Manipulation of Metal Clay and Calculation of sizes
Crafting using a metal medium has the advantage of producing beads, jewelry, and sculptures that are strong and not likely to break, besides the fact that preciousness can be added to the product. However, manipulation of metals as a craft medium is difficult as they are not as convenient as soft clay. This problem has been overcome through the use of metal clay, which consists of small particles of metals and a binder resulting in a medium similar to clay. The most common metals used include gold, silver, platinum, copper, bronze and steel, which are produced by various manufacturers such as Art Clay, Hadar's Clay, PMC and Metal Adventures. The different types of metal clay have different properties in terms of ease of use and shrinkage rates. Some of them for instance gold, platinum, and silver are more expensive while others require specialized firing only in kilns, for example bronze and copper.
The tools used to manipulate and shape metal clay include Teflon non-stick surfaces, rollers, playing cards, knives, and molds among others. The resulting product is then dried and then fired through several means including a kiln or hand held torches. The type of firing selected depends on the material. During firing, some mass is lost as the binder is burnt away, leading to a reduction in size, which is referred to as shrinkage. The rates of shrinkage differ according to the type of metal and its particle sizes, the type of binder used, the temperature of firing, and the time taken in firing among others. Clay shrinkage calculator is thus an important tool to people in this business as they enable one to determine the final size of their product from an original size or the size of the original required to make a desired final size.
The metal clay calculator is available for free use as a form of marketing by outlets advertising their clay products on the internet. You are required to enter the type of clay and the original size in millimeters or inches and the answer is presented to you in the units you prefer. This means that you should first measure your clay either in terms of length or width and then enter these into the fields provided in the online shop calculator. The height can also be measured in terms of playing cards, crafts, and other tools used to roll the clay during manipulation. You can also work in reverse, entering the desired final size and getting the original size you should start with. For instance, 1mm original size will give 0.75mm or 0.03 inches in a PMC shrinkage calculator.
The figure given by clay shrinkage calculator is usually an estimate that is based on the maximum rates of shrinkage given by the clay manufacturer, hence accuracy is not guaranteed. Other factors also come into play besides the shrinkage rate, including the time and temperature of firing, and the size and thickness of the original product. Metal clay calculator however, offer reliable figures that one can use for metal clay for business or hobby purposes.
The tools used to manipulate and shape metal clay include Teflon non-stick surfaces, rollers, playing cards, knives, and molds among others. The resulting product is then dried and then fired through several means including a kiln or hand held torches. The type of firing selected depends on the material. During firing, some mass is lost as the binder is burnt away, leading to a reduction in size, which is referred to as shrinkage. The rates of shrinkage differ according to the type of metal and its particle sizes, the type of binder used, the temperature of firing, and the time taken in firing among others. Clay shrinkage calculator is thus an important tool to people in this business as they enable one to determine the final size of their product from an original size or the size of the original required to make a desired final size.
The metal clay calculator is available for free use as a form of marketing by outlets advertising their clay products on the internet. You are required to enter the type of clay and the original size in millimeters or inches and the answer is presented to you in the units you prefer. This means that you should first measure your clay either in terms of length or width and then enter these into the fields provided in the online shop calculator. The height can also be measured in terms of playing cards, crafts, and other tools used to roll the clay during manipulation. You can also work in reverse, entering the desired final size and getting the original size you should start with. For instance, 1mm original size will give 0.75mm or 0.03 inches in a PMC shrinkage calculator.
The figure given by clay shrinkage calculator is usually an estimate that is based on the maximum rates of shrinkage given by the clay manufacturer, hence accuracy is not guaranteed. Other factors also come into play besides the shrinkage rate, including the time and temperature of firing, and the size and thickness of the original product. Metal clay calculator however, offer reliable figures that one can use for metal clay for business or hobby purposes.
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