Microwaved Wedding band

[VForce]

I have finally decided to make the leap. I have a BFA in ceramics so I know my way around the pottery wheel. But life has taken me away from ceramics, but I still have a wheel and want to make a ceramic ring for my future wife. I had planned to fire it in a microwave since my fire pit is still a work in process. My plan is to make a ring out of a stoneware maybe porcelain, something white, plain and simple... Not sure if I'll glaze it maybe with a clear depending on the limitations of firing in a microwave. This is more of a place holder until I pay off my $$$ ring.

I'll take any tips or tricks on firing in a microwave, never done it before only used kilns. Ideally need to figure out what clay and glaze to use figure a low fire cone 04. And any technical tips to throwing a ring on the wheel, I plan to try throwing off the hump first. I know I'll probably be making hundreds of these till I get the shrink rate correctly. But I've seen an old professor do this 20 years ago but I've forgotten how he did it. Thanks guys! 

 

I'm thinking it will look something like the picture below, luster would be fun too but probably to hard to tackle in my time frame. The due date for this is July 14th 2023 Eeeek. Any help is welcome! 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by VForce
Adding a picture

[Hulk]

Hi V,

Congratulations on big life event!

My guess, for jewelry, a strong, fine, and dense clay that fires to near zero porosity, hence, mid fire (or high)?

Even 04 is nearly 2000°F, which might be too hot to be in a microwave.
I don't know, never gone much beyond cooking in the microwave, where the moisture in food flashing to steam helps keep temperatures down.

There are several clay components that burn away in the firing process, which become superheated gasses.

Here's a thread where clay/porcelain jewelry is discussed:

Porcelain jewelry?? - Studio Operations and Making Work - Ceramic Arts Daily Community

 

[LeeU]

My 2 cents worth is if you can't find a kiln to fire them in, maybe consider a polymer clay such as Sculpey Premo, which has some durability and is used for jewelry, and then treat with good quality luster/enamels. Hi Roanoke-I lived on Howbert Ave for years-my grandfather built the house, my sister lives there there now. I miss the city a lot-could see the Mill Mt. star from the front porch. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by LeeU

[PeterH]

I've not heard about firing "craft" ceramics directly in a microwave, though I would be interested to hear about it.

I have heard about mini-kilns that you can heat in a microwave, and hence fire things inside them. Goodness knows how you control the firing profile.

They seem to be really tiny and <£100, sometimes <<£100.

 Things To Consider Before Buying A Microwave Kiln
https://www.soulceramics.com/pages/microwave-kiln-things-to-consider
As mentioned above, not all firing projects are suitable to be processed in a microwave kiln. Most ceramics, for example, require a much higher heat than a microwave kiln can generate. Generally, microwave kilns can reach a maximum temperature of around 900°C, which is most suited to glass and jewellery projects. 
... that's about cone 010.

Microwave Kilns: Great Tools for Testing Low-Fire Lusters, Enamels, and China Paints
https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Microwave-Kilns-Great-Tools-for-Testing-Low-Fire-Lusters-Enamels-and-China-Paints
While the kilns don't fire high enough to test higher temperature glazes or clay bodies, they can really help out if you are interested in low-fire decorative applications such as china paints, lusters, Egyptian paste, overglaze enamels and many commercial decals. In this post, Jessica Knapp tells you all about this alternate use for old microwaves! 

A microwave kiln is a container kiln consisting of a base and hood made for use in a household microwave oven. The kiln is made of a white insulating fiber and lined on the inside of the chamber with a black compound that absorbs the microwave radiation and heats up to 1650°F or approximately cone 010 (figure A). The heat from this compound is then transferred to the chamber and to the piece being fired. It takes between 5 to 10 minutes to reach peak temperature ranges depending on the size of the microwave kiln, the work being fired, and the microwave’s wattage. After the firing, the kiln needs to cool for at least 20 minutes before being opened.  

Are you certain you cannot find somebody to fire it for you in a normal kiln, perhaps one of those paint-a-plate shops.

PS I certainly wouldn't use the microwave for heating food afterwards.  Some people recommend buying  a 2nd-hand microwave for this.

Some people claim to have some success (but cone 010?).

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by PeterH

[neilestrick]

You can't just fire clay in a microwave, so do you mean using one of those microwave kilns? I supposed it's doable, but the ring is going to be far from durable since you're not going to vitrify the clay. Also, for safety reason you shouldn't be using a microwave you use for food. IMO, there are a lot of other materials out there that would be better suited for making a ring, but if you're going to do it I would at least make it from a fine-grained clay that vitrifies, like a good cone 6 porcelain, which will require an actual kiln. This is an excellent opportunity to justify the purchase of a baby test kiln if your budget allows for it. Test kilns are worth every dollar if you're the type of artist who does a lot of experimenting and glaze testing.

