We get our clay from a distributor in Minneapolis that mixes clay from a number of different sources.

Yes indeed. There is the Speedfire Cone System - Comes complete with heatproof cone, a specially designed propane burner, pyrometer and propane bottle base. The fuel tank is NOT included - for shipping reasons but they are easy to find at hardware stores and many other places. Essentially a camping stove on steroids, what makes this different is that there is a pyrometer (a thermometer for high temperatures) so that you can maintain a precise temperature.

First we make accurate 4 view orthographic scale drawings of our design. Then an armature is made from plywood and blue foam to the rough shape of the model. The surface is roughed up and sealed with shellac. Then automotive modelling clay is thinly applied to form the final shape. Sculpting tools are used to refine the model. Kaneko Enterprises have a Clay Modeling book for sale.

Art Clay Silver is pure silver (99.9% pure) metal powder mixed with a non-toxic binder and water in a clay-like form. It models like clay, can be diluted to a slip, can be carved or filed when dry, and even reconstituted if it dries out. When fired, either in a kiln or by hand with a torch, the binder burns away, leaving a pure, 99.9% silver object. It is a totally cool thing! Art Clay Silver can be added to a variety of media: glass, ceramics, or porcelain to name a few.

You can use a kiln, or torch to fire Art Clay Silver. The chart below shows the different firing times and temperatures for using a kiln. You can use any kiln that can reach these temperatures and hold them. Choose higher temperatures/shorter firing times vs. lower/longer depending on your kiln and how long it takes to reach the temperature. Cones will not give you enough accuracy for temperature, you will need a pyrometer (a thermometer for high temperatures).

Do not fire polymer clay to these temperature - it will give off toxic fumes. The same applies to styrofoam, plastics. Organic materials, such as leaves, seedpods, are fine, but should be thoroughly dried (to avoid little explosions as the water in them boils). Sometimes, this results in your studio smelling like you had a campfire in it.

Art Clay is a recycled product manufactured by Aida Industries in Japan. Aida recycles and reclaims a variety of different metals, and the silver comes from many different sources, like film stock and negatives. That's true. But this is less expensive in terms of equipment and time. You can make genuine silver jewellery in your home in an afternoon. Think of all the equipment that you don't need. You don't need metal saws and drills and files. You don't need wax carving tools.

No problem - PG is definitely suitable for those as well. The chalk (clay?) in those type humidifiers should be "cleaned" once every year or two though... Just soak them overnight in a big pan of water, dry them out, then re-charge with PG solution. Given proper care, that type of element will out-live us all! One word of caution with all clay type elements. Always use distilled water to re-fill them. The trace salts in tap water will clog them eventually...

We use the clay mold to create a sand mold we can then pour the glass into. Once you make the clay mold we do the rest.

Clay bars were invented in Japan in the late 1980's to remove paint overspray and minor flaws from freshly painted vehicles in auto body repair facilities. The clay bar is a malleable plastic resin that pulls off and instantly removes harmful pollutants from your vehicle finish without using strong, acidic chemicals or harsh abrasives.

Art Clay is manufactured in Japan by Aida Chemical Industries. Aida Chemical Industries is a family owned company that recycles and reclaims metals, including the precious metals gold and silver. In 1991 Aida Research and Development obtained a patent for the manufacturing process for a metal clay, which became Art Clay. The clay, paste and syringe types were introduced to Japan in late 1992.

There is no expiration date for Sculpey polymer clay. If the clay is properly stored away from heat and direct sunlight the life span is very long.

Through a process that the artist has developed to showcase her unique artwork, ink from an image is permanently fired into the clay. Each piece is entirely made by hand, and thus one-of-a-kind.

A clay body is a combination of clays and other earthy minerals that are blended together for specific purpose. What John Groth has done, is develop a clay body that expands and contracts when heated and cooled at the same rate as glass. When the clay and glass are fused together there are no undue stresses that will separate the composite or cause it to fracture.