Things You'll Need:
- Hands
- Pasta Machine
- Food Processor
- Polymer Clay (brand of your choice)
- Latex or surgical gloves.
- Plain white paper
- Polymer clay diluents or liquid polymer clay.
- Baby wipes
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Step 1
Polymer clay comes in many different brands. Each brand can affect the ease or difficulty of the conditioning process. The purpose of conditioning polymer clay is to redistribute the plasticizer in the clay. This should make the clay pliable enough to work with. Of course there are other things that can affect the conditioning of polymer clay.
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Step 2
If the clay is soft, your hands should be enough. Just roll, twist, and knead the clay until it is warm and pliable. Be sure to wash your hands before conditioning and, when ever changing color. White has a tendency to pick up dust and dirt form everywhere. If this becomes a problem wear latex or surgical gloves.
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Step 3
A pasta machine can make the process of conditioning polymer clay easier. Flatten the clay so that it can fit into the widest setting of the pasta machine. Fold and roll the clay through the pasta machine over and over. This should be done a least 30 times. Just be careful not to create air bubble. One way to avoid air bubbles is by placing the folded side in first. Air bubbles can be devastating to a project. Clean the rollers with baby wipes when changing colors. Sometimes a residue of the pervious color is left behind and can leave streaks in the next color. By cleaning the roller you should be able to avoid this. There are times when cleaning the roller of the pasta machine isn't enough . The pasta machine need to be taken apart for better cleaning. If this is the case refer to the instruction that came with your pasta machine.
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Step 4
A Food processor can be used to condition polymer clay. Just break up the clay into small pieces and pulse the machine until you get pea size bits of clay. Food processors are great for harder clay or more the one block. Be sure to wipe out the processor between color with baby wipes. Also be careful of the blade(s).
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Step 5
Clay that is too soft after conditioning looks like chewed gum. A way to fix this is to put the clay through the pasta machine on the thickest setting, or flatten the clay. Place the clay between two sheets of plain white paper. Check the consistency of the clay at regular intervolve. This may even take over night. This is called leaching the clay and will remove some plasticizer from the clay.
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Step 6
Clay that is to hard can be difficult to work. When conditioning this clay crumbles and just doesn't seem to want to come together. This clay can have several things wrong with it. First put it in the food processor and press the pulse button a few times. Add clay diluents or liquid polymer clay (a drop at a time). You can also do this in your hands. If this seems not to work, the clay may very old or has been exposed to heat. Heat exposure means the clay has been baked and is no longer useful.
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Step 7
Even though polymer clay are non toxic and fun to create with . Please be sure to remember that any tools used for polymer clay should be dedicated to this use and not for food. Instructions are given on polymer clay packages and vary from brand to brand. The instructions on the package should be read and followed.
