Member Benefits Vol-054: Sand Buff Shine
OMG! I kind of gave up on beading for a while because I couldn’t manage to finish my beads properly. Like so many other people, I have joint issues and all that sanding was torture. As a last resort I tried the micro mesh pads. These pads are MIRACULOUS! I can’t believe that by going though all 9 pads, for about 15 seconds on each pad, I can get professional looking finishes. (The beads themselves still need work, but now I’m motivated to keep practicing the techniques.) As soon as I find my camera. I will take pictures and upload so I can join the Facebook fun. Thank you Cindy! ~Jill-V >> Original comment was post was here: Micromesh Polymer Clay Sanding Techniques
Cindy, remember I told you I made my first cane from Premo the other day? Well I baked it with its imperfections because it is a reminder of what I did wrong and it was a first. It is important to see progress! And went through all the steps of sanding it. What a beautiful finish I got with just the sanding. Wish all my attempts before had looked as wonderful as this sad little pillow bead came out! It is beautiful and glossy and feels like glass. I have not buffed it yet, I am a little frightened that it will (I will) ruin my pretty little wonderful messed up bead. Do you always buff? I sound like I have never done clay. You have opened up a whole new world with the difference being astounding. I am Not even ashamed of this sad little bead. I love you for that feeling. Thanks ever so much. ~Karonkay-C >> Original comment was post was here: Rose Petal Beads
Hi, Cindy! I’ve learned so many things from your polymer clay video course. I never sanded my pieces before and what I used for a finish worked okay, but wasn’t the best. I’ve remade one of my painted designs in colored clay and it has turned out great! I used multiple colors, including a simple bull’s eye cane for some polka dots that were painted onto the original design. After baking, I sanded and buffed it, then used the finish you recommended and it turned out so cute! I’m planning to do some more and want to get good at making canes, too. In fact, some friends who saw some of my original work wanted to know if I had an Etsy store! I had sold some of my painted pieces in the past, have a special order for one of my “redesigned” pieces, and have now opened an Etsy store! ~Betty-B >> Original comment was post was here: Sanding Polymer Clay Beads
Hi, I am learning a wealth of info from your site. I am just starting with polymer clay and had no idea you were supposed to sand and buff after you have baked them. Off to start sanding. Thanks so much! ~Gabrielle-B >> Original comment was post was here: Sand Your Polymer Clay Beads
I have been using my lortone for a while now for polishing beads, but I wasn’t happy with the results. It wasn’t till I read here about Tina polishing a tumbler full, that I realised what my problem could have been not enough beads in the tumbler. So I gave it a whirl with a larger amount of beads and I can honestly say it made a huge difference. So thank you Tina and Cindy. Cindy if you hadn’t put Tina’s statement up I wouldn’t have considered it. And thank you Tina, for saying what you did. ~Sandra-J >> Original comment was post was here: Lortone Tumbler For Polymer Clay Beads
Received my package from Lee Valley yesterday and I LOVE the micromesh sanders! My beads feel so smooth I can’t stop handling them. Thanks Cindy. ~Isabel-H >> Original comment was post was here: Sanding with Micromesh Abrasives
Hi Cindy, I just purchased some micro mesh pads and agree, they are much easier on my hands. I numbered each one with a permanent marker, 1-9 to graduate to the finest pad. This way, I don’t have to refer back to the chart (although I still have it). I have used them on a few pendants and it is a lot easier than using the scraps of wet/dry sandpaper. Thanks for all your tips! ~Jan-W >> Original comment was post was here: Polymer Clay Sanding Tutorial
Just waiting til the SS check comes in LOL. Then I can order theses babies! Such a much better way to finish. No more crampy hands! Thanks Cindy and Doug. You did it again… Hugs. ~Patt-W >> Original comment was post was here: Sanding with Micromesh Video
Cindy, this micromesh tutorial is amazing! Thanks so much for all you do! You are AMAZING! ~Phaedrakat >> Original comment was post was here: Polymer Clay Tutorials
It looks like this is a great product. I really like the little Q-tip sanders too. One thing I do not like about using regular Wet-Dry sand paper is some beads are hard to hold onto and I end up sanding off my finger nails. It looks like these micromesh pads will almost conform to the palm of your hand. Way Cool. I use a vibrating tumbler and am thinking I could do my tumbling and then continue on with the last 10 or so pads. ~Anna-S >> Original comment was post was here: Micro Mesh Abrasives Video
