I'd read that it was possible to fire copper clay with a torch which was great as I don't have a kiln. The distinct lack of definitive firing times for copper clay using a torch should have made me think about it a bit more! The brand I used recommended at least 7 minutes for small pieces......................
I tried and tried with my propane/butane mix torch to sucessfully fire my small and not very thick pieces to a fully sintered stage - where the clay has changed structure and become 100% copper. Up to 15 minutes plus on most pieces and did it work? No it did not! Being used to working with sheet copper and feeling slightly suspicious of the look of the fired and cleaned up clay pieces, I took my pliers to them and managed to snap every single piece quite easily, revealing a very thin layer of copper around the outside with the centre still very much in it's clay form! So disappointing! The thin copper layer tricks you into thinking the torch firing worked - the piece sounds metallic when you drop it into the pickle pot and looks like copper when you clean it up but attempt to bend it with some pliers and watch it snap! I contacted the manufacturer asking for some guidelines on firing times and was basically told what I already knew - fire for a minimum of 7 minutes, no other info at all. Very helpful! Firing them for longer may have worked but pointing a torch at a small piece of clay for 20 minutes plus is not time-effective, not very good for your health and would frankly drive me insane!
And the moral of this? Don't believe what the manufacturers tell you about torch firing copper clay - in my humble opinion it does not work. Correctly firing it in a kiln is the way to go!
Hence the reason I'm selling my pmc books and tools! Available in my eBay shop
New Directions In Metal Clay by Cece Wire
Metal Clay Jewelry by Louise Duhamel
Texture mats
Roller, needle cutter and circle cutter set
More texture mats
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