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First, the 'n' really is silent, at least according to the American Heritage Dictionary. There are kilns as big as your house, used for cooking everything from grain to stone, but we don't need to concern ourselves with those. Even in the sub-sub-category of benchtop electric kilns there are plenty of questions. Let's take a look at a few.... (2004) Complete Story
Casting is one way to move into production, but you can also take your first steps into multiples without mastering the intricacies of molten metal. PMC's moldable qualities make it well suited for short-run production. In producing multiples in PMC, you'll use the same techniques used to transfer textures or to produce PMC components for one-of-a-kind bracelets. If you can create a single piece by pressing PMC into a mold, you can do it dozens of times..... (2004) Complete Story
It is easy to forget that when we remove PMC from the kiln, what we have is a piece of metal and we can bring to bear on that piece any and all of the myriad techniques employed in regular metalworking.
With our standard PMC tools and not much more than an additional file, hammer, and a drill, we can incorporate other materials into our PMC and our PMC into other materials. I am using for this project Faux one, a PVC product that is easy to use, extraordinarily durable, inexpensive, and safe. It can be hammered, filed, sanded, polished, heated, molded, drilled, and carved. The PMC can be pushed around or into it and it is so tough you can hammer on it, which I do in the project presented here.... (2006) Complete Story
The art of self-promotion is less about celebrity than it is about perseverance. Breaking into print doesn't take a magic touch or fabulous connections in the publishing world. It does take attractive work, some basic materials such as photos and press releases, a dollop of good luck, and a willingness to keep trying until that luck turns up.... (2004) Complete Story
The doors to the craft show have opened, and customers are beginning to make their way down the aisle. One stops at your booth to look at your PMC jewelry.'What is this?' she asks. That question looms large for many in the PMC community. Do you answer 'Fine Silver' or 'Precious Metal Clay'? Both are technically correct, so the question is, which will help you make the sale?.... (2004) Complete Story
