WAY OT - polymer clay

[TheresaTT]

WOW Are you actually cutting the polymer clay with the cricut? Do you put it directly only the mat or use a paper between them? Does it clog the ctter blade? How thin do you roll it? How do you keep the clay from stretching out of shape when you move it from the mat? Sorry for all the questions but I'm really excited at the posibilities this might open up.

NO - i am not bold enough to cut it with the cricut. This will be my first time to ever touch the stuff so i am only rolling it out to candy canes. Sorry for the misguided excitement. Maybe someone else here has though.

[krainey]

WOW Are you actually cutting the polymer clay with the cricut? Do you put it directly only the mat or use a paper between them? Does it clog the ctter blade? How thin do you roll it? How do you keep the clay from stretching out of shape when you move it from the mat? Sorry for all the questions but I'm really excited at the posibilities this might open up.

OneCraftyGal,
I personally have not used my cricut to cut the clay itself. I have only used it to cut shapes from card stock, chip board, etc and then traced them on the clay. However, if you are willing to try it I give a few words of advice/caution - 1. make sure you are out of warranty because cutting the clay itself may/will negate the warranty. 2. use a mat that is no longer sticky - the sticky mat will be too sticky and make it hard to remove the clay. 3. I would use a little water on the side of the clay that will come in contact with the mat this will keep it from sticking too much. 4. If you have a cricut cake or access to a cricut cake - that would be better to use (make sure to use different mat and blade for food and different one for clay). 5. Move the rubber rings on the roller out of the way of where the clay will be so that they do not touch the clay. Here are a few sites that talk about cricut/pazzle, etc and cutting polyer clay = http://wondersinstructions.blogspot.com ... -clay.html - http://kadamczyk.wordpress.com/2010/04/ ... y-pazzles/ . I am sure there are more out there - I just searched "using cricut to cut polymer clay" - lots of results for the cricut cake.

Good luck if you try it and post pics if you do - success and failures - so we can all see how it works.

Kelly

[AnointedHands]

WOW Are you actually cutting the polymer clay with the cricut? Do you put it directly only the mat or use a paper between them? Does it clog the ctter blade? How thin do you roll it? How do you keep the clay from stretching out of shape when you move it from the mat? Sorry for all the questions but I'm really excited at the posibilities this might open up.

I don't use the Cricut but the Gazelle. Since the Cricut will cut gum paste it will probably cut clay. The only problem I can see with the Cricut is having the blade drag over the design while cutting. With the Gaz you have to option of using an O-ring which lifts the blade up when traveling and then the blade is lowered to cut (have to change the force setting so it will go deeper to cut). I also flip the design so it cuts on the wrong side since marks from the cutter are hidden from view.
I use a clay machine to roll the clay thru to make it thin evenly. The clay machine, which is a glorified pasta machine, will roll clay paper thin. The machine has different setting. If you use the paper thin setting, you might have a problem removing it from the mat. My mat wasn't overly sticky and clay will stick to the mat a little itself. If I need a piece larger than the machine will make which is only about 4 in wide, I knead the two pieces together until the seam if invisible and then cut. When putting two pieces together, only work at the seam so you will know just how thin to make it (hope that was understood).
Once again, unfortunately, I use the Gaz so my bladeholder can be taken apart and cleaned...am not sure about the Cricut. If you check the web for tuts using the Cricut to cut gum paste before the cake came out, there will probably be instructions for cleaing the bladeholder.

HTH
Althea

[OneCraftyGal]

Thanks so much for all the information.........I've worked with polymer clay, but always in sculpute type projects. I guess right now I'll file the information for a "some day" project. Tho logic says if the machine will cut gum paste, the clay will probably work, I'll wait until I feel braver!!!
Carol B

[krainey]

Thanks so much for all the information.........I've worked with polymer clay, but always in sculpute type projects. I guess right now I'll file the information for a "some day" project. Tho logic says if the machine will cut gum paste, the clay will probably work, I'll wait until I feel braver!!!
Carol B

I too have filed this project away for a day when I am feeling more brave. For right now, I am content cutting my shapes out with cricut then trace cutting them out of the clay - cleaner cuts because I can control how fast, etc and less likely I will ruin my cricut.

Happy Holidays to All!!!!!


Kelly