Newbie needs help with canes

I've been experimenting with polymer clay for about a year with a little
success; one thing I'd like to do more of is canes. I've done a few with
some luck, but many of them seem to lose definition when I reduce them,
which I understand is not supposed to happen. And even my ones that stay
nice in the middle seem to get squashed a little when I slice them. Any
advice how to avoid these pitfalls would be appreciated. Thank you.
Barbara

Hi Barbara,
Have you checked out www.glassattic.com for caning tips? Im not an
advanced clayer yet so I might not have great advice for you but here goes.
The brand of clay you use might effect the ability to reduce successfully.
Or, if some of the clay in your cane is stiffer than the others that can
effect it too. How you reduce may be the problem, and when you cut using a
very very sharp clean tissue blade will help eliminate distortion too. Its
hard to know what to advise since there are so many factors that go into a
undistorted cane.. but if I didnt give you some ideas then the glass attic
site might help.
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"JAMES RICH" wrote in message
...
I've been experimenting with polymer clay for about a year with a little
success; one thing I'd like to do more of is canes. I've done a few with
some luck, but many of them seem to lose definition when I reduce them,
which I understand is not supposed to happen. And even my ones that stay
nice in the middle seem to get squashed a little when I slice them. Any
advice how to avoid these pitfalls would be appreciated. Thank you.
Barbara

I don't do much caning but I have found that it is better to pull the cane
to reduce it rather than rolling it. It maintains the pattern rather than
smooshing it. Smooshing?
Dawn Stubitsch
http://www.thumbprintkids.com
http://www.thumbprintkids.com/pages/caketoppers.html
"JAMES RICH" wrote in message
...
I've been experimenting with polymer clay for about a year with a little
success; one thing I'd like to do more of is canes. I've done a few with
some luck, but many of them seem to lose definition when I reduce them,
which I understand is not supposed to happen. And even my ones that stay
nice in the middle seem to get squashed a little when I slice them. Any
advice how to avoid these pitfalls would be appreciated. Thank you.
Barbara

If you freeze the cane first it might help too or throw it in the freezer
when your cane starts to distort for a minute to firm it up.
Dawn Stubitsch
http://www.thumbprintkids.com
http://www.thumbprintkids.com/pages/caketoppers.html
"JAMES RICH" wrote in message
...
I've been experimenting with polymer clay for about a year with a little
success; one thing I'd like to do more of is canes. I've done a few with
some luck, but many of them seem to lose definition when I reduce them,
which I understand is not supposed to happen. And even my ones that stay
nice in the middle seem to get squashed a little when I slice them. Any
advice how to avoid these pitfalls would be appreciated. Thank you.
Barbara

You can also look at the types of clay you are using. Sculpy III is
terrible for canes. It is too soft and distorts a lot. I like to use
Premo or Fimo for my canes I sell on ebay. They remain firm but can be
softened up with work and warmth if needed. I also use a tissue blade
for my slicing. Always remember to let your cane rest occasionally
during the reducing process. As you are reducing you are also heating
and softening the clay. This can cause distortion. I reduce a cane
about 1/3 of the way, let it sit for about an hour or 30 minutes, and
other third and rest and then the rest of the way. This seems to help.
Good luck on your canes.

Linda B
http://www.geocities.com/pinchyspolymerplace/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/pinchette/


"Dawn Stubitsch" wrote in message ...
If you freeze the cane first it might help too or throw it in the freezer
when your cane starts to distort for a minute to firm it up.
Dawn Stubitsch
http://www.thumbprintkids.com
http://www.thumbprintkids.com/pages/caketoppers.html
"JAMES RICH" wrote in message
...
I've been experimenting with polymer clay for about a year with a little
success; one thing I'd like to do more of is canes. I've done a few with
some luck, but many of them seem to lose definition when I reduce them,
which I understand is not supposed to happen. And even my ones that stay
nice in the middle seem to get squashed a little when I slice them. Any
advice how to avoid these pitfalls would be appreciated. Thank you.
Barbara

On 28 Sep 2003 08:30:32 -0700, (Linda B)
wrote:

You can also look at the types of clay you are using. Sculpy III is
terrible for canes.

I've found that you can use Sculpey III as long as you use lots of
translucent to firm it up and refrigerate it for a bit before slicing.
These kinds of canes can be great for covering votive candle cups and
other things you want to see light through. Just remember to back at
a lower tempurature (212F), or the translucent yellows. You can
prevent discoloration of the translucent also by enclosing it when
baking, for instance tent some tin foil over it.

silar

silar31 -- http://www.stranger-things.com
silar31 (at) stranger (dash) things (dot) com (posting e-mail is munged)

If you don't mind Sculpey's weakness in thin areas and want to cane with it,
there are hints on how to handle it for caning on this page:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/Canes--general.htm

(actually some very famous polymerites have caned with Sculpey.... but they
*probably* weren't the hot-handed types :-) . . . .)





Diane B.
http://glassattic.com --polymer clay "encyclopedia"

E-mail: (don't use AOL address)

Using the translucent to firm it up may depend on the batch of translucent.
I have found my translucent extremely soft without leaching. At thinner
settings on the pasta machine mine even stuck to the wheels.

Dawn Stubitsch
http://www.thumbprintkids.com
http://www.thumbprintkids.com/pages/caketoppers.html
"Silar31" wrote in message
...
On 28 Sep 2003 08:30:32 -0700, (Linda B)
wrote:

You can also look at the types of clay you are using. Sculpy III is
terrible for canes.

I've found that you can use Sculpey III as long as you use lots of
translucent to firm it up and refrigerate it for a bit before slicing.
These kinds of canes can be great for covering votive candle cups and
other things you want to see light through. Just remember to back at
a lower tempurature (212F), or the translucent yellows. You can
prevent discoloration of the translucent also by enclosing it when
baking, for instance tent some tin foil over it.

silar

silar31 -- http://www.stranger-things.com
silar31 (at) stranger (dash) things (dot) com (posting e-mail is munged)

(actually some very famous polymerites have caned with Sculpey.... but they
*probably* weren't the hot-handed types :-) . . . .)

it can be done, even done beautifully---but many of these pieces are breaking.
It was discussed recently at a "finishing" talk at our retreat. Shipping was a
problem even when they were new because of breakage. And breakage is bad when
you want things to be expensive and longlasting.
Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery
http://www.polyclay.com

view my auctions at:
http://www.polyclay.com/Collage/auction.htm

Dawn Stubitsch wrote:
Using the translucent to firm it up may depend on the batch of
translucent. I have found my translucent extremely soft without
leaching. At thinner settings on the pasta machine mine even stuck to
the wheels.


This is one of my current problems, and my translucent is
2 years old!!!! And it's Fimo, to boot!

I've been trying to use up the last of my old Sculpey, but I
swear, this stuff is making me nutso trying to work with it. My
hands must be warmer than they were, or *something*. I'm
thinking of just 'yard-sale-ing' it and be done with it.
I've been making flowers, using the heads of corsage pins
as the centers, and trying to flatten the flower petals by hand is
just almost impossible.

--
^,,^ Miracle
(My older stuff is he
http://mycraftyphotos.homestead.com/index.html )