Questions and Answers February 2002 Polymer Clay Polyzine

February 2002
Volume 3, Issue 2

Questions and Answers

Adobe Acrobat version

Every month, in addition to comments, corrections, and additions, we get a lot of questions. To make it easier to find the questions, and their answers, we will occasionally publish a question and answer column to answer those questions not sent to the Beginners' Corner.

We encourage you to send in your questions, so we all can learn!

Hi,

Just found your Polyzine today. Read all the back issues. I'm hooked.

Technical question: I've always finished my metal creations in a rock tumbler. As a clay newbie, I wonder if clay creations can be tumbled. I saw in one of your back issues that Elise Winters had experimented with this.

Is there any way to contact Elise or to get more info on clay tumbling without ordering the back issue of Jewelry Craft mentioned? (I don't mind paying for the magazine. I'm just impatient to learn.)

So far, I've found that 3-4 hours in a rotary tumbler with steel shot improves the clay surface to come degree, but hand polishing is still necessary. I'll be interested to hear if anyone else has finished clay in either a rotary or vibratory tumbler.

Thanks in advance,

Julie Morrison
Greeneville TN

PS: I sympathize about your recent trip into computer hell. I've always wondered how so many unrelated things can go wrong at once. I think the computer can smell our fear.

Dear Julie:

The rock tumbler question is a long-debated question. Are you a member of the polymerclaypeople mailing list, housed at groups.yahoo.com? If not, you should become a member, and do a search in their archives re: rock tumblers. People have been experimenting with these for years now, trying to find an easier way to polish beads.

Also, Glass Attic has an entire section dedicated to tumbling. Go to Glass Attic, scroll down to the table of contents to Finishing, and click on "sanding, buffing, tumbling." Go to the end of this page and you will find a very long section on tumbling.

Deirdre

Dear Editor:

I am new at polymer clay-ing and have encounter a problem. I covered a little jar with a skinner blend black fading to gold. It came out looking good but when I started sanding it the black started looking really dull. It looked great when it was wet but when it was dry it didn't look black more gray. Did I do something wrong?

Thanks for your help. I love your site.

Kay

Dear Kay:

You didn't do anything wrong! The sanding makes the clay dull, and you need to buff after sanding to bring back up the shine.

You can buff in two ways -- by hand or by machine. By hand, you can take an old piece of denim, and start rubbing away until the shine comes back.

By machine, you can use either a Dremel rotary tool (a small tool) or a rotary sander (big tool), both with muslin buffing wheels attached. Both tool can be found at an home improvement store, and in the September 2001 issue of Polyzine, Desiree McCrorey has a great article on making a dremel buffing wheel.

Deirdre

Dear Editor:

Do you have any idea where Margi Laurin gives lessons in Polymer Clay in Canada.

Thank you,
Pat Burns

Hi Pat!

I wrote a quick note to Margi, who wrote back to say the following:

Unfortunately, right now, I am not offering many workshops. I have just finished a large show in Toronto and am preparing for another one in March.

However, there will be some workshops offered at the Carol Segal Studio of Fine Arts in Montreal in the summer/fall of 2002. Here is the link: http://ww.total.net/~caroles/artnetwork/works.htm . [People] can check periodically to see if there is a date set.

Thanks again

Margi Laurin

I hope this helps!

Deirdre

Dear Deirdre:

Does anyone have tips for micromosaic using the reverse method?

Eva

Dear Readers:

Can anyone help Eva?

Deirdre

Hello.

I was enjoying your older newsletters and found in one from Feb. 2001, Dianne Cook's article called "Beginning Techniques Using Buna Cord...". I tried to email her but the info is not current.

I need to find a source for Buna Cord. Can anyone there help? A Canadian source would be preferred but is not necessary.

Thanks,
Barb Alexander
Victoria, BC Canada

Dear Barb: Buna cord, also known as Buna N (Nitrile) Cord and Nitrile, can be found at the following on-line places:

By the looks of these sites, I'd suggest you try your local rubber, gasket, or even plumbing supply company. I bet they would have some. Ask for buna, but if they give you a blank stare, ask for nitrile.

Deirdre

Dear Deirdre:

I'd like to get together with others who share this interest and wondered if any of your subscribers live in Colorado Springs? I've checked into a Polymer Guild but with no luck. The Rocky Mountain Polymer Guild's email wasn't working. I'd appreciate any leads you might have. You haven't let me down yet! :-)

Thanks a million.

Tejae

Dear Readers:

Anyone out there in Tejae's neck of the woods?

Deirdre