[PeterH]

I stumbled across "ring" drills. Posting the info in case anybody is interested.

video: https://youtu.be/8QWjEqZUa3g?t=155

adverts:
https://tinyurl.com/5yev7etz
https://tinyurl.com/2jd32fye

 

[neilestrick]

There are also a couple of folks I've seen on Instagram that make them on a small lathe, or you could rig up sander or a drill like this: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrVlWVTqvYx/.  Lots of materials could be worked that way, not just wood, but wood would be the simplest. I built the rim for my banjo using a jig and a drum sander.

 

[PeterH]

What started me looking at how you carved/machined rings.

https://www.etsy.com/hk-en/listing/815905438/set-of-almond-wood-resin-couple-rings

En masse
https://tinyurl.com/2p9y83sy

[Rae Reich]

Resin, Femo or Egyptian paste, in my opinion would be more ‘wearable’ materials for a finger because they do not fracture as sharply when broken or chipped.  It’s a romantic idea but makes me cringe thinking how Porcelain shards are very sharp. (Maybe my hands get into more mischief than some other folks)

[PeterH]

2 hours ago, Rae Reich said:

Resin, Femo or Egyptian paste, in my opinion would be more ‘wearable’ materials for a finger because they do not fracture as sharply when broken or chipped.  It’s a romantic idea but makes me cringe thinking how Porcelain shards are very sharp. (Maybe my hands get into more mischief than some other folks)

 Few materials can provide the truly remarkable durability of a metal ring.

So would it be an idea to produce a set of three, to provide a backup in the event of wear/accident.

[Denice]

My son  made a wedding band for his bride,  it was a silver quarter that he made into a band.  He told me he found the directions on the internet.   She loved it.  she is a very small person you might need a silver half dollar for a normal sized person.    Denice

[Rae Reich]

My Dad, and a lot of WWII GIs, made rings from coins by tapping evenly around the rim with a spoon while holding and rotating from the center. The one made by Dad for his bride was so evenly tapped that you could still read the compressed wording inside. I think it was a quarter. The center was drilled out to size. He saved a failure that had gone wonky and was undrilled.
I always imagined a whole bunch of guys all tapping, tapping, tapping while being transported across the Pacific …

Edited April 30, 2023 by Rae Reich

[PeterH]

A hybrid technology: stainless steel ring with inlay (here polymer clay).

Video using Fimo Soft (maybe not the best polymer for jewellery)

One source for suitable stainless steel "inlay" rings
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09N6XQ1LG/ref=twister_B091KYY4B1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

PS This may be relevant
Best Polymer Clay for Earrings and Jewellery
https://sarahmaker.com/best-polymer-clay-for-earrings-and-jewelry/

Edited May 1, 2023 by PeterH

[Callie Beller Diesel]

As a 90’s kid who remembers hematite and rose quartz rings, there’s a reason they’re not making a comeback with all the other 90’s trends at the moment. They shatter easily with minimal impact and they’ll cut the heck out of you if it happens while you’re wearing it.  I don’t know if that’s the most auspicious wedding band symbol ever.

[bny]

Consider metal clays, including perhaps precious metal clays.  Some of these can be torch fired.  I have no direct experience with these, but have played with MAPP torch lost wax casting of silver-bearing and phos-copper brazing alloys for objects comparable to ring size.  A local welding shop carries inexpensive stainless steel tube fittings (used in food processing equipment, they look a lot like KF vacuum system flanges) that work fairly well as small casting flasks.  I used a 50/50 mix of Hydrocal and 325 mesh silica as the casting investment, mixture of beeswax and an art store batik resist wax as the wax.

[Hulk]

@VForce
Stumbled on this product whilst looking for something else:

Art Clay World USA, Inc.

Select "What is Art Clay link" to read about the material.

[Denice]

I also stumbled across a online store called Cool Tools,  I think they have good prices and a lot of selection.   Denice

[neilestrick]

12 hours ago, Hulk said:

@VForce
Stumbled on this product whilst looking for something else:

Art Clay World USA, Inc.

Select "What is Art Clay link" to read about the material.

This is a good product, and small pieces like rings can be fired with a torch. And it's fun to work with. There is a shrinkage rate, though, so fitting a ring may take some work. However the product has been around long enough that you can probably find charts that say how big to make it in order to finish with a certain ring size.