How to Make a Fimo Pipe
While polymer clay is not flame resistant and therefore can't be used to make a functional smoking pipe, polymer clay is an excellent choice for making a realistic-looking prop suitable for decoration or use in theatrical productions. Use FIMO™ clay to create vividly colored and detailed textures for your pipe, helping you to recreate the appearance of elaborate antique pipes with minimal cost.
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Things You'll Need
- FIMO polymer clay
- Flat work surface
- Conventional or toaster oven
- Polyurethane gloss
Instructions
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1
Create a wood grain texture for the body of the pipe. Combine two parts brown clay, one part black, and one part tan. Knead these colors together, mixing them partially to create a marbling effect that will resemble wood. Pull a section of this mixed clay about the size of a golf ball to create the bowl.
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2
Sculpt the bowl. Roll the section of wood grain clay into a ball. Flatten one edge of the ball against your work surface to form the top of the bowl, and then press your fingers into the center of the flat section to make the bowl's hollow. If you want the hollow to be larger than your fingers, pinch the sides of the bowl to widen them.
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3
Create the mouthpiece. Pull a piece of black clay (the size will vary depending on how long you want the mouthpiece to be) and form a long, skinny shape by rolling it back and forth between your hands (flattened) and the work surface. Form the long shape into a mouthpiece by trimming it and then flattening one end slightly by pinching it. Form into a curve, if desired (you'll need to bake the clay with the curved part lying flat, as it won't stand up on its own until it's baked).
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4
Attach the two pieces. Press the mouthpiece against the outside edge of the pipe, and then blend the edges of the clay together at the point where they meet.
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5
Bake the pipe. Follow the instructions on the polymer clay package.
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6
Apply gloss. After the pipe has cooled from baking, apply a layer of polymer clay gloss. This will give the pipe the right sheen in order to look like it's made of varnished wood.
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