I guess many of you bloggers know that blogger has been down for a while (since last night for me in the UK). It made me realise that I have no other record of the information in my blog as I wanted to check back on my - things I want to make post to remind me and couldn't access it. Can you back up blogs? Must investigate.
Also I wrote a long wordy post on bangle problems - blogger has probably chosen not to publish it cause it was too long and boring! I will try and summarise it this time round.
I have trouble making solid polymer clay bangles, the often seem to break easily. At first they seemed to break at the join so I now add a bit of polypaste and make sure I smooth the seams carefully. That solved the popping at the seams but now means they break elsewhere instead! See evidence below
These were made from very well conditioned Kato scrap clay extruded through the largest makins D shape die (about 8mm wide and about 5mm at it's thickest). Joined carefully with some polypaste, baked on an empty coke can at 150 oC (300F) for 40 mins. They broke when I was carefully sliding them from the coke can, the first break was not at the join. Glad they broke then rather than after I had taken the time to cover them I suppose!
This bangle is made from a sausage of well conditioned Kato clay joined carefully with some polypaste in the join, covered with a decorated sheet of cane slices, baked on an empty coke can at 150oC for 1 hour. It looked fine and felt strong so I wore it for a morning. All good until I decided to sand it. Almost the minute I started gently sanding with my soft micromesh cloth draped over my fingers it broke. It is quite skinny, about 8mm in diameter, like some others I have been wearing which are fine -
here's a post about them.
So where am I going wrong with them? My husband has a feeling that baking them for a long time they are strong but brittle and I should under cure them rather than cure them for longer so they are more ductile, less brittle. I was about to start some baking trials for different times when I came across a post from
Tony Aquino on the Kato Polyclay Facebook page stating that the higher the cure temperature the stronger the clay will be. I will try and test some different temperatures too. What I need for bangles is something with a little flex I guess. I've had a few suggestions from clever people at the
PCC Forum to try out. I will report back with anything I find out, but please leave a comment or mail me if you have any ideas I could try to make bangles that don't break!
thanks
Cara
Posts
Hi Cara...all of Blogger was down. I experienced losses too. usually blogger will save to drafts, did you check that?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I had seen your previous post and it wasn't boring at all!! actually much appreciated the nice comments about my bangle tutorial and how much you liked it.
Really enjoy reading your blog :)
Thanks Tina. I checked drafts, not there. Sorry I missed out the bit about how great your Bam Bam tutorial is in the post. I'll try and remember to put it in when I do my next - hopefully solved problems bangle post.
ReplyDeleteMaybe baking it on the coke can did it? It is quite flimsy and could easily move in the oven (like some baking trays) without you realising, therefore undermining the strength of the bangle. Some say that baking beads on a wire rack can cause them to crack so I would guess this is something similar Might be working trying some scrap clay on a card tube?
ReplyDeleteGood thinking Jo. My coke can is filled with plaster of paris so it isn't flimsy but it could still expand/contract due to the heating/cooling. I am one of the people who say baking on a rack causes cracking and my theory is that the clay isn't supported. I would of thought the coke can would be support enough but... I am playing about with scrap clay until I find the answer. I am going to try your cardboard tube idea, or even just in baking soda as this is how I do the Bam Bam bracelets (from Tina Holden's tutorial) and they are all fine. Thanks for the suggestion
ReplyDeleteHi Cara,
ReplyDeleteWish I could help with the bangles but I haven't tried many of them using a coke can. I am sure you will figure it out. I also had problems with blogger. My post was gone for part of the morning and has now returned on its own. How about that...I had even checked my post listings and there was no record of it. Thought I would have to write up another post but low and behold its back. I am sure your's will return too.
yes mine has returned too - oh dear now I am repeating myself! thanks
ReplyDeleteI've not tried bangles yet. I have some heavy copper wire and I was thinking of using it as a base for bangles.
ReplyDelete