Avoid Trapping Bubbles in Your Polymer Clay Projects
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- čas přidán 10. 04. 2013
- Video #371: Learning the tricks of the trade to help avoid getting bubbles trapped in your polymer clay. Your projects will end up looking more professional, and you will feel less like an amateur.
* Trapping air in your polymer clay as you work with it can cause disappointing bubbles to rise to the surface of your finished pieces.
* Avoid using squishy clay as a way to avoid trapping air in your polymer clay.
* Use a thicker setting on your pasta machine.
* Don't trap air in the folds of the clay, make sure it has a way to escape.
* Gently pull sheets in both lengthwise and width wise to help release trapped air from clay.
* Bake flat polymer pieces in a tile sandwich (smooth tile on bottom - paper layer - clay in middle - another paper layer - smooth tile on top).
* Bake pieces upside down to let the air 'rise' to the back of the piece rather than the front.
* In a future video I will show you how to 'fix' or minimize the look of bubbles should they still appear after taking these precautions.
Brought to you by Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor. There's lots more problem solving information about polymer clay air bubble issues over at my blog. If you are interested, here is the direct link: www.beadsandbeading.com/blog/?...
And finally, if you enjoyed this video, please do click the LIKE button. Subscribe too... for lots more entertaining and educational videos every week! - Jak na to + styl
thank you Cindy! your videos are always helpful!!
Thank you so much for your great video, you are a great teacher!!
How helpful! Thank you!
Yep I keep at least two blocks of every color in the Premo Sculpey line on hand at all times. Also have some other drawers with some of the larger 1 lb blocks and some of the other brands. It is important as the Polymer Clay Tutor that I have what I need for mixing colors for new color recipes and tutorials. Not everyone needs to be as well stocked however.
This is exactly what happens to me! Thanx for the solution.
I'm on my thickest setting and still getting so many bubbles so frustrating!
Thank you so much!!! ❤️
Always good tips here.
Another thing that causes bubbles is turning your crank too fast!
Another way to remove bubbles, especially from a piece that can't be run again, is by laying your exacto knife parallel with the slab and slicing the bubble at the base to let the air escape. Then gently press the bubble "skin" back down. I find this works better than poking with a needle, because the hole often closes up that way and just divides the bubble, making it worse.
Thanks for the tips!
Yes that slicing through the side of the bubble is a good tip!
There are lots of good ways to store polymer clay. If you come to my blog (link is in the description above.) and type 'polymer clay storage' into the search box you can see there are many posts on the topic that should help you find what will work best for you.
Thanks Cindy.. Great Video.. I'm learning more everyday, and I've got some experience to share about bubbles in the Clay.. I'll look down the comments if I can help people :-)
I have had a lot of problems with air bubbles but after watching this video I see that I am not folding my clay properly before putting it back though the pasta machine. Thank you for this tip. I have been using an exacto blade to cut the bubbles and push the air out but this is very time consuming.
I have had some success using a sharp, tiny needle to release bubbles after baking...when all else fails....I hide bubbles with a pretty rose...etc...and while conditioning I always make sure the fold goes in pasta machine first...thanks for the tips...
Hi Cindy..I am new to polymer clay and i use unbranded clay as that is what is available here.. I have a very basic question..the kind of thin pieces you show ..the look and feel is it that of a leather? As that is what i get in mine..also the beads look rubbery..I used to htink that the FIMO/Premo would harden into a rock stone finish..Is that true? need to figure out as i want to see if the problme is with the clay or the way i condition and cure it..TIA Cindy
I bought the fancy $35 PASTA machine that is from Bed Bath Beyond. It also has the noodle attachment. That's great cause I use that alot for trim pieces. Looks like fettuccine noodles. I found it at a pawn shop for $10 brand new in the box.
If I want a drape or wrinkle texture in my piece that I can’t put tiles over, what is the trick? Maybe bake it in a low temp and longer time?
I have decided to use premo clay and thought I really had it down. But I found I project I love doing for a pendant and bought a new thing of black premo and OMG it is so full of bubbles, I can't use it how can I fix it so that I can use it? AND I wonder why their stuff that comes in the kits is a much firmer clay than the 2 oz packages? Seems odd to me. Thanks so much :)
Hi Cindy. Im currently using Du-kit and it works just fine. But every time i finish a project, bubbles appear. I dont have an oven yet so i use an oven toaster. I also I have a thermometer to make aure temp. Is accurate. I tried dping uour tips but it wont work. Please help.. thank you so much.
