• Firing Temp.: Ramp at full speed to 1,700°F–1,800°F (927°C–982°C) and hold for 3 hours (total firing time, including ramp-time, will be about 4 hours). Most firings perform well at 1,700°F; however, if you discover that your pieces are not sintering properly, try firing them at 1,800°F. If blistering occurs at 1,800°F, slightly decrease the firing temperature. If you plan to enamel the piece, please follow the recommended firing schedule listed in the included instructions.

COPPRclay guide.

Welcome to COPPRclay™!    

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

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

Working with COPPRclay™    COPPRclay™ is just that: 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. 

Some tips 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 hands before you begin    working with the clay.    

• While working the clay, refresh it periodically with a    small amount of water using a spray bottle or 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 sealed plastic bag for    added protection. Store all unopened packages (as well    as opened packages) of COPPRclay™ in a refrigerator    when not in use.    

Making Slip    Slip will quickly become one of your favorite tools for    working with COPPRclay™, 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 a longer shelf-life)    until you reach a toothpaste consistency. Keep your slip    stored in a sealed container. Note: Slip will last for about    one week, so make only enough for your immediate need.    

Drying the Clay    Once you’ve finished your piece, you will need to dry the clay    before firing it. Gently place the piece on a warming surface    such as a coffee mug warmer or on the top of a kiln (be    careful to keep pieces away from the kiln’s vents); an    inexpensive vegetable dehydrator works well, too. Once    dry, you’ll notice the clay is leather hard, making it very    easy to add finishing touches such as filing, drilling, sanding    and carving. Once COPPRclay is fired, it’s much more difficult    to finish, so take advantage of this pre-fired stage to do as    much of your detailed finishing work as possible.   

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

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

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

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

3) Pour more activated carbon granules on top of the pieces    until the container is filled 1" from the top, making sure     there is a 1/2" layer of granules on top of the pieces.    Again, if you are firing many pieces in layers, make sure    there is at least 1/2" of space between the vertical layers    as well. Note: Do not fire more than 100 grams of clay at    once; overloading may cause poor sintering.    4) Put the stainless steel lid on the firing container and    place it in the kiln 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 container will be cooler    than the other sides. Compensate for this by placing the    pieces closer to the sides and back of the firing container,    making sure you leave at least 1" of space between the    pieces and the front of the firing pan. If you have a    top-loading kiln, there’s no need to adjust.   

 For COPPRclay™ pieces that will not be enamelled:    Regardless of thickness (embedded in coconut shell–based    activated carbon):

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

Most firings    perform well at 1700°F. However, if you discover that your    pieces are not sintering properly, try firing them at 1800°F.    Please Note: Blistering may occur at 1800°F; if this occurs,    slightly decrease the firing temperature.    

For COPPRclay™ 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 the piece directly on the    firing shelf. Ramp at 500°F/hour (278°C/hour) then hold at    560°F (293°C) for 15 minutes.    For pieces 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 in coconut    shell–based activated carbon inside a firing pan. Ramp    at full speed to 1750°F (954°C) and hold for 31/2 hours.    Allow the piece to cool naturally inside the kiln.    Finishing    Once fired, the COPPRclay™ piece is a solid piece of    metal. As with other metals, it can be sawn, drilled,    sanded, patinaed or soldered using traditional jewelry    tools and materials.  Keep in mind that many    finishing techniques will be easier to perform at    the dried, pre-fired stage.    Safety    The binder in COPPRclay™ is non-toxic, and no toxic fumes    will be present during firing. Though rare, it is possible for    some individuals to experience    some sensitivity to COPPRclay™.    We recommend wearing a dust    mask while working with the    activated carbon.