Polymer Clay Finishes – Which One Is Best?

Ronda sent this question to me via email. I like to respond to these things here on my blog so that others can benefit and join in on the conversation too.

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"I LOVE your website, Cindy. I have been working with polymer clay only for about a year. I was reading your post about the various finishes one can use. Have you ever used DecoArt Triple Thick gloss glaze? I have used it on a few pieces and the effect is really amazing.. especially on faux dichroic glass. I have no idea if it will become sticky in time, however. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks! Ronda"
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Ronda, I'm glad you are enjoying the web site. Thanks so much for letting me know. I have not worked with Triple Glaze personally, so I can not be sure how it will behave over time. But I have read about others using it with success.

If you find that it does change at all, i.e.. clouding, yellowing, scratching, cracking, or getting sticky, please do let us know! I'll put this on my list of things to experiment with when I get some. If anyone else reading has used the Triple Glaze produce, Ronda and I would love to hear from you :)

Cindy's last blog post..Polymer Clay Cane Designs Inspired by Dainty Spring Flowers

Thanks for these tips. I have also had the Sculpey glaze chip. Didn't know why, now I do!

Yeah Kim, you would think that the company that makes the polymer clay would have the best product for protecting and making it shine, but this is definately not the case!

Cindy's last post is about making..Leaf Beads using Polymer Clay Cane Designs

Just want to verify my perception. None of the final finishes requires any further baking.

That's right Marianne… the polymer clay finishes like the "Rust-Oleum Varathane Interior Elite Diamond Finish" and "Future Floor Finish" discussed in the above article do not require further baking after they are applied to your beads.

Cindy's last post..Making Beads with a Mod Polymer Clay Cane for Cool Jewelry Projects

um..i heard some people use nail polish or lacquer..what's your view on this?

Hi Ratch… Great question!

Don't use nail polish or nail lacquer on polymer clay. The acetone and other chemicals react badly with the clay over time. At first it may seem OK, but 6 months down the road the beads get all sticky… Not good!!

Stick with the Varathane or Future Floor Finish, you'll be way better off!

Hello!
I like to use metal leaf or various powders, gold or silver, to my beads, and I belive is not possible to polish those. What can I do?
I want my beads to have a "professional look"!
Love, Oana.

Hi Oana, with these types of beads where you would wreck them by sanding, make sure the the surface is really smooth before putting on the leaf or powders. Or another way is to make the surface highly textured, that way no fingerprints or uneven surfaces will show!

Hello!
Thank you for the fast answer, but now I had more questions I would like to ask you.
First, I would like to know if I may use liquid fimo to finish my gold leaf beads. Would a thin coat of liquid make the bead smooth and shiny? How thin should be? Is possible to aply it by using a brush( i hope this is the term)? The gold leaf should still be visible? How long should I bake them? I hope you understand what I wanted to say!
Thank you!
Love, Oana

You can experiment with the different liquid polymer clays to see which works best for you. Some like TLS (Translucent Liquid Sculpey) may make your piece quite cloudy though if it is too thick. Be careful when using a brush that you don't have brush strokes in the finish. Otherwise you may find them a lot of work to sand out.

The perfect solution for what you want to do would be to pour on resin. But it takes some practice as well.

I will have some videos in the future on the different liquid polymer clays as well as using resin.

Hope that was a little help Oana.

It was a huge help, thank's!

Hello, again!
I used liquid fimo in a very thin coat on my beads and baked them, and the result was fantastic! Now I don't need to worry that my pendants and beads made by using the metal leaf will be ruined. And there are shiny too!
Thank you!
Oana

That is Wonderful Oana!!! I am so thrilled to hear it worked for you! Thank you so much for coming here to tell us your results. It will be helpful for everyone who reads it!

Thanks very much for the link to this varnish page. I just read it, and see that you say to stay away from the oil-based Diamond Floor Finish, and I am curious as to why.

I have an ulterior motive in asking you about varnishes. I am looking for a varnish to use on pysanky that is UV protected, and non-yellowing, and not water based, as that destroys the aniline dyes.

Would you happen to know if any of these fit the bill? Thanks so much for your help.

The reason Monelle I don't recommend oil based varnish for polymer clay it that the oils in the varnish bond with the oils of the polymer clay (at least I think that is what happens) and the varnish never sets. It will sometimes appear to set, but after a bit it becomes sticky again and never hardens right.

If your pysanky (Ukrainian decorated eggs) is not made of polymer clay than an oil based varnish may work. But if it is, you could run into problems using it.

I hope that helps.

I have used the Sculpey glaze on Sculpey beads with no problem. But when I used it on Fimo beads it cracked and peeled.! Also on the side of the Sculpey glaze bottle it says you can thin it with water.
Now I work with Kato clay and I'm going to try Future and Liquid Kato on some test pieces this weekend. That is if I can find it…
Love your site and all the new things I learn from you!!
Lisa

Thanks Lisa for the info on the Sculpey Glaze not sticking to the Fimo! That is good to know. Let us know how it goes with the Future Finish. I think you'll really like the consistency of it and the lovely shine it gives.

