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This page describes how custom made metal charms can be created with just plaster, a polymer clay original, and solder. This might be a cool way to make cell phone trinkets too. Thanks Kit! Link.
HOW TO make metal charms
Posted by Phillip Torrone | Saturday August 6th, 2005 6:02 AM
Categories: DIY Projects | 6 Comments
Doesn’t solder contain lead? I see no mention of using lead free solder to do this. Not something I would want against my skin.
Mosy kinds of solder contain lead. It is also a very soft metal, completely inappropriate for buttons or trinkets. A better choice is pot metal reclaimed from carburetor bodies, door handles, and other car parts, or even junk jewelry. These metals can be melted on a stove top.
what would be better to use is this stuff called PMC – which is short for precious metal clay – It works like clay so you can shape it into any way you want, but when fired up turns to solid sterling silver… lead is BAD for you!
so, if you wanted to mass produce them like in the link from this post, you would just make the mold as described using a flexible silicone compound, press in the pmc, and then pop it out before it dries.
here is some pmc projects:
Beads,
buttons/ring
That PMC stuff is just begging to be used to make electronic circuits. Anyone tried (yet)?
Yeah, make SURE that its LEAD FREE solder
I would recommend Field’s Metal. Its non-toxic, and melts at 144 degrees F. All you need is hot water! It can be found at http://www.scitoys.com – just dont drop it into your hot coffee…
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