Metal Clay Guild of Greater St. Louis
Inspiring the artist in you
Tips and Tricks
Tip #1:
When tumbling your fired and finished pieces use at least 1 pound of metal shot in your tumbler with burnishing fluid. This reduces the time needed to polish tumbled pieces.
From Maribeth Meyer.
Tip #2:
Add a bet of Brasso to your polish. (It dissolves the polish and lubricates the mop.) Strips of fire stain in no time.
From Orchid
Tip #3
A recipe for tumbling fluid is as follows:
1 teaspoons of liquid Cascade
2 drops of dishwasher rinse fluid like Jet Dry
Fill tumbler with water to about 1 inch above the top of the shot and pieces to be tumbles. Add Cascade and rinse fluid and tumble for desired time. Oh, don't forget to close the top of the tumble barrel securely.
Tip #4
If you use pickle to clean a silver piece and find it coated with copper
(which sometimes happens when a ferrous metal accidentally comes in contact with the pickle)...
...All is not ruined...
"Magic Pickle"
Mix 50% freshly made pickle and 50% hydrogen peroxide...
soak piece in this for 10 or so minutes.
Copper will be removed with no harm to your piece.
***If you know of any tips or trick that you have used or heard of please e-mail them to Kay Adams at karoz@flash.net
We all appreciate any idea that will make our work a little easier.