[ABS Webmaster]

Sterling Silver Precious Metal Clay Class at Rio Grande Jewelry

Sally and drove south to Albuquerque, New Mexico last week for me to take a class in Sterling Silver Precious Metal Clay (PMC) Rio Grande Jewelry Supply. The Technical Staff at Rio Grande has been working with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation of Japan for the last year testing this new material of PCM Sterling which combines microscopic particles of metals in precise proportions of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper which are the same proportions as traditional sterling silver. Sterling silver is stronger than pure silver.

This was the first class conducted with PMC Sterling Silver and the instructors Yvonne Padilla and Thomas Flores were the same Rio Grande technical staff experts that were involved in the testing process. The instructors were outstanding and well prepared and were able to answer any question asked in easy to understand detail. I learned a great deal from each of them not only about PCM Sterling but other techniques that I have wanted to learn more about for my bladesmithing work. The class room facility was very well equipped and the audio visual display was second to none.

I took very good notes during the class and will be posting more information in this thread in the days and weeks to come about the techniques that I learned about. I agree with the instructors that PMC Sterling Silver is an exciting development in metal work and believe that there are many applications that we can use it for in our work in bladesmithing. I know that our members are aware of the excellent selection of tools and materials that are offered at Rio Grande but their technical staff is outstanding and you may want to consider taking a class at their facility.

This is a link to more information on PMC Sterling Silver on the Rio Grande blog, The Studio, click: PMC Sterling Testing at Rio Grande

[Allen Newberry]

Sounds interesting! I've wondered about that stuff.

[BrionTomberlin]

Thanks Dan. I have wondered about the PMC products and uses for our work. I look forward to your notes and information.
Brion

[Mike Williams]

Sounds like I am gonna have to start picking your brain!!

MW

[Karl B. Andersen]

Dan, you already know how I feel.

[Rick Baum]

Dan,

Thanks for sharing with us. It's always great to have first hand knowledge guiding the way and I appreciate your willingness to share your experience with us.

In reading the attachment to better understand this product I came up with a couple of questions that you may be able to help me with.

First, what kind of fumes or smoke is put off during the heating processes? Anything that would damage a HT furnace over time?

Second, there must be some sort of material shrinkage if there is a binder being burn off. If so, do you know approximately how much and, in your opinion, do you think it will be difficult to compensate for in our applications?

Rick

[Brian Thie]

Dan

Sounds like a great subject for a hammer in.

Rick, Rio Grande shows 10 to 20 % shrinkage.

Thanks

Brian

[ABS Webmaster]

Rick

As I indicated in my first post I am working on an article using my notes taken during the class for publication in this thread. I will be describing the tools, materials, and techniques that I learned about during the PMC Sterling Silver class at Rio Grande.

To answer your questions, the two firing processes in the Paragon oven successfully accomplished the steps of removing the binder in the metal clay and sintering the sterling silver without any of the effects that you asked about. Also with PMC Sterling Silver you can expect a shrinkage of approximately 15 to 20 % so that has to be factored into the design of the piece being created.

I was able to easily file, sand, polish, and even forge to shape the finished PMC Sterling pieces that I created during the class. I was impressed by the workability and strength of the PMC Sterling.

[Rick Baum]

Thanks Brian and Dan!

Dan, I look forward to your article.

Rick

[ABS Webmaster]

The tools and techniques used to work with PMC Bronze Clay are very similar to those used in working with PMC Sterling Silver. Rio Grande has produced a video that shows the techniques used in working with Bronze Clay. I can see several applications for our work including making parts for our knives and sheaths.

This is the video from Rio Grande:

[ABS Webmaster]

During the PMC Sterling Silver class at Rio Grande we had some hands on projects to complete which were very helpful in the learning process. I made the below Sterling Silver pendant and was smart enough to make it into a pendant for my wife and not a butt cap for a knife. It gives you an idea of what you can do with PMC Sterling Silver.

 Silver-Pendant.jpg (78.67K)
Number of downloads: 1

[BrionTomberlin]

I like that a lot Dan. Did you carve the clay in the pattern or did you use a die or stamp? And yes it would make a nice buttcap.
Brion

[ABS Webmaster]

Brion:

The two part Cold Mold Compound (Item #701-046) from Rio Grande was used to make a mold and then an impression was made with the shape wanted. I pressed in a flat piece of PMC Sterling Silver clay that I had worked into a hardened mold and made an impression on the clay from the form in the mold. I cut away the excess clay from the piece and shaped it. After the clay dried for a period of time on a hot plate it went through the two firing stages in the Paragon oven.

[ABS Webmaster]

This is a video clip that I just received from Rio Grande that shows how easily the PMC Sterling Silver can be formed to create an object. In the video a bracelet is being created but the same techniques can be used to create an intricately designed guard.