Polymer Clay

[papaturner]

I hope this is the correct forum for this ,if not feel free to move it.
I have a question for those who make polymer clay blanks. How do you
determine if the blank is hard enough? How hard is hard enough?
I made one and would never sell it because I was not sure if it was durable enough.
Thanks in advance for any input on the subject.

 

[jimm1]

I do my blanks at:
275 degrees for 20 minutes.
Through trial and error, I am confident with these numbers.

 

[wyone]

That is about what I do as well. I have only done a few and they worked very well. I used a skew to turn them round and then used a CA finish and never had an issue. One I made was for my son, and he has carried it in his pocket for about a 6 months now and it is holding up just fine

 

[Fay Prozora]

Mine all broke off the little brass tubes. and I had baked mine at about 265 at 30 minutes and I guess that was too much baking time. So that didn't work out so I will try again some time later on.. Fay

 

[wyone]

did you work the clay a LOT before molding? I have read that the clay breaks down in particles and really needs to be run through like a pasta machine a few times to get everything back in the same structure as it is originally. I do not have a pasta machine, so I just worked it back and forth.. used a rolling pin.. probably worked it a full 15 minutes before molding. Not sure if that is too much or not enough.. but it worked for me

 

[Fay Prozora]

Actually I used a glass to roll it with. I did have one of those pasta machine things but I guess I must have sold it or donated it years ago. Now I wish I had it for working the clay. Time for me to hit the sack so I best get going.. Good night Fay

 

[papaturner]

Thanks, Jim, Mitch and Fay for the info.