Metal clay has enormous shrinkage. 10-30% depending on formula and its
strength is not all that high. Closer to plastic than metal. It is pretty
much a decorative material.

A similar process for 3d printing uses a bed of steel powder. It glues
together the powder in layers. The model is then sintered, but the strength
is very low and they use the sintered model as a matrix for a infusion of
molten bronze.

Paul K. Dickman

"RogerN" wrote in message
m...

I was in Barnes and Noble looking at the machining magazines and heard a
lady looking at the art magazines telling her son about metal clay.
Basically you make a part with the clay let it dry, and fire it in a kiln
or with a torch, the binder melts away leaving the metal part.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_clay

I was wondering if it would work for iron, steel, or stainless. Possibly
the clay could be extruded from a 3-D printer.

RogerN