[Jewelry making - Article 00284] - Re: [Orchid] PMC vs Art clay

[Mary Ellin D'Agostino]

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>     I have been looking into the different metal clays. Some pepole
>     prefer one over the other. What would you recommend and why? Art
>     Clay brand or PMC3+?

    The two brands are very similar. It is like Coke and Pepsi--some
    people prefer one over the other. Many people will use either brand.
    The only way for you to answer this for yourself is to purchase a
    small package of each brand and try them out. 

    There are multiple products offered by each company, so a good
    comparison would start with using the comparable products. For
    example PMC3 and ACS650 are the "equivalent" products; as are PMC+
    and ACS Standard. Each product has *slightly* different working
    properties. Most people who express a preference tend to prefer the
    brand they started out using or the brand their teacher prefers.
    After firing, it is impossible to tell which brand was used. 

    Combine the results of you testing with a price comparison and you
    will find your answer. When comparing prices, be sure to compare the
    net silver content rather than the clay weight for the most accurate
    price information. You can also compare the weight of the clay
    (silver + binder + water), but this will be a little less accurate
    as the percentages of binder and water are a little different in the
    various formulations. Be extra careful to not compare clay weight in
    one brand to net silver weight in the other brand. The PMC brand
    lists both net and clay weights on their packaging, while the ACS
    brand tends to list the clay weight with the silver percentage in
    parentheses next to it. 

    If you have a strong working preference, go with that, if not go for
    price. The two brands are fully compatible, so you don't have to
    limit yourself to one brand unless you choose to do so. [Note: the
    one exception to this is ACS Oil Paste, which is used to repair or
    attach already fired pieces]. 

    I have worked extensively with both brands and like both. I currently
    work with and teach using the PMC brand for business reasons. 

Mary Ellin D'Agostino, PhD
www.medacreations.com
Sr. Teacher, PMC Connection
Certified Artisan, PMC Guild
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