I’ve seen and heard the tip of putting another time on top of your pieces a lot, but if you’re clay is quite soft and you’re using heave ceramic tiles like I am, will the top tile nog squish your pieces and flatten them out?
Wow you have a lot of clay! Look in the background!!!
Suggestions on avoiding bubbles in molded projects? It feels like it’s kind of hit and miss as to whether I will get lots, minimal, or no bubbles on the molded miniature babies I create. I know molding is going to reintroduce bubbles, and I can fix them when there are only a few that appear on baked pieces, but when they appear all over but show no signs they are there after molding and just before baking, that’s when I will either completely lost a doll or lose a ton of time trying to make repairs
sigh..i just had this problem yesterday! probably didn't put folded side down in the pasta machine...
i hope u don't mind me asking a question...i am really fresh to polymer clay...is there a brand that won't break after baking...(want to make earrings) i looked at some other videos that suggested premo and fimo for selling finished product....i try the kato(too stiff i can't even condition it) and it broke after bending. i know a lot of ppl like it for the firmness...????
Cindy~ quick question. When signing up @ your blog, there's a screen that says 'enter domain address'. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to put in there. :-O Do I type the name of my internet provider in box? Or do we have to have a blog in order to sign up? :0( ~~Thanks much!! :D
What type of paper do you use? Regular bond sheets?
When I didn't have a pasta machine to condition the clay, I had to use a kitchen roller. I notice now that the kitchen roller method left me MORE bubbles. It was annoying. Now that I have the proper equipment, hardly any bubbles at all.
i am finding that when my piece is baked that the edges have what looks like fracture lines. I was told this is from air inbetween the layers? I have tried to be so careful but still find this happens. Maybe I'll try leaching the clay - but it's super annoying and not sure how to stop this happening when conditioning. Am i maybe conditioning to much??
how do you store your polymer clays??
Hi Cindy! I just love your videos 😉 Do you have one explaining how to prevent bubbles if you don't have a pasta machine? No matter what I've tried, when I roll out my clay I get air bubbles every time. I've tried poking them, slicing them, rolling back and forth over it. I just can't get it to work. TIA for helping this newbie out
I am having the same problem too! 😭
When you're working with the clay make sure to avoid trapping air by the way you fold the clay or ball it up. But sometimes you'll find that some of the cheaper clays can have a lot of air in it, by the way it was manufactured. If you are finding bubbles, roll out the clay with an acrylic roller and then tug on the sheet to stretch it out and help to release the air trapped in the clay.
@@jaclyn7338 Read my response to Jewls
When I use Fimo, I kneed with my finger and thumb, straight from the packet.. I avoid folding altogether. So I don't know if its my style of working or the Clay Brand but I don't seem to get any bubbles.. I'm an amateur, so I think it's a Fluke!!
Thanks again. I've been doing a few journal covers lately and finding warping to be a problem. I'm never sure how many times I should bake the clay between stages. Is it better to do all the layers in one firing to avoid warping?
Hi Julie, you don't have to bake all in one go... in fact you can bake as many times as you want to... just make sure your last bake is for a full hour so that you are positive that even your last additions are properly cured. As far as warping, when your piece is still warm from the oven, if you see it is warping, put something on top of it to hold it down flat as it cools. If there is texture on the top of your covers, just put a towel or foam on top before adding some heavy books to weigh it down... that way the texture/dimensional pieces aren't getting in the way of putting pressure on the full piece. Hopefully that helps. Good luck!
What kind of paper do you suggest to use for baking? I’m also baking on a smooth porcelain tile. Any recommendations?
I use parchment paper so the bottom doesn't burn. I have dedicated polymer cookie baking sheets that I only use for clay.
Hi, I don't have or use a pasta machine. Do you have any tips for avoiding bubbles when doing it free hand? Or would you suggest I just get a pasta machine? If so is there a particular type I would need or a better brand? Are pasta machines just to quicken the softening time rather than squishing it in your hands or does it also help with bubbles in general? I don't have a massive problem with bubbles but have had a few bubbles in the past, mainly when using translucent clay.
I use two ceramic tiles to flatten the clay, and Playing Cards to measure the gap (I learned that from Cindy).. Do not fold your Clay, just knead with your fingers. Try to avoid letting the clay lose a circular shape while kneading until you are ready to flatten it with the Tiles or whatever you have to hand..
