Customer Reviews

Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book has some very good techical info, including how to make rings that actually fit, but it also some major drawbacks:

1) The directions on some projects have omitted steps and steps out of order, making it difficult for beginners to follow.
2) The projects are not artistic, even downright amateurish, so you won't find new creative ideas here.
3) There is a tendancy toward reliance on metalsmithing skills to correct problems that could have (should have!) been resolved in the clay stage before firing. This is understandable, since the author is a skilled metalsmith, but it isn't practical for many newcomers to PMC. And it isn't necessary, since most problems can easily be corrected at either the wet clay stage, or the leather-hard stage.

Even with all its faults, it's still the best book out there on PMC at this time.

There are a lot ideas on how to use PMC in this book. Some innovative some down right goofy (tea strainer). I took a PMC class and bought this book to get more ideas. It is better than the other PMC book for beginners. The pages devoted to making rings are excellent. (My instructor did not want to touch on that subject in my class) I think the best part of this book is Part Two "Technical Tips." There are pages devoted to work surfaces, rehydration, using slip, extruding, carving, making holes, smoothing edges, ring sizing, mold making, shrinkage, gem setting, firing, filing and sanding, blackening the silver, and polishing. Part Three on "Tools You Can Make" is also helpful but basic.

It's great that this book is spiral bound. However, the biggest disappointment in this book is the font size. It is annoyingly small. I would venture to say it is a size 8 or 9 at best. Why make the font so small? Surely for the price of this book the publisher could have went a little larger on the font. For that reason I give this book 3 stars.

I confess straight up to being a McCreight fan so maybe I am biased. However I have found his book to be one of the best to give my students. It is incredibly clear and consice. It is perfect for the person starting out in silver clay. Sure the glossy photos are missing, rather hand drawn step by steps, but you can follow easily. With 50 projects, there is ample opportunity for the beginner to find something that appeals and to gain confidence with this medium. Part Two is fabulous, excellent technical tips on a host of items, rehydrating, extruding, carving, ring sizing, making bails, use of patinas, and loads more. Part Three gives you the added bonus of How to make your own tools - and therefore save a few dollars. Being spiral bound is a bonus, always stays open. I recommend three books to my clay students, this is one of them, ( the other two - CeCe Wire and Sherri Haab.)A must for your library.

This book has wonderful projects to make from beginner to expert. The Technical Tips are written in a way that is easily understood and can be applied to your own creations. There are rulers that can be used to work with PMC, PMC+, and PMC3 for shrinkage. If your ready to buy a kiln, this is the book you must have.

Part 2 -- "Technical tips" and part 3 -- "Tools you can make" of this book are very helpful. This book, however, is not for people without PMC/Silver Art Clay and/or metalworking experience. Since author of this book is a master of metalwork, although anybody who has experience with play dough can use PMC/Silver Art Clay, Mr. McCreight put a heavy focus on combining PMC with traditional way of making silver projects. If you already have basic knowledge on PMC/Silver Art Clay and metalworking, this is a book for you. If you are looking for a non-traditional way of using new material -- PMC/Silver Art Clay -- and trying to learn creative way of using this material from this book, you may be as disappointed as I do.

I was so disappointed. Most of Tim McCreight's books are terrific and packed full of helpful tips and cost saving ideas. This book was written for the novice who has no jewelry experience. I thought it would be much more advanced. The back information was helpful, but it seems like Tim may have "rushed" to get this book in print and left out so many other PMC possibilities.. ones that I was so anxious to know about.

Precious Metal Clay is microscopic granules of precious metal (either gold or silver) suspended in an organic binder. It looks and acts like clay, but when you fire it, the binder burns away, and you have only the metal left in the design you created.

I was very excited about this new medium, and having received my first lump of clay, I had many questions. The class I'd signed up for didn't start for another month, so I purchased this book. I was able to start working with the clay successfully based on what I read here, and I still refer to it. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to work with any of the PMC products.

This book is of the style that McCreight has become associated with. For good or bad, Tim's books are either hated or loved. That is just the way it is. This book was published in what could be called the dark ages of the metal clay movement. It is truly a beginners book. In the sense it is for beginners and it was at the beginning of metal clay. It covers one brand of the two major players in the production of precious metal powders in a clay binder/carrier. The projects are simple, small and easy. As they should be for new people and a new medium. I can not judge the projects merit, because as with most things. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When you open it up it will lay flat on a table. The project pictures should be larger. As the PMC title is not only a descriptive generic nomenclature along with a trademark. It does cover the basics of working with the clay of both types. The tips are as always good to know. the tools are of the type that can be constructed by anybody with little handy work skills or tools. It touches the surface of a new material and what the possibilities it holds. I own it.

I have to admit, I skipped all the projects and headed straight to the back for tips and tools. For the information provided on both subjects alone, I give this book 4 stars. It is indeed a beginner's guide of sorts, not for someone with experience looking for creative ideas. Spiral bound makes it a wonderful working reference.

Tim McCreight is the PMC guru and this book is almost a text book.

Exceptionally well laid out with the different sections, projects, techniques and tools. As a new user of PMC I have found the book to be a great guide as I work my way through the techniques of PMC.

Very well written and illustrated.