MIXING - The contents SILVER AND BINDER
are combined together inside the one packet. The mixed
powder should be placed in a non-porous container, i.e. glass, plastic,
or glazed ceramic BUT NOT METALLIC. A way to
remember how much water to add is simply start by adding
ONE DRIP TO EVERY GRAM of dry powder (NOTE:
drips from an eye dropper are a third to half the volume of a fat-drip from a
faucet). Allow powder to soak up
water then begin mixing around with finger or mini spatula. You can also
hydrate the MCP on a piece of plastic cling film. Next
pinch up the mix when it is quite dry but can lump all together,
move to the palm of hand and lightly moisten when needed and continue
kneading until it is clay-like. Afterwards the mixed
clay should be allowed to MATURE before use by
allowing it to set for at least 15 minutes wrapped in plastic cling film. After
maturation, the clay should be rolled flat and kneaded a few times before
working with. If the clay become very sticky when kneading in your
hand, just continue to knead
allowing the binder to soak up the moisture and it will become more and
more less sticky to the hands. In this latest update, small dark
colored gels can be visible when initially hydrating MCP. These gels
indicate the clay needs more kneading if seen after maturation. We recommend that you do not use oils or glycerin when mixing the clay,
as those will inhibit the properties of the binder (see A More Workable
Clay? section below). The moisten silver
clay never 'sets' like cement, therefore hardened work-in-progress can
simply be wetted (albeit will take a longer from a fully dried clay),
but it will dissolve in water. Unused moist clay may be stored if closed
tightly in plastic cling wrap. Use only room temperature water, tap is
ok, best if distilled water is used. |
SHAPING - Kneading is important but under some
circumstance tiny air bubbles could become trapped in the folds, make
sure kneading is done with lots of squeezing. Also it is better
you flattened the clay down on a surface then cut out with a blade.
While working the clay will dry out if the humidity in the work area is
less then 100%, therefore keep a wet cotton tip swab handy for
moisturizing. As SUGGESTION: You may want to
add in a few drips ~1:5 liquid soap to water to the moistened MCP
(see A More Workable Clay? section below), this can further increase drying while working the clay and allow for ease in
carving afterward. If you're making an impression of another object onto the
clay a release agent or thin coat of oil may be used on the surface of that object then the
clay pressed onto that surface then released shortly thereafter.
After a shape is made coat with a slip paste to smoothen its surface.
This may be done by rubbing the surface with water on your finger to
smoothen out finger print impressions and fill cracks made by folds in
the clay. If you are using Burn Aways
metal clay template mold, the clay
will need be pressed on to with sufficient force to completely
filling its voids. |
DRYING - Air drying the clay is best if rested on a brick or
coated metal or nylon
mesh surface and especially if it has a decent flat surface area.
The clay object should air dry for a period of 12-24 hours before
firing. For MCP v4 clay warping on drying is much less of an issue
since the clay have slight a degree of flex when air dried. Dry clay
will have more bend warm versus that of lower temperature. When MCP is molded or pressure applied to make an impression of an object,
you should remove from that surface before the clay dries. MCP
dried out on a surface can be difficult to remove intact. Using a hair blow drier
or mug warmer are methods of rapid dry but still be aware of the surface
the clay is upon. Do not use a hot blow gun and never place moist
or partially moist clay in kiln or use the torch. Once dried the
clay's shape can be refined with the use of a cutting tool, knife, or
rotary tool. Dried rolled flat clay can be cut with scissors and can be
scribed with engraving/die-cutting machines like the Cricut©
and Silhouette© Cameo as well as be punched thru with
stampers and embossing/crimper pliers.
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FIRING - Your MCP can be fired atop a
stove or flame torch, but a kiln is highly recommended. Your pre-fired
clay or green-body must be completely dry of moisture before being fired
or blistering and excessive warping can occur. We recommend a kiln or high temp furnace over
a torch flame because there is better control of temperature versus the
unevenness of an open flame. Range top or stove top (natural gas open
air) firing will not attain temperature high enough to fuse the silver,
it will only burn away the binder. Firing time varies with the thickness of
the item and efficiency of the kiln or even-ness of the flame spread.
Small rapid heat furnaces will generally require 50% more hold time. A
higher firing temp will require only a slightly less firing time.
