The main thing you need to learn about curing polymer clay is that the temperature is critical. You can bake for really long periods of time. It won’t burn your clay, but a too-high temperature will. So, you’ll find it’s really important to use an oven thermometer (buy one cheap at a dollar or grocery store) to make sure that you’re curing at the right temperature. Monitor & keep the temperature at or slightly below what the pkg. directions say. (Between 265F & 275F is usually best for most clays.) Ovens can be way off, so monitoring the temp is crucial.

Ovens can also have hot-spots & temperature spikes, which can cause burning. Because metal heats up quickly, your bead rack can overheat your beads if your oven “spikes.” You can set your bead rack on a ceramic tile to help prevent this. The tile helps to regulate the temperature and keep it steady. Another thing you can do is tent your beads with something like foil or cardstock (placed over the bead rack.) And, of course, you can also use the corn starch technique on this page. Just like Cindy says: fill an oven-safe container (like glass, ceramic, metal, etc.) with cornstarch and bury your beads. The corn starch can be re-used multiple times, but do not use it or the container again for food. After you make sure your oven is the correct temperature, you’ll want to cure your beads for about an hour. Even though many packages recommend the “30 min. per 1/4″ thick” rule, the polymer clay is much stronger and cures better when baked for longer periods of time at the correct (not too high) temperature.

There are lots of great articles here about baking polymer clay as well as links to even more informative articles on baking and related topics. There are hundreds of articles, tons of information here at this website. To find them, just use the search box at the top of the page on the left-hand side. Type in a keyword or two, (like “burnt” or “corn starch”) or use the “Topic Categories”, and you’ll get a list of articles on the subject you’re looking for. Don’t forget to read the comments under the articles, as there’s often even more information there left by Cindy and/or other members. There are also tags at the end of each article. Click on one of them and it will lead you to other articles with the same subject matter.

Cindy makes fantastic tutorial videos. If you are not already a member, you should think about becoming one. Join the guest list if you haven’t already, and you’ll get 3 free videos and weekly color recipes. Finally, think about getting Cindy’s Polymer Clay Fundamentals Course, which will teach you everything you need to know when starting to make polymer clay beads. It will really help you so you don’t have to go through all the mistakes most beginners make. She has tips and tricks that make all the difference. So, take a look around and read the baking articles. Learn about the importance of conditioning your clay, and choosing the the right types for your purposes. Try your beads again. And if you need help or have additional questions, just ask…

Good luck with your beads, and Happy Claying!

thank you very much for the nice answers. About the wire, in electrical installation nowadays they are using many wires bunched up together, so they are not making it, as they use to, in the single core. I know that wire is also useful in the armature, while making bangles, cuffs and dolls, I must do more research on that, maybe scrapyards.

Many thanks, regards
Srdjan

@Srdjan, Baking Soda is also known as Bicarbonate of Soda and you can use that instead of corn starch if you like though it is not quite as smooth. Rice Flour or Tapioca Starch could work too.

Sounds like Maizena will work fine for you.

You may be able to find copper wire in the electrical department of a hardware store. You may need to strip the plastic off the wire. There is a short video on how to do that, in Hammered Copper Findings post I wrote awhile ago. Just click the link by my name and scroll down into the comments to see the video.

I am so glad you are enjoying the videos. If you need any more help just ask!

@Brenda: Thank you so much for going out of your way to help Srdjan! I appreciate that more than you can ever know! :-)

thank you very much for your email :)

You mentioned word maize; there is an article from one of our manufacturers, please if you can confirm if I am on the right way:

MAIZENA TRUSTED BY GENERATONS OF MOMS!
When generations of Moms have looked for the perfect ingredient to help them make the smoothest sauces, thick, meaty stews and light fluffy cakes, they’ve always trusted Maizena.

Maizena is part of a shared South African childhood memory – from Grandma, adding a cup or two into her homemade shortbread, to Mom’s secret: making every omelet super light and every sauce successful. For generations South African Mom’s trusted Maizena to give a rich consistency to gravies and stock, the perfect ingredient to thicken stews and sauces and for baking lighter pies and cakes.

TECHNICAL SPECS
Maizena corn Flour is a thick boiling maize starch. It is a fine, white, odorless powder with a slight characteristic taste. It is derived from the wet milling of maize, and it receives special refining treatment to ensure the maximum purity and quality.

I also heard, that instead of Cornstarch you can make a bed for beads using baking soda, again this is an American term, will you also be kind to advise me if they are talking about “baking powder” or “bicarbonate of soda”?

Best regards
Srdjan

Best regards
Srdjan