jessicaadorn]

Can you solder metal clay pieces after they have been fired like any other sterling piece? Say make a ring out of metal clay and then solder on a bezel for a stone?

[@FireMountainGems]

You sure can. You just want to keep in mind that metal clay is fine silver, so if you are mixing it with another kind of metal (such as sterling), you'll want to be very mindful of their different melting points so you don't accidentally damage either piece. Hope this helps!

[@teenabrandt8421]

Hi,Lisa. Have you done metal clay fine silver cutting with a Cricut? I am about to try. I want to know if I need any prep on the clay? I see folks using Clay Stay. I do not want to spend that much. It's very expensive.

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi there, we haven't used a Cricut so we can't offer much help on the subject. Best of luck!

[@dianeshort5414]

I’d be interested to know how you got on?

[@teenabrandt8421]

I am talking about PMC I know that I need to let it dry but I see people using Clay Stay as a stabilizer Can I use something else?

[@FireMountainGems]

We've never needed to use clay stay or other stabilizers. Make sure you let clay dry slowly and naturally.

[@teenabrandt8421]

Thank you.

[@deepdiver849]

I have a cricut . Do you have any metal clay sheets that I can cut with cricut and then fire with a torch instead of a kiln? The Aussie metal clay has some amazing flexisheet clays but unfortunately requires a kiln for firing. Any recommendations?

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi there. We don't have any metal clay sheets. We apologize.

[@teenabrandt8421]

Lisa When cutting clay with a Cricut do you use something on the clay like clay stay

[@FireMountainGems]

Bake a very thin sheet of polymer clay and run it through the Cricut machine. No other substance is needed.

[@christinan.7273]

I have made 3 pieces art clay copper and torch fired each. I have held them at a cherry red for between 5 and 7 minutes, but unfortunately all three have failed. Two of them broke with pressure and on the inside I see what looks like crumbly dried clay with a layer of shiny copper on the outside. I am new to the world of metal clay and decided to start with the copper because it is substantially less expensive than silver. However, from what I've seen in my research I don't think the firing should be giving me this much difficulty. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[@FireMountainGems]

Oh no! It's hard to determine what might be happening without seeing your process. But, there are one of two options for the snapping in half, either underfiring or the piece was too thin. You want to make sure that your piece is at least 3 or 4 cards thick. Hope that helps.

[@hayley9]

Did you figure out your mistake?

[@christinan.7273]

@@hayley9 Unfortunately, I never got the copper to fire correctly with a torch. I just decided to dive into making pieces with fine silver clay, and thankfully that worked! I have since gotten a kiln, and I can honestly say that the copper is much more challenging for me to work with than the silver even with the kiln! I think it was good to practice forming my designs with, but I have not figured out how to fire it in such a way that it is as solid/sturdy as the silver.

[@hayley9]

@@christinan.7273 ah maybe i’ll stick with silver then, thank u

[@terrynicholson5214]

What was the water used for at the end?

[@FireMountainGems]

Water is often used to quench the piece you've fired. Quenching rapidly cools the metal and also helps harden the metal. Thanks for watching!

[@terrynicholson5214]

@@FireMountainGems what would you rexommend for the bottom to melt glass, i made enamelled earring at school but wanted to fuse small peices of glass. Thanks

[@FireMountainGems]

You're question is unclear. Please give us a bit more information in regards to what you mean by "the bottom to melt glass". Thanks!

[@terrynicholson5214]

@@FireMountainGems i meant could this be used for melting glass? If so do i need a slump tray to keep the glass from sticking to the surface? Thanks Sam

[@CrippledPotato]

@@terrynicholson5214 this torch provides too small of a flame for melting glass. it can only make dirty dark stains on it, probably. A stronger flamed torch would do the job.

[@terrynicholson5214]

How much is that brick your using? Thanks

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi Terry. The link to the the brick is in the description of this video. Currently the brick is as low as $3.88. Thanks for watching!

[@flyingcheff]

I can't find a single soul that shows torch firing PMC gold? Is it a secret? This one was great, thanks

[@CrippledPotato]

It's easier with a kiln, but definitely possible with a torch, just a tiny bit more difficult probably. I haven't used this clay, but I am sort of a jeweller. I'd like to point out that for heating up your clay you need to have a softer flame like in the video instead of a sharp-tipped flame and do little circles on the object so that it would heat up the object evenly, instead of just one spot. As you saw in the video, a corner started burning up- there was too much heat on one corner. And if you're going to get yourself a burner, make sure it can create a slightly bigger flame like in that video. I have the cheapest creme brulee burner and it creates a very small flame, too small for this object (but perfect for soldering filigree and stuff).

[@stephanieduttonk55]

what if there is a stone in it?

[@FireMountainGems]

Some stones withstand heat better than others. That being said, we can't guarantee that a stone won't get damaged in the firing process. Here is a chart you can reference to see the types of stones that could be fired along with one of our metal clay brands, Art Clay: www.firemountaingems.com/resources/encyclobeadia/charts/bdngrsrcslctdgm Again, we can't fully guarantee that these gemstones won't get damaged while firing. We would also not recommend firing stones with a torch.

[@TheArdillita1983]

Hi i have a question : i know there is sterling silver clay and fine silver clay , can both be fire with torch? or for sterling silver need the klin or the little tiny oven that comes in other kits? can someone give an email where i can send my questions ? thanks !!

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi DIfferent brands of silver clay have different formulas under their umbrella, as well as different from their competitors, and each can have different firing needs. Some can be fired with a torch, some can only be fired with a torch when under a certain size, others cannot be fired with a torch at all. Individual clay products on firemountaingems.com have been labelled to include firing times and requirements. . For individual questions, please feel free to email us at info (at) firemtn (dot) com

[@FireMountainGems]

We have this handy chart--it includes firing time and type (plus shrinkage, etc.) www.firemountaingems.com/resources/encyclobeadia/charts/b41w

[@curiositykilledthecat6538]

I'm here because I burnt the clay. Thank you for this!

[@FireMountainGems]

Glad we could help!

[@nowirehangers2815]

So expensive

[@FireMountainGems]

True. The tools required to create metal clay jewelry can be expensive.

[@christinan.7273]

I have made 3 pieces art clay copper and torch fired each. I have held them at a cherry red for between 5 and 7 minutes, but unfortunately all three have failed. Two of them broke with pressure and on the inside I see what looks like crumbly dried clay with a layer of shiny copper on the outside. I am new to the world of metal clay and decided to start with the copper because it is substantially less expensive than silver. However, from what I've seen in my research I don't think the firing should be giving me this much difficulty. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[@FireMountainGems]

Hi Christina. We're sorry to hear that. It's really hard to determine what's going wrong without seeing your process entirely. A couple things though - 1) if your piece is snapping in half, then it's too thin. You want to be sure your pieces are at least 3 or 4 cards thick. 2) you're firing it with a temperature too low or not firing it long enough. Not sure what brand you're using but here's the instructions for Prometheus Copper Clay: www.firemountaingems.com/resources/tutorials/g33z