Mokume gane

[Di Sandland]

that 'radial' effect will be glorious - will it stay like that?

[ps_bond]

I'll go back in to re-emphasise it a little bit, but mostly I think I like the inside the way it is; there will be more work on the outside to get the pattern decently random and cloudy. The forging is in all directions - my rolling mill isn't wide enough for this - so it'll stay pretty much like that.

[Di Sandland]

I'm well impressed (as the younger generation would say )

[Gemma]

Clay? Is that easier to forge out?

Erm... Hang on, if you can do that with polymer clay, I wonder how compatible the newer copper clay would be with silver clay...?

Nic?!

Pasta machine is great for 'forging' polymer clay!

Hmm, if the two metal clays are compatible you could get great effects quite simply

[The Dragon]

Ok how's this for a suggestion!

I have both copper and bronze clay, which fire in a very similar way. I'm going to go back over Peter's notes to see what he did then give it a go with the clays (on a very small scale). Maybe a nice ... well we'll see what it turns out like.

I don't have a pasta machine but I do have a very good rolling pin and plenty of arm muscle so I hope I can get near to ideal.

This was a very bad suggestion to make guys - I'm not going to be able to concentrate at work tmr now!

[Kalorlo]

Peter: It's looking great!

Annie: I'm guessing the texture plate version might work with metal clay? Roll your clay very thin, stack with alternating colours, cut in half, restack, repeat until you think it's enough, then press it onto a texture plate. Remove from the plate and shave off the bumps and the pattern will be revealed.

(If you google 'polymer clay mokume gane' there are tutorials for at least three different ways to get the wood-grain effect - one of them involves transparent clay and inks, so wouldn't be useful for metal clay, but the other two look like they'd work).

[ps_bond]

Ok how's this for a suggestion!

I have both copper and bronze clay, which fire in a very similar way. I'm going to go back over Peter's notes to see what he did then give it a go with the clays (on a very small scale). Maybe a nice ... well we'll see what it turns out like.

For the first attempt, I'd probably only try for a laminated stack (no patterning) & see how it holds together. 4 layers, for example. Got to be worth a try though!

[caroleallen]

That sounds like a great way to get the same effect but much easier.

[MuranoSilver]

Copper & bronze clay work well together but the definition is not as sharp between the two layers. Hadar Jacobsen has some great pictures of Bronze & Copper clays together.
Hadar's Website
Silver & Copper can be done but the copper has to be pre-fired
Nic x

[ps_bond]

So you'd still end up having to do all the layer manipulation for the sorts of patterns I'm mucking about with. Perhaps not entirely cost effective for this application then?

Managed to do a bit more patterning this morning; it's looking a lot more random on the outside as a result. Ground back another little bit of delam, bunged some more solder on the edge and left it to cool (shouldn't take long at these temperatures).

My West Dean foray didn't involve the gardens, I'm afraid - didn't have time! It did involve a course with Brian Clarke though...