Ask the Experts | Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: I bought some silver Art Clay some years ago, it's never been opened. Do you know if it can still be used? I would be firing it with a butane torch. Thanks!

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Ask the Experts Stones Q&A

Q: I'm interested in embedding very tiny CZ's in a PMC pendant. The stones are too small to use pliers to pick up, so I'm not sure how to do this.

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Ask the Experts Art Clay® Q&A

Q: I recently made a ring out of Art Clay silver, and can't get it off the mandrel! I've found a lot of suggestions for preventing Art Clay from sticking in the future, but none that help me fix what's already been done. How do I get my ring free without breaking it or having to start over?

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Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: Can I use different metal clays on the same piece, e.g. bronze, copper, and or silver?

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Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: How can you prevent open, unused silver clay from turning moldy? We have the unused silver wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, sealed with masking tape to keep the plastic wrap from coming loose. Then we place the silver in an air tight rubber maid container with a sponge that is wet. Does it just turn moldy over time or is there something different we should be doing?

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Ask the Experts Firing Q&A

Q: I just bought a new kiln and have tried the time and temperature listed, but my pieces are coming out not completely fired. How do I adjust the time and temperature without ruining more silver and copper clay?

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Ask the Experts Firing Q&A

Q: I want to make a bracelet that is not a bangle but one that doesn't touch each side. What can I use to mold and fire on?

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Ask the Experts Molds Q&A

Q: I am interested in creating my own jewelry company. I have started out by making bracelets, however I need to separate my bracelets from other bracelet makers. I have many ideas of beads I want to design myself but am not sure how to go about getting them created. For example, some companies have their logos as pendants on a lot of their jewelry. I want to make a logo pendant for my bracelets but am not sure how to "create" it. Are there jewelry supply companies that can make my logo into a pendant or is this something I have to create on my own?

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Ask the Experts Setting Marcasite in Art Clay® Q&A

Q: I'm interested in doing silver clay jewelry. What's the best way to get started? I love marcasite. Can I put them in the silver clay and then heat or is it best to glue them in later. Would I use jewelry glue or slip?

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Ask the Experts Using Toilet Paper Tubes Q&A

Q: We've saved the cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels for a long time--I've done a lot of craft projects with my kids and am looking for a new idea--do you have anything that we can use them for that would incorporate Art Clay® or Kato Polyclay™?

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Ask the Experts Polymer Clay Q&A

Q: I have just recently gotten into experimenting with polymer clays. I remember hearing or reading somewhere, before I got into clay, that there is a two-part mold-making material that is intended for clay use. I'd like to make some of my own molds. What are my options that will complement the nature and characteristics of the clay?

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Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: I have many large uncalibrated stones. I would like to create my own mounts with Artclay. Will the prongs bend and not be too brittle for setting the stones after firing?

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Ask the Experts Fine Silver Q&A

Q: Can Hill Tribes items be fired with metal clay? This is technically fine silver; but, will it mess up any design?

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Ask the Experts Art Clay® Is Pure Silver Q&A

Q: I am interested in working with metal clay but was wondering if there is a difference between the silver clay and the pure silver that you can buy. Also, if I sold a piece of silver made from the clay, would I have to make a special note of it to the customer or could I just say it is pure silver?

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Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: After firing metal clay earrings, I decided to try to bend a corner of one of them, and it snapped off! Was it not fired long enough? Is there any way to make a new piece and fire it on the existing earring?

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Ask the Experts Metal Clay Q&A

Q: I had some left over Art Clay and wrapped it back into the original packaging. When I went to work with it again a few weeks later, it crumbled. I added some water and put it back in the packaging but it is still in pieces. Can you suggest another way of reconstituting it?

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