Part 3 of a tutorial on making a hydrangea flower hair comb from polymer clay. The file is rather large, so it may take time to load. download for the best view!
oh! you use a toaster oven to bake your clay? do you have any tips? I always seem to over bake or under bake them. I just guess if they're done most of the time
Well, I put my clay on a ceramic tile to bake, which helps spread the heat evenly, but the clay can still burn. I generally follow the package instructions with a little adjustment, but I guess a lot of it comes by trial and error, as every oven is a bit different.
If you're worried about burning, stay in the room and watch thee piece. Don't leave it alone to bake. Check and remove it the very second baking time is up or it begins to smell strange. Burning can occur in less than a minute, so any delay could cause harm. Also, it may help to identify any hot spots in your oven. (one place that gets hotter faster than the rest of the oven.) Mine has one in the back, so I avoid putting the baking tile that far back.
If you're worried about under baking, remember that polymer clay can be baked more than once. Take the piece out when you think it's done, let it cool completely, then stick it back in for five minutes or so.
oh thanks so much! I wasn't sure about the clay being bake more than once, really so thanks so much for the tip! Also, I did some test baking on smaller pieces, but do you also test bake larger pieces? I don't want to bake a lump of clay just to see if it'd burn, but I don't want to risk the sculpted ones as well.
I don't usually test bake anything, but most of what I bake is small. Perhaps you could bake the pieces you care least about first maybe? I don't have much experience with large pieces, sorry.
Well if youu are working with large pieces, DO NOT USE A TOASTER OVEN. Even, if it is just a medium size, it will get too close to the heat burner and get black and gooey. Use an oven and bake at the instructions on the back. You will have to bake it longer, since its bigger. If you are wary of burning them, you should pull it out every so often, wait til it cools, then do a check to see if the clay is still mushy. Careful, press lightly so you don't mess them up if it is. I take mine out for a test every 25 minutes. You shoul bake many things at a time spread far apart if you can. That way your electrical bill won't be sky high. Hope this helps.
If you're worried about burning, stay in the room and watch thee piece. Don't leave it alone to bake. Check and remove it the very second baking time is up or it begins to smell strange. Burning can occur in less than a minute, so any delay could cause harm. Also, it may help to identify any hot spots in your oven. (one place that gets hotter faster than the rest of the oven.) Mine has one in the back, so I avoid putting the baking tile that far back.
If you're worried about under baking, remember that polymer clay can be baked more than once. Take the piece out when you think it's done, let it cool completely, then stick it back in for five minutes or so.
I hope that helps!
Also, I did some test baking on smaller pieces, but do you also test bake larger pieces? I don't want to bake a lump of clay just to see if it'd burn, but I don't want to risk the sculpted ones as well.