6/1/2021 translucents-glow

Conditioning & Baking & Finishes

One thing I learned for sure (from my tests) is that conditioning the translucent clays is adding air pockets, which interferes
with translucence, just the way rutilations break up the clarity of quartz crystal. So from now on, I'll be "conditioning" my
(Fimo)…00 and CFC 06 (Premo Frost-- 5310-bleached) just enough to get it as thin as I want it. Elizabeth
(see Kathi Dustin's method below)
... leaching? does this also?

Conditioning by pasta machine may add more air than by hand conditioning also . .
...if you do use the pasta machine to condition your translucent, be sure you don't add add by inserting the fold of the sheet
you're about the put through it at the top, but rather on the bottom or one of the sides

I got this one from a Gwen Gibson Video - bake your pieces face down. Heat rises and causes air bubbles to rise to the surface. By putting
your items face down, the bubbles will rise to the back of the piece where they won't show. Lizzlady
....Another thing that could be happening is that your clay is too sticky or your pasta machine has bits of clay under the scrapers, etc.,
that catch on the clay as it goes by and give it a little pull (particularly the thinner you roll it) . . . .that can result in more likelihood of air.
You might want to try leaching the clay a bit, or cooling it and/or the pasta machine before using if you don't condition by hand.

...see below in Clearest Results and in Thin Sheets for more info on preparing translucents to avoid bubbling, etc.
...see more on avoiding bubbles in general in Pasta Machines > Problems > Air Bubbles

Most all translucents will darken more easily than the regular colors while baking...(not Kato's translucent though, and
maybe PremoFrost--bleached tho?)
....so don't bake too long, or use a too-high a temp when using translucents (or tinted translucents like SuperSculpey or ones you've tinted
yourself)
..........or when using regular color clays which contain lots of translucent in them from the factory (which is not always obvious --to check
for translucence, can put thin bit of clay on sheet of glass or plastic, then shine flashlight up through in darkened closet)
..........remind me not to overbake my glow in the dark clay either ...they brown sooo easily!! Ginger
..... (NOTE:.at higher elevations, all clays must be baked a little hotter and longer just like foods... most clayers at elevations over 3500
ft. recommend baking translucents at around 300 or just a bit lower)
....using a convection oven may help though since it keeps the temp really even
.....I like to bake in a covered container when working with light colors or translucents .. I've got two foil cake pans that I clip together
with binder clips and never have trouble anymore. Ginger
...... have used two large cookie tins like the ones Christmas cookies in.... they have tight fitting lids ...I line the bottoms with a layer
of polyester polyfill and I have never burned anything in them --even translucent clay doesn't burn. (I like to let them cool in the container
before removing the lid I since I don't like the smell).Flo
.......partially enclosing should help too (draping with a damp paper towel, or tenting with aluminum foil, etc.)
..........cornstarch is wonderful for keeping your translucent from browning or yellowing since it totally protects it from the heat
of the oven (insulation)
..............if my translucent item needs to be baked on a flat surface, I lay 3-4 paper towels on my tile.... then I lay the clay
item on top of the paper towels ....then, I scoop up a spoonful of cornstarch and gently sprinkle it over the item, until it
is totally covered (at least 1/2" thick) .......if the translucent isn't clear enough after baking, I put it back in the oven for
about 5 min (without the cornstarch)... this will clear up the translucent if it needs it, without browning it.
.............if my items are dimensional like beads, I put them in a baking pan which is always kept filled with cornstarch
....then cover with cornstarch and bake as above. Jana
(see more details on all these powders, plus other ways to avoid darkening, seeBaking > Darkening/Burning ...Enclosed Baking ...Support
& Propping)

Sarajane says that if you're using translucent clay or glow-in-the-dark clays (or Kato clays), they may resist Varathane (?)
.. (if that happens, the workaround is to) "apply the thinnest little layer of the liquid clay first, to give the piece some "tooth" for the
Varathane to hold onto. I apply it with a makeup sponge, or a drop or two then smear with a finger, bake for 10 minutes...then Varathane."
Sarajane

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