Can’t wait ’til my Micromesh pads come (ordered from PC Express)! Thanks for the great tut, Cindy and Doug. Now, maybe those hundreds and hundreds of unsanded beads we collectively own will get pulled out of their bins and morph into the beauties they deserve to be. ~Elizabeth-S >> Original comment was post was here: Micro Mesh Polymer Clay Video
Just got the Micro-Mesh Pads, played with them with a few things sitting around until I could find the time to sand, they’re fantastic, that’s all I can say, so easy, and QUICK. I did some aggressive reshaping of a not so oval cab. with regular sandpaper on a dremel and then finished with the pads. I love them and will very soon order the sanding swabs as well. Thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much Cindy for discovering and testing these for us! ~Ken-H >> Original comment was post was here: Polymer Clay Video Library
My first set of micromesh sanding pads is almost 2 years now (and still working)! Can’t say enough good things about this product but I still use my rock tumbler most of the time…. sometimes I micromesh through the first couple pads and then throw them in the tumbler and finish them up that way. ~Melinda-H >> Original comment was post was here: Micro Mesh Tutorial
All I can say is that this putty is my favorite friend now. I have been making some beautiful faux opal cabochons. No more blisters yay!! ~Brenda-M >> Original comment was post was here: Silicone Molding Techniques
Wow! When Cindy was doing this and extruding the snake, I thought, uh oh, only the black shows. Not very pretty. But then after shaping into a bead and sanding, amazing… the colors came ALIVE! I love this technique and working with “pearls”. Thanks, Cindy!! ~Dorothy-H >> Original comment was post was here: Aurora Technique
Love this video!!!! thank you Cindy :) This will cut the process time of shining beads in half. ~Rada-F >> Original comment was post was here: Finishing Wax as a Bead Polish
As I am sitting here cleaning the corn starch off my little rainbow beads I had to stop and tell you how Wonderful they Feel kind of like small worry stones. Loved the last tip you gave us so so much I used pearl white and omgosh just that tiny addition made them really POP. Can’t wait to show ya’ll how mine turned out and see pictures of everyone else’s take on this tute (hint hint) almost forgot as I clean one it goes straight onto a piece of 24 gauge scrap wire with a twist at the end. ~Tantesherry >> Original comment was post was here: Frosted Rainbow Beads
What a wonderful video, Cindy! (It was great to see you review the “basics” that everyone takes for granted, also.) I love how you stress, time and again, how these finishing details make all the difference. I always chuckle to myself when I overhear those customers at craft fairs: “Oh, I can make that myself!” How much care and effort is involved in reaching the sellable product, or just something one is proud to wear! I guess that’s why so many become discouraged when first trying a new craft that “looks so easy”… but it is so worth persevering. As always, we’ll get out of a project what we put into it. ~Monique-U >> Original comment was post was here: Celtic Heart Necklace Video
Yep! Another nice tute! Loved the tip of getting into tight places with the sand paper. I haven been working on a huge project and I haven’t tried this tute series yet. So, I’m looking foward to using this technique on other shapes as well. Like using this to decorate paper mache boxes to look like wood with carvings on it! Or make a faux wood carved photo frame. So, many ideas and not enough time. I just thought of something, I used to have problems with what to do next. No ideas, no projects, no inspirations. Not now! You give me too many ideas and inspirations and possible projects. I now have to schedule my time and make lists to insure I do all that I want to do! I’m getting behind and I really need a 48 hour day! So good to be busy with FUN projects!! Thanks!! ~Catalina-L >> Original comment was post was here: Celtic Heart Polymer Clay Tutorial
Great travel videos! Fun to meet folks and this one on sanding was perfect for where I’m at now as well. ~Patty-J >> Original comment was post was here: Who Knew That Dogs Liked Polymer Clay So much?
| A-SERIES COLOR PALETTE: Concord Grape (4 Premo Sculpey Recipes) ** B-SERIES COLOR PALETTE: Turning Maple (4 Premo Sculpey Recipes) VIDEO: Faux Jasper Cabochons – Finished To Buttery Smooth Perfection |
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