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HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CREATIVE POLYMER CLAY TOOLS When I was invited to conduct play clay classes at the various schools, shopping center and clubs, I was always having problem with shortage of basic clay tools, Inorder to resolve the problem, I started to fashion my own tools, catering for classes of between 30 to 80 kids. Looking at my treasured rubbish and other stuffs in the clay workshop, I created the various types of tool. The tools were created at various period of time, I have now compiled them together and hopefully it will help others to resolve similar basic clay teaching problems.
(A) Aluminum Sheet Cutter, bits and pieces of thin aluminum sheets were recycled into cutting tool, for the handicap kid so that they would be comfortable holding them, the rolled handle can be extend or bend them to suit the user hand grip. (B) Steel Floppy Disc Shutter Clay Cutter, lots of it from my old computer softwares I found quality steel from the floppy shutter it was design to combine with (D) for outdoor clay workshop that require 30 to 100 sets, it is thin, strong and rigid (C) Ergonomic Steel Bristle Brush Tool, use for texturing smaller area or create miniature critter fur or hair, it was created from thin steel wires used to reinforce my clay figuring. (D) Round Head Bamboo Skewer Tool, combine with (B) to form a basic tool set, big bamboo skewer are strong and makes good pointer tool, by adding a little polymer clay, molded it to round, you got a good simple basic tool set that is strong and rigid (E) Replaceable Toothpick Ergonomic Tool, always stays sharp wooden needle pointer, plenty of toothpick everywhere, a pack of it can be used for many applications in polymer clay, eg. used for connection between head and body, good support for miniature figure, especially upright position, for piercing beads and as support while baking the beads in the oven. A good tool to pick up tiny bits of PC, 0.5 mm and attached to the miniature PC model. (F) Ergonomic Fine Cutter, created from steel floppy shutter disc, replacing the sharp knife tool or small box cutter used in cutting small detail on PC it was design to be 'safe than sorry' for my experience young student, using it for cutting fine detail and tiny shape. (G) Ergonomic Straight Cutter, design for straight cutting, small or narrow corner, for trimming, cutting polymer clay and millefiori
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Created a hundred sets for outdoor play clay workshop, creative
recycling in making your own tools is most economical
Most regular wooden pointer tool gets blunt all the time, by using
toothpick, it will always stays sharp.
Using toothpick for finer detailing in clay works is safe and economical
compare to the metal pointer, toothpick is good for picking up minute
clay to attach to your tiny PC miniature
You can also utilize the steel shutter to make all kind of miniature knifes
or tweezers.