Using Polymer Clay Molds and keeping them usable

Using your mold.... All of our molds are firen, and they are not flexible.So here is some use hints, hope they help!

How is polymer clay hardened?Firing is the process of heating the clay to make a finished piece.
During firing, the temperature causes chemical changes in the clay, making it hard and strong. Polymer clay fires at low temperatures (below 300 Fahrenheit ... for sculty what I use a warm oven set on low for five minutes then turn the oven off and leave the peice in for 15-20 minutes. item should have a hard spoungy feel to it. If not, turn the oven on for another few minutes and leave for another 10-15 minutes). No special equipment needed.
Before filling a mold, polymer clay should be conditioned by warming in your hands until it feels like smooth, firm putty. To prevent sticking, use a soft watercolor or make-up brush to dust the mold generously with cornstarch. The cornstarch will act as a release agent. Tap the mold upside down to remove excess cornstarch. I personaly like baby powder applied directly to the mold. Invert it and give it a gentle shake leaving a solid coating of powder inside.Instead of dusting with a powder, which has to be done every time, some folks have suggested spraying the mold occasionally with Armor All protectant and wiping out the excess. (I'm trying baby oil, let you folks know shortly!)

If the mold has a deep area, such as the nose on a face, you need to form your clay into a sharply pointed oval or a teardrop with a sharp point. Press the point of the clay into the deepest area of the mold first. Then, fill the mold from the center out. Only press clay to the edge of the impression area. If any clay goes beyond the edge, push it back in.

Fill the molds so that the backs are even with the surface of the mold. You can take a paring knife and gently slice away as much excess as possible excess. Then take a separate piece of the same clay (larger than the original piece) and forms it into a wedge shape with a flat bottom. Press the wedge against the back of the filled mold while both are sztill warm (from klneading). The wedge extends straight up, and the flat bottom is about 1/16" to 1/8" inside the edges of the impression area. The molded clay sticks to the wedge so that it can be lifted. Then peel the wedge off the back This eliminates the need to trim. Freeze the items for a short while if it's still to sticky to seperate.

Firm clays such as Fimo mold well. FIMOsoft, a softer version as the brand name implies, also works nicely in the molds and releases easily. Softer clays such as Sculpey may stretch or stick, especially on hot summer days, but that doesn't mean you can't use them. Refrigerating the clay or popping the filled mold into a freezer for two or three minutes will make soft clay easier to remove. After repeated use, the molds sometimes develop a sticky residue. They can easily be cleaned with rubbing alcohol. For additional ways to prevent clay from sticking, I am about to try a gentle brushing of baby oil... I'll let you folks know how it turns out..Ever notice if you lay a clay ball down it leaves a oil mark on paper? I don't know, but I think polymer cly is made with oil and a polyester resin... Find out!


You can bake all the molded pieces at one time (i like using cookie clean sheets dusted with baby powder), or you can mold some parts of the design first ( the original mmobie cow and others were done in peices, half fired (baked) put together and fired again), bake, add additional molded pieces, and bake again. This prevents damaging areas you have already done. Allowing the assembled design to rest overnight before baking sometimes helps the molded pieces to bond together. After the final baking and cooling, pry up any loose pieces and reattach them with Arts