Pre-fired items should be placed in the kiln held at 600F for up to10 minutes
to burn away binder, then increase temperature to begin sintering. The
minimum hold temp is 1250F, with a max fire temp of 1680F. For a hard fire
(necessary for rings and most jewelry) hold at the upper temperature range for an excess of
20 minutes
+ 20 minutes for each millimeter of thickness. For maximum hardness and
shrinkage you should hold at the max temp for 2 hours. Rapid heating
will
quickly vaporize the binder, and the clay may flake, blister, pop
pieces off or crack. Small pieces of silver findings and wire as well as
other silver clay objects can be fused together when kiln fired at max
temp. Firing
clay must be done in a ventilated area as the firing of metal clays
produce smoke. Do not initially fire MCP in activated carbon. If a
carbon fire is required, make sure you fire at 1250F for 20 minutes in
open air before doing so. At 1250F the silver will shrink a
minimum with binder burn off and allow for alteration before a finish
firing. |
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Metal Clay
Powder?
Imagine owning the philosophers stone? Rather
yet a philosophers powder in which you add water then burn in fire, and
finally emerge an object of solid silver. You now
have the power to transform mud into an object of fine
silver beauty. The main ingredient is pure silver metal, along
with organic binder and water. When the product is fully air-dried, and
fired at the appropriate temperature and time, the finished
product will have great strength, and will take a polish just as
any other silver metal object.
The purpose of the MCP?
MCP allows for artists to use silver clay in a
variety of different ways. A versatile clay with almost
indefinite shelf life, MCP is a value alternative enabling you to
make limited production runs or create larger
artistic sculpture while maximizing profit margin.
The advantage of silver clay
in powder form.
MCP only needs water to bring it to life. Even
hardened unused clay can be brought back to life with just a few
drops of water. If you have made a mistake such as your
work-in-progress got cracked or broke, you can make a thin clay
paste, and actually cement-together the pieces. Say you destroyed your
work-in-progress, simply dissolve it in a few drops of water
then you have clay once again. MCP has almost unlimited
shelf life. To prolong the effectiveness of the binder it should
always be kept in its bag and away from dampness. 50 grams
of MCP is equal to approximately 60 grams of a workable fine
silver clay! Some other clays on the market may be selling you
up to 20% water and binder in their package.
What warnings?
Metal Clay Powder is non-poisonous, but then
again a lot of silver powder in your system isn't good; not for
anyone. The binder component is made of a mixture of long chain
cellulose that are from plant derived fibers. Heating the clay will release volatile vapors that will sustain a flame
in open air. Artisans
should wear dusts mask and glasses if carving with a sharp
object, high speed rotary tool
or powered sander/grinder. Improperly fired clay can pop and send
chips flying. MCP (moist) should not 'stay' in contact
with other metal surfaces except silver or gold. The clay
powder does not contain mercury, lead ...only metal is Silver. |
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Recommended tools and equipment: |
Kiln capable of holding temperatures at 1250F
- 1680F
digital gram
scale for weighing 8oz
dish for mixing mixing rod a brick
eye protection
latex gloves particulate mask carving tools sandpaper timer
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Project Ideas?
Make
unique jewelry
Board game pieces Key ring fobs Trophies
Chess pieces
Flash memory cases
Fingerprint
Charms Sculptures Models Amulets Utensils
Candle holders Furniture accents Clothing accents Buttons Handles RPG figurines Dollhouse accessories Awards Silver pottery
Ornaments Belt buckles Commemorative decorations
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~ BUY NOW ~
Price is $99.99 Free shipping within USA, select
your quantity after you click 'Add to Cart' button below .
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~ More Facts and Tips ~ Silver
powder: is the most valued ingredient,
generally valued four times higher than market price for
silver. We developed a method to make and dry the silver
powders quickly and efficiently. The silver used in MCP is
at least 99.9% fine silver. The binder is made of a cellulose
fiber derivative and modified corn starch. MCP can be used in
conjunction with or as a slip with other available silver
clays. MCP will shrink during the drying phase as
water can contribute up to ten percent of the clay mass.
As it dries it will become smaller and can shrink up to 1%.
