Making tiny hinged book charms gives me a way to explore PMC
Sterling through less elaborate construction than boxes or box pendants.
Although book charms are tiny, (fired they are less than an
inch tall), like any other hinge they require meticulous engineering.
Because I am investing less time (and material) I am willing
to take more chances and therefore I’m likely to learn more about the clay in a
shorter period.
PMC Sterling is still a relatively new material and I
continue to explore it in that spirit.
Its working qualities are quite remarkable. It carves beautifully. It handles beautifully and has a longer open
working time than any other silver clay.
With the exception of firing, everything about it is easier.
Two-stage firing will always be a drawback simply because
it’s an extra step, takes extra time and is dirty work because it involves
carbon. I still feel strongly that PMC
Sterling’s benefits outweigh its drawbacks. Although various artists are
experimenting with single stage firing I have had great success with the
two-stage so I’ll stick to what works for me.
Because they require precision, hinges are a good way to
explore possible distortion during firing.
PMC Plus and 3 do sometimes distort during firing. However, since they’re fine silver and
more malleable, it’s relatively easy to correct the distortion with nylon jawed
pliers or wooden dowels and a rawhide mallet.
The down side of this malleability is that hinges made from fine silver
are more easily pushed around, crushed, jammed up, etc.
Hinges made with PMC Sterling are more challenging to
realign once they are fired because the material is so much harder. However, once they are realigned they are
much stronger and will withstand wear and tear better than fine silver
hinges.
The fact that the knuckles are in line after firing, or not
so out of line that they can’t be nudged into line, suggests that all the
variables are behaving as I would expect. They are kiln temperature, firing
schedule, carbon (type, age, amount used), type of container, and the number of
pieces fired together.
Note: I do not fire hinged pieces assembled. I put the top
and bottom (or the front and back) next to each other in the kiln. An assembled hinge, like an assembled box,
will fuse together unless it’s dusted with a fine powder that won’t burn off in
the kiln. This could be shaved or
scraped off kiln shelf material, or graphite; I’m experimenting with other possibilities
now.
These are three book charms from a series I'm working on. Each one is slightly different.
I texture and cut the parts from fresh clay, cutting any
windows out when the clay has set up. I
roll the hinge stock on small knitting needles (1.5 and 2mm) using a technique
I’ve developed for making small diameter textured hinges. I find it easier for making this scale hinge
than drilling or extruding hinge stock.
I measure then cut the knuckles with a jeweler’s saw and a
tube cutting jig. The “fence” on the
jig let’s you cut the same length again and again and cutting with a saw
insures that you don’t crush the tiny hinge tube. It’s not essential to have these tools but
they do make the process easier.
I assemble the book charm, attaching the knuckles with very
thick slip or lump clay.
After two stage firing I tried various hinge pin
solutions. The one below has mica
sandwiching a leaf skeleton riveted to its front cover.
This one has keum-boo, patina, a decorative hinge pin and
some dangles.
These little hinged books are very satisfying to make and I
have plans for many more.
