Contact
Contact Elaine Luther at Suggestalink (at) gmail (dot) com.
All Things Metal Clay
An Expert Guide to Making & Selling Jewelry
All Things Metal Clay- Call for Entries: PMC Guild final conference show
- Bronze Clay Hair Thingies
- Project Accessory premieres tomorrow!
- Review: Craft Activism
- How to make your own cookie cutters
- Are artists dying of exposure?
- Call for Entries: Refined
- Book Announcement: Craft Activism
- Zombie, sewn-on look necklace
- Scholarships at Metalwerx, Revere
Dear Sir,
I would like to have information if you have a shop selling the metal clay & bronze clay in Washington DC
Thank you,
Rini
Hi, Rini.
You can purchase precious metal clay and bronze clay from several online sources. A few that come to mind are cooltools.us, pmcsupply.com, riogrande.com,….just type in the words “metal clay” in your search engine, and a whole list of suppliers should pop up! As far as metal clay being sold in a specific shop in Washington, you’d have to get more specific in the search engine, or check your local bead stores (yellow pages), which might carry the clay. Good Luck!
I’m unable to access your “Rolling Coils” tutorial. Please advise. Much thanks.
Hi, Elaine.
I recently made a non-functioning, lock-style bead from PMC+. The bead is shaped like a heart, with an opening in front for a key. The bead is composed of 3 sides – front and back and a side “band” that runs around the perimeter and connects the front and back. Both front and back are textured. The bead is approx. 42mm x 28mm, with the band’s depth being 4mm. It was fired on a fiber blanket. I thought this would be sufficient, but I think the blanket may have had an indentation/curve to it. The bead was fired lying on the back side, and when it finished cooling, the result was a convex back. The front of the bead also slumped to a concave appearance. How can I avoid this in the future? Also, is there something you can recommend to fix this bead, such as re-firing? Thanks for your help!
Could you email me a picture? It’s hard to picture.
send to suggestalink (at) gmail.com
Thanks!
@Ginger Lou, I fixed the link, thanks!
Hi Eliane.
I found the wonderful alphabet tool and I would really like to use this for my wedding.
– making for example the place cards in white clay and then write the guests names with the alphabet tool.
But I live in Denmark – Can I still buy it?
Best Regards
Katrine.
Hi,
I’m so sorry I can’t ship outside the US, but perhaps a local letterpress printer could make the same item for you. It’s also relatively easy to make your own photopolymer plates.
The Enamelist Society would like to post information about our conference and exhibition that will take place in August 2009 on your website as well as list our website link in your resources section. Please let me know if there is a charge for this, and how we go about doing this. I can send you a file with information about the conference and exhibition.
Thank you,
Betsy D’Addamio
The Enamelist Society Office
Thanks for your interest! I’m always happy to receive relevant press releases, send to suggest a link at g mail dot com.
Hello
i woul love to see some more unusual letter stamping kits – they all tend to be of an upper case, i have seen some great ones in the US namely infinity stamps and beaducation. I have never been able to locate any like it in the UK, do you produce/sell these?
Regards
Ellen
Hi,
I am working with my kiln and precious metal clay for the first time. I am making a large mens pendant using cork clay as the core. Do I need to leave a hole in the metal clay for the cork to vent out as it burns or is it okay to cover the entire core with PMC3 paste?
In addition I read somewhere that I need to heat the kiln up to 800 f and hold for 30 minutes and then progress to the final heat stage. In the initial stages of heating up to 800 f – I also read that I need to vent the kiln with a small post – is this correct?
When it has finished at the 30mins of 800 – do I count these 30 minutes towards the total firing time?
Please advise
I am using my kiln for the first time this week and quite nervous
I am creating a hollow form using corkclay as the core. I intended to cover the entire corkclay with pmc3 – but I just read somewhere that I need to leave a hole for the corkclay to vent out while burning – I really did not want to have to fill or repair after the 1st firing.
