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Tiki Central / Other Crafts / MadDog Mike's Platterful of Pupule - Pele Fence Hanger

Post #679054 by MadDogMike on Thu, May 23, 2013 6:21 AM

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Gene - In theory I could fire it with the foam inside, but that much foam would smoke and stink like crazy. One trick I have used with polymer clay is to bake it in the oven at 300 ~ the foam shrinks down to about 1/3 of it's original size and be very easy to remove. It was a little difficult to seperate but the layers of tissue paper help and you can't let it dry too long first.
Lori - Thank you. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of the front :(
TikiAno - The foam does not absorb moisture like plaster does so it's not as good as plaster but it is very quick and easy to make a temporary form. Although the tissue paper helps, the foam is also rougher than the plaster so the inside needs to be smoothed when I take it off the form. Wendy hit it on the head: clay pulls away as it shrinks when it is inside a cavity. But when you put it over a form it shrinks tighter to it. If you wait too long it will either get a death grip on the form or, more likely, crack the clay.
Wendy - Thanks. Too late for more clay, I popped it in the kiln this morning. I saved my form so I can make a thicker one if I need to. I don't make it up North very often but Teresa would love to see the wonder that is the Dan & Wendy Studio and Tiki Mug Collection Extraordinaire! :D See ya again soon!
MP - So glad to see you around these parts. I am having a good time :D See ya at Oasis?