My test batch of sea shells are finally totally done. Their finish was delayed by the breaking of belts and such.
These two pictures are of the same shell. The top shell has not been polished at all, where the lower shell as been. I like how the outside of the polished shell very much.
While the shells are in the tumbler, they can break into smaller pieces. Here is a group of pieces from my test batch.
I have even smaller pieces that I can use to make mosaics with polymer clay.
I have a few ideas on how to use the shells and will post pictures as I get them done. Some will be with sea glass and shells, some just the shells and others with polymer clay as well.
I finally got the time to try dipping beads in varathane again.
After some thought, I decided not to try using amoral or corn starch as a releasing agent. I has afraid that it make damage the varathane left in the jar.
I decided to try using metal pins. I formed the beads on a very small knitting needle, so I put them on that and then dipped the beads. I let the beads drips a few moments and then transfered the bead onto some quilting pins. I then stuck the pins into the styrofoam block to dry. I can move the beads freely and have no extra drips forming on the bottoms of the beads.
I am glad that I figured out a way to dip beads with out have to heat them off of the toothpicks!
Recently, I was lucky enough to be involved in a group buy on texture sheets that can be used with polymer clay. A member of one of the forums that I am active in found some larger sheets that are used for texturing chocolates. She offered to make the purchase and cut the sheets down to sizes that would be easier to work with.
One of the sheets has really shallow texturing, which makes it harder to work with. Running it through the PM (pasta machine) on the clay really helps. Just remember to use a releasing agent on the sheet. I have found that a light spray of water works well, as does cornstarch.
The sheets are really nice and I can’t wait to work with them all. I have many ideas. There is one that is wood grained. I have plans to use it with some faux wood to make barrettes. (I may even create Fairy Doors with it.)
I have had good luck finding nice canes on e-bay. I have gotten quite a few of them. I really enjoy buying from the artists that have made them. I have even gotten larger lost of them for not much money.
With the larger lots you have to be careful. Some of the canes will be older and misshaped for what ever reason. Most of them I have been able to reshape them and use them all. Every now and then I will get a cane or sheet that is partially cured. On of the canes I have cut and baked into beads which I will wire wrap or use in some other creative way. The partially cure sheet of clay, I will use as “filler” for something larger out of clay or maybe even bead cores if I can recondition it.
I have found that you need to be careful of buying the larger lots. Some of the folks selling them actually have not worked with polymer clay and really know nothing about it. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing, all depending on how you look at it. I have been really lucky so far and have gotten what I would consider fair deals (and even some really good deals!).
After having the tumbler running for about 3 days, the replacement belt broke again! This makes two replacement belts down. I had been using sewing machine belts but the tumbler gets hotter then they are made to run.
Right know I am using large rubber bands as belts. They are working fine for the moment. The tumbler has been running for over 24 hours.
I am planning on buying replacement belts that are made for the Chicago Electric double barrel rock tumbler. I have read that they are actually better then the originals. I have a concern with the rubber bands. I have “visions” of what can happen if they snap! I hope that no one is near when it happens, if it does.