why does my polymer clay stick to my wooden rolling pin?

Question

I am new to PC so want to start with min tools. I am using my old rolling pin....but is good condition . It is sticking to the clay when i roll the clay. Help!

Answer 1

Polymer clays do have a tendency to quckly bond with certain surfaces, one of which is wood.

Each clay manufacturer sells dilutents for their clay. This might help. Otherwise try using waxed paper between the clay and the roller.

Most tools meant for polymer clays are plastic.

Answer 2

Raw polymer clay is somewhat sticky (worse with certain brands, in warm conditions, if the clay has been worked a lot, and other situations).
So most clayers don't use a rolling pin for making clay flat most of the time, especially for sheets, though various rollers and brayers can come in handy at times for smaller sheets, and doing other flattening chores.

I'm about to have company at the door, so for now check out these two pages at my site (which is an online polymer clay "encyclopedia") and I'll try to remember to come back later and be more specific (though those pages have everything you need to know).

There are definitely ways to use rollers of various kinds without the clay sticking (using paper or powder barriers, picking up and moving like pie dough, cooling the clay first in frig or freezer, not using a smooth surface because of the vacuum that will form between it and the clay, etc.), but most of us invest in a pasta machine pretty quickly because it helps with so many polymer things (like conditioning clays, mixing colors, making sheets for all kinds of techniques, flattening patterns, and more)... if you're in the US, you can get an inexpensive pasta machine from Michaels for about $15 if you use one of their bi-weekly 40% off Sunday coupons for it.

http://glassattic.com/polymer/tools_Dremels_worksurfaces.htm
(...click on the subcategory called *Brayers, Rollers*...)

http://glassattic.com/polymer/pastamachines.htm
(...click on *No Pasta Machine?...Other Ways*...)

And P.S. ...I definitely wouldn't say that most tools used with polymer clay are plastic; we use all kinds of things as tools, etc., but especially less-porous ones because:
they are smooth enough, don't absorb plasticizer from the raw clay, and can't get clay stuck in them or leave marks on the clay.
Some plastics can even get eaten into by raw polymer clay over time though, so some plastics aren't suitable for some polymer things.


HTH for now,

Diane B.