"layering method"- sculpey clay?

Question

what exactly is the "layering method" with regards to curing sculpey clay? the sculpey website mentions this method, and then tells me to refer to the "technical section". i don't know if i'm blind or what, but i don't see any technical section. any ideas?

Answer 1

Wow, that has me confused too. I actually know a lot about polymer clay, but had never heard quite that terminology before. I think it's just that people who don't actually know much about polymer clay wrote that particular section (!) --more common that you might realize.

I assume this is the passage you were referring to?

"Super Sculpey should be cured in a preheated 275 degree F (130 degree C) oven for 15 minutes per quarter inch of thickness. DO NOT MICROWAVE. For example, a piece of ½" thickness would be cured for 30 minutes.
The layering method is recommended for lager pieces of construction. (See Technical Section.)"

I couldn't find anything called a "Technical Section" either, but did find something about baking polymer clay in their Tips & Techniques area... unfortunately that wasn't very helpful either.


So, let me take some guesses as to what they were trying to refer to.
There are various ways that the word and concept of "layering" could apply to polymer clays (including the Sculpey brand). The only ones I can think of that would have to do with "layers" and baking, would be the thickness that the clay is baked at any one time (which can vary depending on the item which can have thick and thin parts), and also when doing multiple bakes for one reason or another (adding more clay in the form of cane slices, or adding other parts or transfers, or attaching a background piece, etc., etc.)

As for thickness, there's a general rule with all polymer clays that individual pieces to be baked shouldn't be more than 1 1/4" thick because they can crack during baking if they are. Generally an "armature" is used inside the clay to keep it thinner... a common one would be a tightly-scrunched wad of aluminum foil.
I guess they could be suggesting that one bake in layers to make an item thicker than 1 1/4", though I really don't know of anyone who does that. In other words, bake a basic shape as the "first layer," then bake more clay on top of that, and keep going till the thickness one wants (never making any one layer thicker than 1 1/4").

Also since the time clay pieces are baked is based on their thickest areas (so the heat will reach all the way to the center of those areas), any thinner areas of the piece may darken unless protected (this is especially true of Sculpey, SuperSculpey, and Sculpey III as opposed to other brands of polymer clay).

If you want more info than you can probably ever use about baking polymer clay (including the Sculpeys), check out this particular page at my polymer clay "encyclopedia" website:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/baking.htm

If you want loads of info, lessons, and tips on anything else involved with polymer clay (basics like conditioning, tools, cutting, finishes, characteristics of the brands, etc... or specific techniques we use, and items that can be made),
check out the rest of my encyclopedia from the Table of Contents page to see where that topic would be covered:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/contents.htm
(...scroll all the way down to browse...then when you know the particular page you'll want, click on its name from inside the alphabetical navigation bar on the left side to go there)


HTH, or ask again... be happy to answer any specific questions.

Diane B.