Hi, I’ve recently started making polymer clay earrings and I’m using kato polyclay. Because there aren’t many colors available, I’ve decided to mix some together by myself. However when I do that, little bubbles form inside the clay no matter how careful I am with folding and putting it through the pasta machine. Can anyone help me please, I’m getting really frustrated 😩 And the earrings look... well, ugly after baking
Hi Cindy, I condition clay using pasta machine, the one you show. No bubbles. But then I have to make a piece thicker then the one that comes from pasta machine. Level 1 is too thin. This is when I get bubbles. What do you do?
Thanks!
You can stack more than one layer of clay that you have rolled through your pasta machine, so that you get the thickness you want. As far as bubbles, I do the things suggested in the video. Hope that helps!
@@PolymerClayTutor It is what I tried and it works! Thanks a lot!
I'm trying to bake clay around a wooden ball for a clay head. I did one without bubbles, but cannot seem to get another one. If you have any tips for avoiding bubbles on round surfaces, I'd greatly appreciate it :)
Tray adding a liquid clay to the wooden ball first so you know the clay is sticking well to the surface. Make sure to pop any air pockets first by slicing into the side of the bubble, burping the air out and laying the flap back down to seal it. That should help.
@@PolymerClayTutor Thank you so much. I will try this next time. Thank you so much for the tip. I greatly appreciate it.
yes, I have trouble wrapping pens, end up with air bubbles :(
Can polymer clay be made in to wind chimes?
You could probably make the top part of a windchime with polymer clay but you would need to hang something pretty heavy and clanky from it to make the chimes. Polymer clay is pretty light and would just blow around in the wind and pieces hanging down made from it wouldn't make any noise when the banging around in the wind. So what I'm saying is you could possibly make part of a wind chime with polymer clay... but not the whole thing.
Hi shyekiera, the problem you are having with breakage is due to the clay not being baked long enough at the correct temperature. Check out my CZcams video in my PolymerClayTutor Channel called "How Long Do You Bake Your Polymer Clay?" This will solve your problem. When Premo, Fimo or Kato are baked properly, you should have little to no problems with breaking. Good luck!
Aweeee thank you sooooo much for this! Can I use any paper? Like from a box?
Yes you can! Just test the type of paper you want to use first. Some papers, including cardboards will have printing or a coating on them that might stick to the clay. And of course, keep the paper far away from the elements. You DO NOT want the paper to catch fire in your oven!
@@PolymerClayTutor thank you so so much! You are a gem! ❤️
You can just leave that field blank Sherry. There is no requirement to have your own blog or web site to comment at my blog.
Are you Canadian
we ball up the clay and then smash it on the ground repeatedly till it looks ok
Yes I'm actually scottish
Have you just got a new pasta machine
Nope that's an older machine that I have had for a while.
Squishee with air bubbles? Well my kitty, her name is Squishee. She weighs 23.9 lbs. I wonder if she is really a giant air bubble? What would happen if I popped her and let the air out? 😆
How do you prevent bubbles in liquid sculpey?
Here are a couple of things you can try... Thinning the liquid clay with Sculpey Clay Softener.... banging the mold on the table to get the bubbles to rise... warming up the mold first before adding liquid clay... painting a layer in the mold first and then adding more liquid clay... pour liquid in a fine drizzle in one corner from a stick or skewer rather than straight from the bottle... always stir the liquid clay first and do it gently. Hope that helps!
PolymerClayTutor thank you so much!!
@@PolymerClayTutor warming up the molds first helped a lot! :)
I hate when this happens.
Yes I am Canadian. Are you from the UK? A little British flag comes up beside your name in my comment section.
Well this doesn’t really help because not everybody has a pasta machine
i see how u have a lovely husband... you always have something for the next time... mysterious lovely woman! ahahaha
😊 thank you
Hi Cindy. Im currently using Du-kit and it works just fine. But every time i finish a project, bubbles appear. I dont have an oven yet so i use an oven toaster. I also I have a thermometer to make aure temp. Is accurate. I tried dping uour tips but it wont work. Please help.. thank you so much.
Hi Sebastianne Abrahams your clay is probably too soft and is trapping air. Go to my site at www.polymerclaytutor.com and type bubbles or soft clay into the search box there. You should be able to find the answers you are looking for. Good luck!