COPPRclay guide.

Welcometo COPPRclay™!   

COPPRclay™is easily sculpted, molded, carved and formed,    and becomes solid copper when fired. Yourimagination and    just a few simpletools will allow you to create solid copper   pieces, from jewelry to sculptures!

Andbecause COPPRclay    is pure copper, it’sgreat for those artists who enjoy applying   enamels (note the required firing requirements on back).   

Workingwith COPPRclay™    COPPRclay™ is justthat: a clay. Like clay, it’s highly workable   but it also dries quickly. You’ll notice the clay stiffening and    cracking when it begins to dry.

Sometips to keep in mind:   

•Keep COPPRclay™ refrigerated until you’re ready to use    it and in between sessions.    • Rub a dab of olive oil on your handsbefore you begin    working with theclay.   

•While working the clay, refresh it periodically with a    small amount of water using a spray bottleor brush.   

•Wrap pieces that you are not currently working on    in plastic and place to the side.   

•Avoid using tools that absorb water.   

•When not in use, keep the clay tightly wrapped in plastic    and place the wrapped piece in a sealedplastic bag for    added protection.Store all unopened packages (as well    asopened packages) of COPPRclay™ in a refrigerator    when not in use.   

MakingSlip    Slip will quickly become one ofyour favorite tools for    working withCOPPRclay™, and it’s easy to make. Simply mix   tiny pieces of clay (filings, small dried or wet pieces, etc.) with    water (we recommend distilled water for alonger shelf-life)    until you reach atoothpaste consistency. Keep your slip   stored in a sealed container. Note: Slip will last for about    one week, so make only enough for yourimmediate need.   

Dryingthe Clay    Once you’ve finished yourpiece, you will need to dry the clay    beforefiring it. Gently place the piece on a warming surface    such as a coffee mug warmer or on the topof a kiln (be    careful to keep piecesaway from the kiln’s vents); an    inexpensivevegetable dehydrator works well, too. Once   dry, you’ll notice the clay is leather hard, making it very    easy to add finishing touches such asfiling, drilling, sanding    and carving.Once COPPRclay is fired, it’s much more difficult    to finish, so take advantage of thispre-fired stage to do as    much of yourdetailed finishing work as possible.  

 Firing   To reduce oxidation, the piece(s) must be embedded in    coconut shell–based activated carbon duringfiring. Important: Some coal-based carbons may  not fire COPPRclay properly; we recommend using coconut    shell–based activated carbon.   

FiringCOPPRclay™ is a two-step process that uses low    heat to vaporize the binder, then high heatto sinter the alloy.   

1)Spread 1" of coconut shell–based activated carbon    granules on the bottom of a stainless steelfiring    container .   

2)Place the piece on top of the layer; if firing two or more    pieces, leave at least 1/2" betweenpieces, more if the    pieces are large.   

3)Pour more activated carbon granules on top of the pieces    until the container is filled 1" fromthe top, making sure     there is a1/2" layer of granules on top of the pieces.    Again, if you are firing many pieces inlayers, make sure    there is at least1/2" of space between the vertical layers    as well. Note: Do not fire more than 100grams of clay at    once; overloading may cause poor sintering.    4) Put the stainless steel lid on thefiring container and    place it in thekiln on stilts to allow good heat circulation.   

Note:Front-loading kilns are cooler in the front near the    door, so the front of your firing containerwill be cooler    than the other sides.Compensate for this by placing the    piecescloser to the sides and back of the firing container,    making sure you leave at least 1" ofspace between the    pieces and the frontof the firing pan. If you have a    top-loadingkiln, there’s no need to adjust.  

 For COPPRclay™ pieces that will not beenamelled:    Regardless of thickness(embedded in coconut shell–based    activatedcarbon):

 Ramp at full speed to 1700°F–1800°F    (927°C–982°C) and hold for 3 hours (totalfiring time,    including ramp-time, willbe about 4 hours).

Mostfirings    perform well at 1700°F.However, if you discover that your    piecesare not sintering properly, try firing them at 1800°F.    Please Note: Blistering may occur at1800°F; if this occurs,    slightlydecrease the firing temperature.   

ForCOPPRclay™ pieces that will be enamelled:   Follow the two-phase firing schedule below if you plan    to enamel your piece.    Phase 1 (open-shelf fire)    For pieces 3mm thick or less: Place thepiece directly on the    firing shelf.Ramp at 500°F/hour (278°C/hour) then hold at   560°F (293°C) for 15 minutes.    Forpieces thicker than 3mm: Place the piece directly on    the firing shelf. Ramp at 200°F/hour(93°C/hour) then hold    at 560°F (293°C)for 15 minutes.    Phase 2 (sintering)    Regardless of thickness: Embed the piece incoconut    shell–based activated carboninside a firing pan. Ramp    at fullspeed to 1750°F (954°C) and hold for 31/2 hours.    Allow the piece to cool naturally insidethe kiln.    Finishing    Once fired, the COPPRclay™ piece is a solidpiece of    metal. As with other metals,it can be sawn, drilled,    sanded,patinaed or soldered using traditional jewelry    tools and materials.  Keep in mindthat many    finishing techniques will beeasier to perform at    the dried,pre-fired stage.    Safety    The binder in COPPRclay™ is non-toxic, andno toxic fumes    will be present duringfiring. Though rare, it is possible for   some individuals to experience    somesensitivity to COPPRclay™.    Werecommend wearing a dust    mask whileworking with the    activatedcarbon.