Cooking Polymer Clay In Oil 




      
From: rob 

      Subject: boiling polymer clay

      Date: December 25, 2011 PM 12:20:43 GMT+08:00

      To: Sim Garie <garie@starhub.net.sg>

      
Hi Garie,

      
I do like the convenience of boiling polymer clay.
but water only gets it to ~95 deg Celcius, so it does not cure fully.
thinking of using  oil to get it to 130-140 C.
what do you think ?  should work ?
got some Corn Oil,  I will try.
think it might be safer  , than mineral oil,
since mineral oil has a low flashpoint of  170 C, 
what could be dangerous  .
thought I run it by you, what you think .

      
thanks, Robert




Curing clay in oil is not advisable, as the temperature will rapidly increase from 50º C 
to 250º C onwards. As for mineral oil, although the flashpoint is 170ºC, it is still too 
hot for curing the clay


Using cooking oil as test the temperature rose rom 50º C to 200º C as the oil gets 
hotter. At this point the clay will changed color. Refere to the cooking below.




The temperature reached about 200º C the clay begin to fry and react with the hot oil


Clay blistered and color changed from blue to brown as the temperature increased 
and the oil began to fumes




Fried polymer clay, is good for creating realistic fried food effect


Closer view of the fried polymer clay


Curious to find out  what is going on inside the fried clay, cutting the clay with a cutter


The high temperature distroyed the outer surface of the polymer clay as the core
is fully cured


A direct view of its effects



 

      
December 29, 2011 AM 1:30
      

      
Hi Garie,

      
Happy New Year ! Bonne Anne
      ! Frohes Neues Jahr!

      
thanks, for the reply .

      
just 2 days ago I tried it.

      I had better luck.

      
how I used it

      -  stainless steel pot

      - pop-up  steamer 

      - Corn Oil

      - Laser Thermometer 

      -  bent Wire, for pop-up steamer to lower into the oil

      
On the stove I heated the
      Oil to  130C

      note,  that the temperature  continued to rise to 147C

      even with low flame.

      I had  put the Fimo Soft,  on the pop-up Steamer,

      and lowered  into the Oil .

      12 minutes.

      
took out pop-up steamer  with
      bend wire,

      rinsed with water.

      washed with dish soap to get oil off.

      
results :

      no color change 

      only the 0.5mm flat piece blistered,

      spring ok,  all other ~2mm+   ok.

      -----

      next  test

      2 x  pots 

      -  one with water

       to get clay preheated and precured

      for 5 min   and then to put in 140C Oil.

      corn oil was ok,  still like to find some, with higher flashpoint,

      maybe coconut grease ?

      
others,  to  get
      chopped  fiberglass strands,

      to mix with the clay,  to increase strength.

      ---

      other notes:

      there was no notable bad smell, the Oil seam to absorb it .

      need to get a glass container for the Oil,

      and a  Do not use , Poisson ,  Label  for the
      Oil. 

       maybe try it with  synthetic  automotive oil,

      don't recommend  mineral oil,  due fumes,

      and fire hazard, thought I have not tried.

      ---

      recap:

      -   not allowed , to use oven in kitchen,

       for polymer clay , due  fumes and smell.

      -  toaster in garage,  is inconsistent in temperature

        and burns  the clay

      -  boiling in water,  does not fully cure

      
=  using ,  Oil
      to cure polymer clay, gets acceptable results.

         without  the other short-comings.

         large pieces , cure faster.

         think,   5min for small, and  8min+
      for large, should be enough.

      --> I don't know how to test,   if the clay is not
      cured ?

      
Warning:

       working with  HOT  Oil is, Dangerous !  

      use big enough pot, and cover,  to reduce any splatter.

      watch for temperature rise,  Oil will continue to get hotter,

      even after the heat/ flame is off. take it slow.

      
Hope this is helpful , and
      Interesting.

      Sorry for the language, I'am an german engineer ,...

      
regards, Robert



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