Polymer Clay and other low temp baking clays?

Question

In understand I can't use polymer and simliar clays for plate sthat will be eaten off - Would I be able to make beer mugs, tea mugs, salt and pepper shakers or small storage vessels though? Why is it not considered food grade?

Answer 1

The clay can be placed around utensils if you keep it away from an area where people actually put it to their mouths. I have wrapped wine glasses and it works well. The plastics that are used, well, polymers that are used are not food grade according to FDA regulations.

You might also find that foods get a funny taste because of the materials.

Try finding some junk beer steins and work on them, just think of it as an armature.

Answer 2

Small storage vessels, no problem. For the other things you mentioned, you'llwant to keep the clay away from areas where mouths will go, as mentioned. Polymer clay has been rated non toxic by the significant governing group, but just *in case* the clay hasn't been thoroughly and correctly cured, there could be a bit of plasticizer that hasn't been competely hardened and made inert (like other plastics). In fact, dogs seem to like raw polymer clay and some have eaten good quantities of it with no discernible problems. In the clay community though, we tend to just stay away from food uses (also I definitely wouldn't use a bowl which contained anything acidic or got very warm).

As for "making" mugs, salt and pepper shakers, and non-food vessels of all kinds, generally larger versions of things like that are actually a polymer clay covering over something else (glass salt/pepper shakers, metal tins, papier mache forms, eggs, some pens, etc.) to make them rigid enough. Larger vessels can be made, but they're usually several layers of clay, or coated with liquid polymer clay, etc. for added rigidity. Smaller vessels like boxes or bowls can definitely be made from clay only though.

If you want to read more about the "safety" of polymer clay, check out this page at my site:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/safety_health_cleaning.htm

And for various vessels and "covering" all kinds of things, go to the Table of Contents page at my site
http://glassattic.com/polymer/contents.htm
and check out the categories covered on the pages called:

Vessels
Vessels-Rock (small)
Covering


P.S. All I've said above has only to do with traditional "polymer" clays... I don't personally know of other types of clay that require a low oven heat to cure them --air- dry clays may be put into a low oven sometimes, but that would be only to speed up their *drying* and has nothing to do with "curing" them. (Polymer clays never "dry" because there's no water in them.)

EDITED TO ADD:
thanks for the vote of confidence Lilhopsquaw
... it is possible though to put polymer things in a dishwasher -- if they're lightweight and not stabilized though or don't have a heavier armature underneath, they could get thrown around maybe scratched (or possibly broken if using Sculpey or FimoSoft, esp. if the object has thin or projecting parts)
... polymer clay is highly water resistant, and also shouldn't have problems at the relatively lower heat that dishwashers create (though if the item were thin and unsupported, it could distort at bit)
...clayers who have covered the handles of (various kitchen) utensils with polymer clay (and baked), then washed them in the dishwasher though have reported not encountering any problems, even when done repeatedly

HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 3

The answers by udontrea and diane b are excellent answers. I just wanted to add one last thing. Things made/covered by polymer clay cannot be put into the dish washer. And, I use my home oven as does most everyone else. It does not give off toxic fumes! It will smell really bad if you burn it. But just open up your house and use a fan to blow out the fumes.
Lilhopsquaw

Answer 4

you cant put any food in it, no liquids, its not good for that, its chemical make up is not made for food at all, not in any way shape or form, its expensive too, a dinner plate would cost about 20 dollars to make because polymer clay is two dollars a block and its only one and a half by two inches and half an inch thick. its good for making little figures, beads, etc, the colors in it are toxic and the entire thing is toxic to consume, they dont even suggest you bake it in the oven in which you bake food. it gives off toxic fumes.