Liquid Sculpey vs Studio by Sculpey Bake and Bond – Test Results
Two Liquid Polymer Clay Products that Look and Smell the Same. But Are they Really the Same?
Lately I've been having a ton of fun 'test driving' some Studio by Sculpey products. Now the last thing I would want is to keep all of this information to myself. So today's post is yet another in my ongoing "Studio" educational series. This one is about the Bake & Bond, bakeable adhesive product.
By the way, if you missed any of my previous Studio Reports, here are the links to them:
Studio by Sculpey Polymer Clay – Oven Bake Clay for Bead Making: My "First Impression" Notes with Some Comparisons to Premo Sculpey.
Quick Notes About Some Studio by Sculpey Polymer Clay Tools: It was Like Christmas In June When the UPS Driver Arrived.
Testing Studio by Sculpey Antiquing Medium on Polymer Clay Beads: A Little Goes A Long Ways!
Faux Leather Rose Beads Made From Studio by Sculpey Polymer Clay: Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, And Some Clay Roses are Leathery Too!
Studio by Sculpey Glaze – a Beautiful Finish for Polymer Clay Beads: It Appears To Soak Right In, Rather Than Just Form a Coating.
Comparison of Studio by Sculpey Polymer Clay and Premo Sculpey: Two Artist Quality Clays Made By Polyform.
OK… Now Back to the Bake and Bond Review:
Bake and Bond is an adhesive meant to adhere baked and unbaked pieces of polymer clay together. The applications include: Joining raw clay to raw clay; Baked to baked; and Raw to baked. It can also be use to adhere baked clay to porous items such as paper, wood and canvas. Baking is always required to get this adhesive to cure.
When I opened the bottle, the smell and consistency of the Bake and Bond liquid reminded me of TLS (Translucent Liquid Sculpey). TLS is used in many polymer clay techniques, including: Faux ceramics; Faux opals; and Image transfers. I couldn't help but think that maybe these two products were the same, just packaged up differently for separate markets. After all, they are both made by the same company (Polyform).
So I decided to do some testing. For each of the 2 products (Bake&Bond vs TLS), I added thick blobs and thin smears to a piece of parchment paper. This was to see how each compared in translucency when baked. Prior to baking, the wet Bake&Bond felt a little stickier than the TLS… more like white glue. After baking, both were pretty much identical in transparency. However, the TLS did end up feeling slightly more stretchy and rubbery. These findings make me want to try the Bake&Bond in place of the TLS for all of my faux techniques, since I think it has a nicer feel than the rubbery TLS. I'm hoping it will sand up better. Will let you know when I have more info on that.
Next I wanted to test for adhesion strength. Using the Bake&Bond as well as the TLS separately, I joined raw to baked samples of clay; And baked to baked pieces. Both products worked extremely well. I couldn't pull the samples apart at all. However, my guess is the Bake&Bond is probably a little stronger because it seems to have something additional in it that made it stickier when wet. But that is just speculation at this stage.
I'll be doing further tests with my Studio by Sculpey Bake and Bond, to see if it is viable alternative for using in place of liquid clay. Is there any specific ideas you would like me to test out for you? I'm definitely open to suggestions here.
Filed Under: 03: Supplies by Comment. 
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Comments on Liquid Sculpey vs Studio by Sculpey Bake and Bond – Test Results
5:51 am
There are techniques out there that make window "clingies" and stained glass looks how does the new product hold up to these?
5:05 pm
That is one technique where the TLS might be better, since it is more rubbery than the Bake & Bond. Don't know for sure though, since I haven't tried it yet. Will put it on my list of things to try.
6:08 am
Thank You.
6:56 am
I'm in Iran (unfortunately), and I love this job… but here we just have Eberhard Faber without help catalog and etc. I don't know what to do. Please please please help me.
.
10:08 am
Hi Nazanin – With all the political unrest that is happening in your country right now, I was pleasantly surprised to receive your request for information about polymer clay. I think if I were in your situation, I would be playing with my clay constantly as way to help relieve some of the stress you must be feeling these days.
I'd be happy to help you out if possible. Could you be more specific about what it is you are looking for? I'll see if I can point you in the right direction.
6:48 pm
Don't say unfortunately, be proud of your heritage, we all go through our ups and downs, we have a 233 year heritage here in the US (nowhere near as long as yours) and we have just been through an 8 year dark age here, things got better here just as things will get better there, we are all here to help, be patient and keep crafting.
Wishing you peace.
Ken
3:28 pm
I'm really thankful Cindy,I was in bad situation,something like prison…I'm free now!
Yeah…I am so proud,we are all together and I know the whole world wathing us (I hope so),I said "unfortunately" bcs in America,Europe and etc,people think we don't know anything…but here we are like all young people in the world,(I'm studing theater in the best university of Iran),but our hands are empty,we don't have a good matherial in Iran,2years ago I was in Germany and I saw KUNSTHALLE for artists and I told myself that we deserve better…
anyway,dear Cindy faber fimo its like cake,you must put the beads into the macrowave for 30m and then its ready to use.
if u have offer for me,I have a cusin in Canada just tell me what can I do?
*goverment has checked on my mail every day & if you sent me a mail…so so sorry
P.N:my French is more better than my ENG I'm sorry if I did wrong.
6:31 pm
Nazanin, I am so glad to hear you are free now. I can only imagine what that was like for you.
Maybe your cousin can send you some Premo Sculpey, if you want to try a different clay.
If your Fimo is too hard , you can soften it easily using mineral oil or Fimo Mix Quick. Click the link by my name to learn how.
12:55 pm
Hi Cindy,
I just purchased some "Bake and Bond" Studio by Sculpey. I could hardly get it out of the bottle. It was way too thick and stringy and syrupy. More like a very thick Karo syrup. I think there may be something wrong with it. It was extrememly hard to spread too. You remarked that it was similar to TLS in consistency, but not this batch. What do you think?
Bette
8:42 am
@Bette L: In the Q&A part of today's post about Softflex Beading Wire, I provided some feedback regarding your Studio by Sculpey Bake and Bond question.
The link by my name will take you to today's blog post. Once you are there, scroll down the page a bit to get to the Q&A section. Hope the information is helpful for you.
8:49 am
Bette – nothing wrong with your Bake and Bond. Pretty stringy stuff, huh? Don't plan on squeezing much out of the bottle. I've found the best application method is to remove the top and use a tool. Foget about that paint brush – a finger or toothpick both work well. Messy but Bake and Bond excells at its job. Even though not recommended by Polyform I use it to adhere unbaked sheets of clay to plastic and glass. It hasn't failed me yet. Great for switch plate covers when you want your piece to stay on the plastic plate. I have even gluded two pieces of glass together with it. (Again Polyform states for use with porous materials, but I use it to attach all types of materials.) With smooth surfaces prying hard will result in damaging your clay work – but the clay does not pop off in one piece. After using both TLS and Bake and Bond I think they are made from a very simular formula. Bake and Bond has more polymers – thus it much thicker than TLS out of the bottle and not as flexible once baked. I haven't tried multiple bakings – and don't know if that would affect the bond. You may try thinning your B&B with liquid clay softener – I haven't yet – not very cost effective.
Hope this helps.
Jessie
11:50 am
Interesting tips, Jesse. I need to get some of this stuff to try for myself. Sounds like I would definitely get my money's worth out of it!
7:38 pm
Thanks Jessie,
I also asked Polyform my question, but you gave a much better answer than they did. They just said "that's the way it is supposed to be". Maybe you should work for Polyform! Anyway, I really do appreciate your feedback and tips.
Bette