PROJECT : Textured link bracelet from metal clay

Materials:

Basic clay kit

20g art clay/pmc

Paste

Syringe clay

Texture plate

Bracelet mandrel, or drinks can

s/silver jump rings

clay cutter (square)

 

How to:

Making the links

·         Select a texture and roll out 20g clay to aprox 1.5mm thickness on top of the texture sheet

·         Cut the clay into three strips : two to measure 1.5x0.5 inch and the third make slightly longer, say 1.8x0.5inch

·         Gently create two holes along the shorter end (both ends) of the rectangles using a drinking straw**

·         Lay the strips on the mandrel (or drink can) until firm (leather-hard)

·         Remove links from mandrel or can, and set them to dry by placing them on their side

 

Making the toggle clasp:

·         Roll excess clay, texturing in the same manner as with lnks

·         Cut a rectangle aprox. 20x15mm with a craft knife

·         Using your square cutter  cut the regtangle slightly off from centre (to leave a larger edge along 1 of the shorter length edges)

·         On the wider band, as with the link pieces, create two holes with your drinking straw**

·         With the remainder clay , roll a snake, flatten to 1.5mm and texture to match other pieces

o   NB – the toggle bar should be x2 longer than the width of the opening (the square hole cut in the centre of previous piece

·         Using a small piece of silver wire make a u shape and insert into the bar in the centre to make the connection point, reinforce with paste / syringe clay when embedding

·         Set both piece to dry

 

Putting together

o   When all pieces are dry, fired and finished (smoothed/polished) attach 3 s/silver jump rings into holes to create connections to adjoin eack of the links.

o   On the end pieces use more of the links (create a longer length) to join the toggle clasp and bar link piece

Optional – solder the link pieces together for a final finish

 

** nb – this is an optional step, if it is more comfortable for you then wait until dry and drill the holes – this would be more accurate and smoother in finish