torch versus hob firing....

[Oberon]

Hi,

you can tell I am new by the sheer munber of posts in the last couple of days.

Advice on torch versus hob firing. I cannot afford a kiln so have to either torch or hob fire my metal clay pieces. Which would you say is better, torch or hob and if torch what torch would you reccomend.

Thank you again...

Sarah

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

I'd say a torch every day of the week and twice on Sundays ;-) You can control the torch much better by just moving it away if things get too hot!

For firing PMC I have a Go Systems torch (about £20 from B&Q) with an ignition button, it's fierce enough to fire copper clay too. They run on butane/propane cylinders which are about six quid a go in B&Q or half that from Toolstation. I have a fine flame one for soldering and I also use a microtorch for soldering tiny things, and that runs on normal lighter fluid.

I like blowtorches ;-) I don't have the money or the space for a kiln either, and the one time I used one on a course, several of my pieces (and my mum's too) broke, which put me RIGHT off :-(

[Oberon]

Hi Mel,

I have been using the hob but found for the rings it was a bit hit and miss. The only thing that scares me with the torch is the one time I used one I melted the beads I had made and wasted the clay. The copper clay thing is great though, I have been using that for embellishments and again very hit and miss to get it hot enough.

Thank you!

Sarah

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

We've all had those "melty moments", I'm sure. I certainly have. Silly question, but are you doing your firing with the lights off? It's much easier to see if it's getting too hot in semi darkness. You're aiming for a sort of peachy glow with silver clay - if it starts to shimmer, then it's about to melt. Sorry if you knew that already ;-)

Do you save your melty scrap? I remelt it and am making it into blob beads.

[Oberon]

Mel,

thank you again. I do do the pink/peachy glow bit and have only had one one piece go properly wrong, just had to double fire a few to make sure they are fully fired if you know what I mean. I must admit i haven't done it in half light and will do that next time to make doubly sure :-) and to be honest I would rather have too much info than not enough so having reassurance that I am doing it right is great! With the go systems torch, which model is it? We went to B&Q and they had sooo many I got a bit confused.

Sarah

[seren_dipity]

I would be very interested to know the model of the Go Systems torch too :)

Seren x