Quick and Dirty Test

I made a quick and dirty test this morning.

Using polymer clay material, I cut out the item I want to create and baked it. I put a little depression in the middle to test that decoration will work. When it was done and cooled, pressed it into more of the clay stuff to make the negative and then baked that. 1 1/2 hour for each piece. I don't know if I baked them long enough. They are both - ever so slightly - flexible.

I pressed the metal between the two pieces, but the clamp pliers don't do anything really. I do not have enough physical hand strength to make impression as deep as I want. I did a bit of hammering to get the end result.

It sort of worked!  I'm pleased with the quick and dirty trial.

My thoughts - 

1) the metal needs to be cut close to the outline of the piece. You can get the outline by doing a light press and then cutting just outside the edge. You could also do a well thought out and measured experiment and have a pattern for the metal. 

2) Maybe there should be a third bit to the mold. I've seen demonstrations on Norse Brooches where - when the molds are made, fabric is layered in, to be the placeholder for where the metal will eventually be.    [So, I just took the negative , placed a double layer of paper towel into it and made another positive by pressing soft clay into it. It is currently baking. Like I said, quick and dirty].

3) My metal embossing foil might be a bit too thick. The foil hardens as it is worked, so it is  firmer and sturdier after it is pressed than I thought it would be. Dead soft silver would be nice to use.

4) I like the precision of the hammering, but the mold is so small, it is hard to hold on to. Probably why you need a pitch pot.

5) Wondering if one of these would work.

6) Maybe I should use a different mold making material.

7) The holes for sewing should probably be punched through the sheet metal before it is molded.

8) Make marks for aligning molds.