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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    22

    Question Homemade Bronze clay FAILURE! Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

    Good Morning!

    I'm new to metal clay, and experimenting.

    I tied to make my own bronze clay, and it was a dismal failure. I'm hoping the people here can help me figure out why!

    Ingredients (I live in Germany, so sorry for the German language pages :
    Bronzepulver, atomized
    Grain size: 44 microns (325 mesh) irregular
    Melting point: 1083 ° C
    https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Methylcellulose
    100% pure methyl cellulose E464 Nutritional information: Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, GMO-free, suitable for halal food.
    https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Recipe:
    ~3 parts bronze powder (3 'scoops')
    ~1 part methylcellulose (1 scoop)
    - Distilled water to powdery clay
    - Massaged with olive oil until workable consistency

    Molding clay. :
    - Made a number of my usual 'test coins'…a small disk about the size and thickness of a quarter…imprinted with a simple pattern.
    - Dried at ~100°F for about 6 hours. Then left sitting overnight at room temp.

    Firing and results:
    I fired the clay with three attempts. Each coin separately.

    1. First coin.
    Fired using the same technique for store-bought PMC3 bronze clay.
    - Large butane torch
    (https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
    - 8 minute timer.
    - Burned off binder for ~1 min
    - Sintered at nice, cherry red glow for 7 mins.
    - Immediately cooled in water (dropped in room temp water)
    - Results: See image one. Coin crumbled like ash No discernable metal sintered.

    2. Second coin.
    Fired using significantly higher heat.
    - Large butane torch
    - 8 minute timer.
    - Burned off binder for ~1 min
    - Sintered at bright orange glow for 7 mins.
    - Immediately cooled in water (dropped in room temp water)
    - Results: See image two. Most of coin disintegrated during sintering. INTERESTING NOTE: Little balls of molten bronze bubbled to surface. Edges of coin appear to have sintered.

    3. Third coin.
    Fired using significantly lower heat.
    - Small butane torch (https://www.amazon.de/Melting-Brazin...c+butane+torch)
    - 8 minute timer.
    - Burned off binder for ~1 min
    - Sintered below any observable heat glow for 7 mins.
    - Immediately cooled in water (dropped in room temp water)
    - Results: See image three. Basically, the same as one. Coin breaks in half easily (easier than breaking the dried clay before hand )

    SOOOOOOOOOO!
    ANY IDEAS WHAT I'M DOING WRONG? WHAT I CAN CHANGE?

    Thanks!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Try1.jpg   Try2.jpg   Try3.jpg  

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