10
Tip! It is virtually impossible to
bring together a seam with a per-
fectly continuous pattern or texture.
If, like me, you are a fussbudget, the
final step before final drying and
firing is to carve in any interrupted
details. Metal clay in general, and
EZ960 in particular, carves very
well. My tools of choice for this
fix are tiny, sharp, wood carving
tools such as the micro ones from
Dockyard™. One is visible in the
center of this gathering of tools
used in this project.Form After
Firing?
I did try firing one of these rings
flat and soldering it afterwards.
If it is sintered to its maximum
density and the ring is not unduly
thick, this clay can be formed
into a ring after firing. Like all
metal clay I have ever used, it is
very difficult to solder a seam
beautifully, though. I have had
good success adding wet clay
to fired using EZ960, so if no
soldering has been done, cracks
or irregularities that become
visible after firing can be
repaired and refired.If you are creating a comfort fi t, as I
did, press the metal clay down with
fi ngers or brayer just enough to be
sure it stays centered and straight.8
Lay the domed pusher carefully
on the metal clay and squeeze
the parts together as evenly as
possible.
Turn the “sandwich” so that the
pusher is down and lift off the mold.
Trim the edges with a poly blade
while the clay is still supported on
the pusher to avoid fl attening the
other side.
In the real world — or at least in
mine — it took multiple tries to get
the clay centered correctly with the
image complete and the edges of
equal thickness. So examine every-
thing carefully and, if necessary, mush
it up and try again.
Double Duty: Make and Use
Simple Molds for Metal Clay
Jewelry (on-demand webinar)Make Molds
with Noël
Make Simple Molds for
Repeating Jewelry Designs in
Metal Clay and More (video)NOËL YOVOVICH is a professional metalsmith and maker, writing articles about jewelry making and teach- http://www.interweave.com/jewelry
ing jewelry classes around the country. Learn more and watch for workshops and classes at Noël Yovovich
Art Jewelry on Facebook and on her website: http://www.NoelYovovich.Bigcartel.com.
9
Once you are satisfi ed, cut the
ring to length. Cut the ends
diagonally, in the same direction
at both ends, so the overlap will
be larger than a simple butt joint.
Score the surface and wet it.10
Very gently and carefully
coax the ends together and
blend them enough to make them
stay together, then set the ring
aside to get stiff.
Once the ring is dry enough to
handle, you can work more wet clay
into the joint as necessary to make
it strong and even. Don’t worry if
the ring is not round; EZ960 is easy
to reshape after fi ring. You can also
fi x interrupted details (see tip).
Fire and fi nish!SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 57