PMC - Technique Overview

1. Use badger balm or oilve oil on your hands and base card/roller/cutters/textures.
2. Each coated playing card is 1mm in thickness.  Use 4-6 cards either side for light textures and 5-8 cards for heavy textures.
3. Practice designs and textures using molding clay or soft plasticine. (Filo may be too hard).
4. Handle the PMC clay as little as possible.
5. Use straws or suitable small item to make holes in clay.  Holes can also be of various shapes e.g. square, diamond, stars.
6. Use a hand drill to make holes on dry clay. 
7. Remember to decorate the back of the clay too using a textured surface.
8. Put at least 8 playing cards either side of the clay and one card with a little olive/balm oil it under the clay.
9. Roll the clay by applying even pressure with a plastic or glass roller, once up and once down.  Remove one card either side and repeat.
10. Apply your design or texture ensuring the cards are in place either side when rolling or applying.
11. Cut out your design after you have completed above steps using a cookie cutter, tools or freehand design.
12. Add hole now or at dry stage or make a bail and add on using paste or make a rollover bail. (All techniques shown on taster class)!
13. Leave your completed piece to dry on hot plate/mug warmer until all mositure has dried.  1-2 Hours is usually sufficient.
14. Sand/file your pendant.  For mirrow finish use graded polishing papers.
15. Fire using a gas torch for 3 minutes. Make sure you place the item on a fire proof block and use tweezers to handle your item(Switch off or dim the lights so the salmon colour of the item is visible and helps maintain even heat without overheating your item). Never touch the heated piece.
16. Leave to cool down.  Never quench items that contain Stones/Cubic Zircons.
17. Brush your finished piece using a steel or brass brush.  Not too much as it could leave scrach marks.
18. Use a burnisher to sparkle or put into a tumbler for a few hours or overnight for a high polish.
19. Use a polishing cloth to finish off with a polished sparkle.
20. Use a silver chain to hang your finished piece ready to wear or present as a gift.