oil paste

[dubmblond]

Hello All

I've just bought some oil paste. I never seen it before and I'm wondering what to do with the bottle of extra oil. There is so much of it and so little in the other bottle.

Question: Is there like a mixing ratio? I tried finding out but didn't get very far.

I bought the oil to repair cracks in a bangle which had broken in 9 places while bending it from a flat piece to round after firing. Initially the cracks where big. I tried filling them out with paste but the final bonding does not seem to want to happen. I tried soldering but that does not want to work either. I need it to flow into the very small cracks that are left now in the ready burned clay.

Question: If I dilute it a lot ( the oil comming with it is nice and thin I see) won't  I lose a lot of the silver "body content" meaning that I have to keep refilling after drying?

Another Question: What about 'dried out 650 clay' (the normal 650 and the slowdry) can that be mixed with oil instead of water too?

dubmblond

[Metalman]

The thinner that comes with the Oil Paste evaporates preety fast, that is why they give you a good amount.
You came thin you Oil Paste to what ever consistency you need just like you do with regular paste. You may want to use a really thin solution to get way inside those cracks - let it dry. Then use a thicker solution over the top, maybe even 2 or 3 layers, getting thicker each time.

To make bangles in ACS you should shape them in the wet clay so you don't have to bend them after firing. The metal clay don't bend and manipulate well when fired.

Another Question: What about 'dried out 650 clay' (the normal 650 and the slowdry) can that be mixed with oil instead of water too?
I have not tried this but it is my impression that this will not work - if you do the experiment - let us know.

[dubmblond]

Hello Metal man
Thanks for your answer. I’m aware of the fact that burned clay does not “like”  it much to be manipulated  after burning (the “lose” crystal and porous state does not make it possible) I guess  I’m asking the clay to behave against it’s nature in this project.
The problem is that I didn’t solve the way of taking the clay, in a malleable stage, from the mold (Sepia shell/Bone) without damaging the pattern which I want to be crisp (slightly undercut ridges standing "loose"). It’s the shrinking of the drying clay that releases it from the Sepia shell/bone (destroying the original pattern as it does so) I tried re-wetting in a cloth covered in plastic, and then bending it when moist again. I need to handle the moist clay and then I’m destroying the crispness of the pattern.
In the process I did already make a rim of sterling silver around the edge for strength. (bending that It broke in 6 places, it was only the extra sterling rim that held the broken of pieces in "place").
Then I thought to “sweat” solder a band of sterling in the inside while round. I just couldn’t get it to fit "seamless" on the side.  I decided i had to straiten it out again, sweat solder it to the back plate and then bend it to a bangle again.
This is when the nine bigggg cracks come in. Instead of bending smooth it gone in straight segments, using the natural sepia bone pattern as a perforation line to crack on.  
I did realize before I started: bending two joint flat plates to a round bangle would mean: caulk on the inner surface and stretch-stress on the outside (which is the clay part who doesn’t have much ”stretch”).
I had the choice of 2 evils. Working while round, knowing I could never achieve a seamless “ inner sterling sleeve” fixing making it look "bad". Or bending it back straight to get a good fixing to the inner sleeve.
I did manage to fill out the big cracks with clay burning it for 3 times and refilling. The cracks are filled to satisfaction now. The only thing it will not do is actually join the two pieces of clay. Solder just gets absorbed by the space (the sweat soldering didn’t catch the whole inner sleeve by the looks of it) in-between the two surfaces.
This is why I bought the oil paste. Hoping this will solve my problem.
I’ve been busy trying to solve this problem since January. This oil paste is my last resort. If this does not work I don’t know what to do (wasting 25 grams of slow dry clay and 25 grams of sterling )
(I did make pictures of the damage in the process but I don't know how to upload them  (adding image asks for a URL and I don't know how to do that)- I could sent them in a mail for you to see what I'm talking about.
Thanks for willing to think with me!!

Monique Monique Unique