Also some places it says that I need to ramp up the kiln slowly to 800 F and then hold for 30 minutes????
And also more conflicting info – states that I need to keep the kiln vented during the first 30 minutes in order for the smoke from the burning cork clay to vent? Other places it says do not attempt to open the kiln as the extra oxygen could cause a fire??
What would the best procedure be – the object is about 1/4″ but about 3″ long and 2.5″ wide, using PMC3 and paragon firefly.
You do not need to leave a hole in the PMC3.
Ramping up slowly and holding at 800 is a good idea.
You do not have to vent the kiln. Older kilns do not have the chimney thing, any smoke just comes out of the door top. If your kiln has a chimney, then yes, remove the stopper, as this will protect the paint on the kiln near the door. But it’s not a must.
Hope that helps!
Elaine,
I just came across your review of our book Day of the Dead Crafts. First I want to say thanks for purchasing the book and taking the time to comment on your blog. I found your review very useful. Of the three authors on the book none of us are jewelry makers. In our travels we saw lots of Day of the Dead jewelry but much of it was either very high-end or simple beading.
Best of luck!
Andrea
You’re quite welcome! Thanks for writing the book!
I need to find a place in North America to buy Liquid Photopolymer, suggestions?
t
Sure. Cooltools.us, the Stamp Castle… and MetalClaySupply.com
Hi Elaine,
Have you posted a link to a tutorial on “How to make your own cutters for MC”? If so, could you please let me know where it is?
Thanks,
Ziva
Hi Ziva, here’s one:
http://blog.craftygoat.com/2009/03/three_ways_to_make_your_own_co.html
~Elaine
Thank you so much! This is what I was looking for. Thanks for keeping us all informed,
Ziva
i love using photopolymer plates not the metal backed ones and photo sensitive film. what i wanted to ask about: i saw a few web sites that show what they call “Ghetto Kiln(s)” made with a flower pot covered in aluminum, clothing hanger bent like a handle, sitting atop a campfire butane/propane like stove eye, the main goal to burn out wax for a mold. what do you think can be used if i wanted to make a mold piece of my precious metal clay work either from the photopolymer plate and/or the actual silver or silicone negative mold. also what do you think of using sand casting and/or cuttlefish/tufa stone casting?
Hello Elaine,
Just found your blog at the Metal Clay Yahoo group. We’ve got a challenge going at Metal Clay Today right now and I’m wondering if you would help us spread the word.
I’ll be happy to give you all the details in a separate email.
I’d like to also speak with you about mutual links.
Thanks,
Tes
Sure, please email the details! Thanks!
In a routine search today, I found a link to your Squidoo page that includes your review of my ebook, Quick Money Secrets. I ceased publication of that ebook some time ago after banks stopped giving loans and its content was no longer of value. You should thus remove this review from your Squidoo lens. Please email me directly if you have any questions. Thanks, and Happy New Year!
This isn’t a comment but a question for you.
I want to know more about your Just Rite Home Stamping kit.
1. Can you use photocopies? In an art project I want to use hand prints other people send as scan to me in an email or paper photocopies.
2. Can I see some samples?
3. How much is machine and refills?
Hi,
I no longer sell this product, as I’ve closed down my web shop. You can buy it from Just Rite or CoolTools.us (under a different name.) You can learn about making “negatives” — the black and white transparencies from the websites of Whole Lotta Whimsey and Maggie Bergman.
I have been trying to do some fingerprint charms with PMC3. I have the fingerprints set in a RTV silicone mold and I need to reverse them so I can press them into the PMC3. My sister mailed me the prints or I would just press their fingers in straight away!
What is the best way to get a good cast of the mold to keep the details of the print?
The best detailed instructions are probably in one of these two books:
Or the downloadable one from Maggie Bergman, here’s my review of it:
http://www.creativetexturetools.com/news/2011/05/08/how-to-make-fingerprint-jewelry-by-maggie-bergman