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#1
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How do I know if I've baked correctly?
Question from a clueless newbie:
I finally got up the nerve to bake my first pieces - thankfully, all of them tests. Now I'm wondering how I can tell if I've baked them enough/too much. I baked very thin pieces of Sculpty III (1/16") for 20 min. at 275 degrees. They came out quite brittle and could be very easily broken, not unlike pieces of stale stick gum. Certainly too breakable for use in jewelry making, which is what I'm going for. I had expected more flexibility, so I'm assuming that I'm doing something wrong. Or, is this normal and my expectations are too high? I used a large toaster oven and an oven thermometer to check that the temperature stayed constant. I preheated the oven and the temp never dropped below 250 (just when I put the stuff in), and never went over 275. Both the toaster oven and thermometer are new and untested. Any help will be much appreciated! -- Peggy M www.MargeAndPeggys.com |
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#2
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You're not doing anything wrong; your temps and times seem fine. The problem
is no doubt your choice of polymer clay. Sculpey III is one of the weakest and most brittle of the polymer clays. The only thing worse is the White Sculpey. If you want to make stuff that holds up better and has a bit of 'give', I suggest you use another clay. My clay of choice is Premo, but there's also Fimo, Kato Clay and Cernit, which are all much more durable clays. If you can't find these clays in a local store, www.polymerclayexpress.com has them at excellent prices. Also... I've found that if I'm baking at the correct temp (i.e. 265-275) there's really no such thing as 'overbaking'. Burning usually just happens if you're baking at too-high temps. Hope that helps. Barbara (posted and emailed) Question from a clueless newbie: I finally got up the nerve to bake my first pieces - thankfully, all of them tests. Now I'm wondering how I can tell if I've baked them enough/too much. I baked very thin pieces of Sculpty III (1/16") for 20 min. at 275 degrees. They came out quite brittle and could be very easily broken, not unlike pieces of stale stick gum. Certainly too breakable for use in jewelry making, which is what I'm going for. I had expected more flexibility, so I'm assuming that I'm doing something wrong. Or, is this normal and my expectations are too high? I used a large toaster oven and an oven thermometer to check that the temperature stayed constant. I preheated the oven and the temp never dropped below 250 (just when I put the stuff in), and never went over 275. Both the toaster oven and thermometer are new and untested |
#3
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Also... I've found that if I'm baking at the correct temp (i.e. 265-275)
there's really no such thing as 'overbaking'. Burning usually just happens if you're baking at too-high temps. Hope that helps. Barbara Sculpey clays and some of the colors based on trans not white clays (including trans, flesh, maroon and purples, as well as others) in other brands such as Premo and Fimo and Cernit do darken signifigantly with longer baking times. One way to counteract this is by adding a pinch of white to your raw clays and working it in. Sarajane Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery http://www.polyclay.com |
#4
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Thank you, Sarajane!
Barbara Sculpey clays and some of the colors based on trans not white clays (including trans, flesh, maroon and purples, as well as others) in other brands such as Premo and Fimo and Cernit do darken signifigantly with longer baking times. One way to counteract this is by adding a pinch of white to your raw clays and working it in. Sarajane Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery http://www.polyclay.com |
#5
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Thank you, Sarajane!
you are welcome!! oh, the other thing I forgot to mention--High Altitude means differences in baking PC as well as cakes----The chemists at Polyform suggested I jack my temperatures up by 5 degrees F because I live over 5000ft altitude. It does help!!! But you really have to watch the translucents. I bake on wads of Polyfil stuffing or on tiles, keeps things more even. Sarajane Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery http://www.polyclay.com |
#6
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I've never had a problem with any of the clays I've used for jewelry.
Perhaps you are making them too thin. Regardless of the clay I'm using, I strive for enough thickness that it will hold the findings I insert yet be light enough for the person wearing the finished product not to feel weighed down. And make sure you don't have the clay too close to the top heating element. That will cause burning regardless of your temperature. I always watch my clay closely and make sure to have the proper ventilation. You don't want to breathe in the fumes. One thought. If you use Fimo's glaze after your pieces dry, that might make them feel more sturdy. I have also used clear nail polish in a pinch. Hope this helps. Lily "Peggy M" wrote in message ... Question from a clueless newbie: I finally got up the nerve to bake my first pieces - thankfully, all of them tests. Now I'm wondering how I can tell if I've baked them enough/too much. I baked very thin pieces of Sculpty III (1/16") for 20 min. at 275 degrees. They came out quite brittle and could be very easily broken, not unlike pieces of stale stick gum. Certainly too breakable for use in jewelry making, which is what I'm going for. I had expected more flexibility, so I'm assuming that I'm doing something wrong. Or, is this normal and my expectations are too high? I used a large toaster oven and an oven thermometer to check that the temperature stayed constant. I preheated the oven and the temp never dropped below 250 (just when I put the stuff in), and never went over 275. Both the toaster oven and thermometer are new and untested. Any help will be much appreciated! |
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