Silver melting
point: is above 1700F (1761F to be exact) however silver may appear to melt at a temp
just above 1500F. Small rapid heat burnout furnaces or mini
kilns are electric and have fully exposed heating coils and
insulated with fiber board. These type of kilns during
ramp to 1680F may be hotter and cooler in areas of the
inside since 1680F is the temp of the thermocouple. Silver has the property of being the most
thermally conductive of all metals thus it heats or gets hotter
faster than anything else around it. MCP being fired will
produce smoke, soot, and sustain a flame just as any metal clays on market. MCP
is 96% silver weight. Each pack of MCP
contains 50 grams or 1.61 troy oz fine silver,
Clay Fire Shrinkage: The minimum fire temp is 1250F;
Pieces fired at this temp will experience about 10% linear
shrinkage however the fired object will have less strength
thus will be easily burnished but will much easily scratch and
break when bended. Higher temperature firings i.e. 1680F and
longer hold temps e.g. 60 minutes or longer will yield the densest end
product with shrinkage ranging 9% to 11% linear. The higher
firing temp objects will be harder (more malleable) than lower fire temp
objects. Large items such as sculptures and pieced thicker
than a small coin should be fired longer than the specified
time. Generally add 15 to 20 minutes of fire time for
every millimeter in thickness the item is.
Patinas: If you want to add a patina either with
sulfur or iodine, it is best if you hard fire your clay.
Clay objects fired at low or mid range temperatures are more
porous and will soak up external liquids. Liver of
sulfur (sodium sulfide) and iodine toned clays that were not hard fired will
continue to coat over even long after it has been dried and
finished. A hard fire is necessary to avoid the
leaching of surface patina chemicals. Silver sulfide is the
most water insoluble substance known that can dissolve in
water! Hydrogen Peroxide is an excellent stop bath for
patina chemicals.
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Comparison of MCP to other silver clays of 50 grams sizes.
figures given are approximates and averages
Model |
Make |
% Silver as supplied |
Nominal Firing temp / time per
mm |
Linear Fire Shrinkage |
PMC3/Flex |
Precious Metal Clay |
90% Ag |
20min @ 1300F |
13% |
Art Clay Silver |
Art Clay |
92% Ag |
30min @ 1200F |
10% |
MetalMagic/FYI/ProjX |
various |
80% Ag |
60min @ 1600F |
25% |
MCP |
Metal
Clay Powder |
96% Ag |
60min @
1550F |
9% |
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A More Workable Clay?
When you're ready to work with MCPSILVER999 use
Distilled water: Not all bottled water is the same. Look for
distilled water at your grocery store. Truly distilled or de-ionized water hydrates the
binder best. Rain water actually beats most store bought distilled
waters! Bottled drinking water
for the most part is the same as tap water as it contain halides for
preservation. Working in low humidity will reduce the drying time. Do not
freeze the clay after it has been mixed. Glycerin: Can add about
50% more flex to the dried clay. It also reduces the likelihood that it may
stick to a mold as it is pressed in. In this update additional cellulose, glue
and soap are not necessary to improve workability. White School Glue:
when added to moistened clay will stiffen clay. In some applications an artist
may want a hard clay but not one that is on the brink of drying out. Note:
clay additives may increase firing shrinkage from a green form. Refrigerate:
thin pieces with large surfaces may warp or bend some upon drying; usually due
to uneven drying. Placing in the refrigerator may reduce warping especially
useful if you use molds.
Roll it out: When removing MCPSILVER999 from its package it may
feel solid and grainy. This is fine because when it is hydrated and properly
kneaded it will turn out smooth and pliable. Small dark spots may be seen when
you initially work your clay. It is necessary to let your clay mature
for 15 minutes or 10 minutes of constant kneading between fingers. The
dark spots are tiny gels that link together as the clay is worked, these gels
will disappear. When it has been worked
well in hand place it between two sheets of plastic cling film (adhesive backing
paper works very
well) and roll with a rolling pin making it flat. Pick the flattened clay
up and knead further and roll it flat again. You may have to do this four or
five times or more. Minimizing Porous Surface: porous surfaces on clay means
air is becoming trapped when rolling. Using plain paper with a thin light
layer of oil soaked in will allow the trapped air to escape. Normally the clay
should sit at least one minute before removing from the paper.
