Just started working with Silver Clay (Also known as Art Clay Silver) and unsure of the best way to finish your design? When it comes to firing Art Clay there are various routes you can take. Here we’ll outline how to fire Silver clay using simple techniques for beginners.
Not ready to learn how to fire Silver clay just yet? Get to know Art Clay in more detail with our Guide To Silver Clay, and explore the properties of metal clay, how it was developed and which type of silver clay to use for your latest projects.
You can also learn more about making jewellery with Silver Clay by watching our introductory YouTube video below.
How to fire metal clay at home
Happy with your metal clay design? Before preparing it for firing, discover our straightforward techniques on how to fire metal clay at home first. Simply let it air dry so that it can be fired in one of the three ways below.
Tip: Make sure that the clay is completely dry before firing. If it’s not dry, it can be prone to cracking and breaking during the firing process.
When firing silver clay, choose the technique that works best with your tools and surroundings. The beauty of working with silver clay is that it can be fired using a hand torch, a kiln, or even on your hob. So whatever level you’re at and whatever tools you have, firing silver clay is simple to do at home.
How to fire Silver Clay with a hand torch
When learning how to fire silver clay with a hand torch, just follow these steps:
- Prepare your design and workspace for heating by removing any unnecessary objects from the area, and placing your silver clay design on a specialist soldering block.
- Light your butane hand torch and set to a blue flame.
- Hold the torch about 2cm away from your design, moving the flame in a circular motion around the piece. Gradually move the flame closer to the silver clay as you make that circular motion.
- As you heat the silver clay you’ll notice that it will start to smoke and then catch fire. This is normal. It means that any organic binder is being burnt away to leave the precious metal behind.
- Continue heating the silver clay until it starts to glow a cherry red colour. Once it starts to glow, set your timer for the appropriate time depending on the type of silver clay you’re using.
- Once the time is up you can turn off your hand torch and leave your design to cool.
How to fire Silver Clay with a kiln
Learning how to fire Silver clay using a kiln is a really simple process as it’s all pre-programmed for you. Just follow these steps to make sure you’re doing it correctly:
- Depending on the kiln that you choose to invest in, be sure that you read the manufacturer’s manual for the best results.
- Set up your kiln ready to heat your design. You can do this by placing the relevant kiln accessories inside. This may include a kiln shelf, ceramic posts, and/or a mesh support depending on the setup you prefer, and the size and shape of your Silver Clay design.
- Once it’s all in place and your design is in the kiln, you can set your digital programmer to the correct temperature for the size of your piece and the type of Silver Clay that you’re working with. Make sure you check Silver Clay guidelines for temperature and timings. And don’t forget that heating certain kinds of gemstone, needs to be done with caution to avoid cracks or breakages.
How to fire Silver Clay with a gas hob
Tip: Firing metal clay with your own gas hob at home is a simple process too! Test out a few pieces first and learn how to use metal clay without a kiln before you invest in some of the more specialist tools.
To fire metal clay without a kiln and with a gas hob, here’s what you have to do:
- When firing Silver clay using a gas hob all you’ll need to pick up is a mesh sheet. This will help you keep the heat to a minimum and reduce the risk of contaminating your kitchen with Silver Clay.
- Make sure the mesh sheet is stable over the hob. Fold it into place if required.
- Dim the lights and turn the hob on. This will help you to identify the hottest part of the flame (where it glows brightest).
- Switch the hob off.
- Using tweezers, carefully place your Silver Clay design onto the mesh sheet directly in the spot where the flame was glowing at its brightest.
- Turn the hob back on.
- In the same way that the organic binder burns away from the Silver Clay using the hand torch method above you’ll see that it will smoke and set alight before it starts to glow.
- Set your timer so that the piece continues to glow for the correct amount of time, depending on which type of Silver Clay you’re working with (see hand torch method for timings).
- After firing, switch off the hob and leave to cool on the mesh for at least 15-20 minutes. Once cooled it should easily detach from the mesh sheet and can be dropped in some water ready for finishing.
Firing metal clay with pro tools from Cooksongold
Now that you’re clued up on how to fire Silver clay, you can invest in the professional tools you’ll need to turn your passion for crafting into a successful jewellery making business. Take a look at our range of Art clay as well as our professional firing kilns and accessories to get started.
Ready to give it a go? Find all the jewellery clay and resin you need for firing silver clay online today.
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