Syringe applicator: You can
use a syringe as a clay/paste applicator. Use a syringe of 5cc or better
without a needle. Pieces of left over clay are placed into the syringe
and plunger re applied. Add in water to the level of clay, cap the syringe and
set aside for a at least 2 days. This syringe applicator is useful for joining
two or more pieces of clay before or after being fired. Filling a syringe
for use as an applicator
is best done with two syringes. First syringe is used to evenly hydrate the
clay. With the nozzle removed (broken away), squeeze out the clay directly into the bottom
of the next syringe, filling it slowly as to minimize trapping air. You then re-insert the plunger then push up slowly until the clay flows out
the nozzle..
960 Alloy Clays. Starting about 2013, artisans discovered the
benefits of sterling alloy clays' harder fire but with the ease of firing
999f.s. clay. As you may wondered clay artists have experimented with MCPSILVER999 mixing it with other silver clay and base metal clay products that
are available. Although we do not encourage MCPSILVER999 to be mixed
with other clay products, we however won't condone your own endeavors nor will
we
promote a specific brand over another. It should however be noted
that base metal powered clays are a poor choice to make an alloy with MCPSILVER999. Better success although have been achieved with a 50/50
mixture of a ready-use sterling clay than a 96/4 mixture of a ready-use copper
or base metal clay.
Make a Base Mold:
A base mold is a form at which you will use as a basis to make your clay
object on... similar to how a dressmaker use a form to measure patterns on.
The lowest cost base mold is made from ordinary beach sand. First you
should choose the sand, and sieve through a strainer to get the smallest
possible grain size. Further grinding in a (non-purpose) coffee mill or
with a mortar and pestle to make a finer sand. Wash this sand well in a pot, if possible boil the
sand to wash and rinse away all salts, and debris. Now dry the sand by heating
on stove or oven in a glass pot. Allow to cool then sieve this sand and place
in a jar for storage. To make the base mold, obtain methyl cellulose,
tapioca, or modified grain starch and one heaping tablespoon should be enough
for a coffee cup of sand. Add in small amounts of water until you can shape
the sand easily into the shape you desire. Allow this to dry then form your
metal clay around or on this sand mold and allow to dry on the mold. If
your metal clay object can easily be removed from the mold then take it off
prior to placing in kiln; if not then place the clay object including base
mold and fire at the required temperature for the metal clay. Once
cooled, the sand mold will fall to free flowing sand again at which can be
discarded. This is especially useful method when making hollow forms and
larger 3D objects. There are fancy other products available including hollow
glass spheres and carbon-based solids like wood dust which shrinks too, all work well, but nothing beats
sand price-wise.
Give Your Clay Surface A Black Patina:
To give the surface more contrast, a patina can be assed to the surface of
MCPSILVER999. To do so you will need sodium
sulfide (aka liver of sulfur) and hydrogen peroxide. Sodium sulfide can
be made by dissolving sodium hydroxide in distilled water and adding in a
small amount of sulfur to it making it dissolve. The sodium sulfide will
need to be dissolved in water. Using two small dishes; one for the sodium
sulfide liquid and the other for hydrogen peroxide. ~wear gloves and eye
protection when handling these chemicals~ The fired silver item is dipped into
hydrogen peroxide for a minute or so to clean and prep the surface - rinse off
in water or dry on a clean napkin - dip in the sulfide liquid for 10 seconds
then pull out and dip into the peroxide for 10 seconds - rinse off in water or
dry with a napkin and repeat the sulfide / peroxide dips. When at the
desired darkness (usually 3-5 repeats) clean with soap and water. Polish
the relief areas with an abrasive polish by hand, then optional; tumble in
stainless shot mill and clean in ultrasonic bath. Finally the piece can be
lightly oiled and flame torched to season in. |
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☛ ~Latest Update~ v4.2
or MCP4.
Product now exhibits <10% fire shrinkage. Binders allow for added flexibility
when moist,
quicker hydration, less sticky to hands & more sticky to itself, even easier
flow, ideal for syringe applications and quick slip. ☛
The New Metal Clay Powder! called MCPSILVER 999,
version 3. These updates come with all
new packaging that is lightweight and takes up less space. Now giving
you the full 50 grams of silver powder. This version was
replaced by the v3.5 in summer 2015.
☛
Introduced in 2006, Silver Smiths' Metal Clay Powder is the
first silver clay to be sold in powder form and sold for
only half the price other commercially available ready made silver
clays. Versions 1 and 2 carried on until 2013. |
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THESETMASTER Fulfillment LLC
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Product
MSDS
| eMail: claypowder@gmail.com
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