Have you tried liquid polyclay clear medium by Van Aken? I use to use Liquid Sculpey but I always ran into the problem of it looking like rubber. I tried the liquid polyclay and I found it can be sanded a lot better and does not look like rubber. I also use a heat gun on it after baking to get rid of the cloudy look. Do you think I may have not baked it long enough or for too long (sculpey)?

I haven't tried the liquid polyclay yet but I have tried the TLS (Translucent Liquid Sculpey). No I don't think you did anything wrong with the Sculpey. It is just a rubbery kind of thing. Nice to hear the polyclay is easier to sand. Need to try that some time. (So many products to try aren't there? :-))

I've been working with polymer clays for about 15 years. I made little frog pot sitters about 9 years ago, and used Future Floor Wax, and they still look as good now as when I first made them. None of my old books suggested buffing the clay – I didn't buff them first before dipping them in the wax.

That is wonderful to hear Betty that the Future Finish holds up so nicely over time! Thanks for letting us know that!

Hi Cindy,
Thanks for all your help on polymer clay issues. Now for my problem.
On a recent trip to PA, I put all of my un-strung beads into a bin and took them in the travel trailer from CO to PA. It was very humid in PA and when I removed the beads, they stuck together. I used Verathane on most of them. Maybe I did not bake long enough (30 min) in the toaster oven or the Verathane is subject to getting sticky in very high humidity. I layered them in waxed paper for the trip back to CO and they are very nice now, no sticking. Have you or anyone else had this problelm in high humidity parts of the world?
Thanks, Bette

I have never heard of this problem Bette. Sounds really weird! Maybe you're right about the Varathane not being cured enough.

It's kind of a hard one. Maybe someone else has had this problem and can let us know what went wrong.

Will keep my eyes out for an answer.

cindy,
thank you so much for this awesome tip :) just what i was looking for :)) you rock!
hugs!
luthien :))

Thanks lutien! I love your polymer clay frog and lizard btw. Have the look of some ancient folk art. Very awesome! Thanks for the comment, it is great to have you here!

I have been working with polymer clay for a month and found out the hard way that sculpey glaze was not the way to go. Thanks to this now I know what to use!

I did want to ask about resin and embossing powder. What is the difference and which one is easier or better to use? I am looking to create some nice chucky rings and pendants.

That's a great question Amy!

Resin is a two part liquid that you mix and pour into molds or over your pieces to get a thick glass-like layer.

Embossing powder is a granular powder most often used in rubber stamping that gives a dimensional effect when melted onto a surface. It comes in many colors but the one I think you are referring to is an extra thick clear version that some people coat their projects with, instead of resin.

Embossing powder is easier to use but is much less durable. Each has their time and place where they are best used.

I used green embossing powder mixed into clay for my Anjou Pear Beads. To find out about those, click the link by my name.

HI. I love this site!

My question – I make pendants out of polymer clay (Premo Sculpey) and coat them in mica powder. After I bake them, I use the Sculpey glaze which I'm trying to get rid of. Can I use any kind of spray sealer on these pieces? I'm looking for a fast way to seal my clay. Brushing on coats takes forever since I make such a large quantity at a time. Any advice on a spray sealant or do I need to stick with the brush on type?

Thanks!

Thank you Carrie! A great spray sealer that works very well for protecting Mica is called Preserve Your Memories II. Click the link by my name for a post I wrote about that product.

hey cindy!

(otherwise known as the mother theresa of polymer clay…..lol!) in all of my research online, i have cocluded that the varathane and the floor polish are the most dependable finishes. it appears that the future floor
polish now has a different name……….available on amazon…but can you tell me is it as effective as the old one? has anyone had any problems with it?

i found a floor finish here called "Holloway House quick shine floor finish", and it is referred to as being developed from advanced polymer technology. do you have any idea if this would be trustworthy, or do i need to wait for the other future to arrive in the mail?

wow………how great to find your website!! i have been stumbling around in the dark …….. excited yet frustrated. now i will just be excited with all this info and help on your very high quality site! THANK YOU!!

hey cindy!

how about that thick resin coating that they pour on tabletops, etc………..is it compatible with polymer? how about if i use gold or silver leaf in with my clay……..would i seal it with the proper sealer for gold leaf provided by the company, then use the envirotex? (i think that is what it is called.)

does the metal leaf require a special sealer before using the varathane and/or the floor polish?

so many questions, so little time…….lol………..

Peggie you are a delight! So nice to see you are excited and passionate about working with polymer clay.

As far as finishes go, I have a couple of new favorites: one is the Studio by Sculpey Glazes in Glossy or Matte and the spray sealer called Preserve your Memories II. I like these finishes much more than the floor finishes though they are definitely more expensive.

You can use resins on polymer clay, but I am still in the testing phase and don't have any advice for you.

Since polymer clay is new to you, I highly recommend you take my Beginners Bead Making Course. (Linked by my name.)

It will teach you everything you need to know about working with polymer clay and help you avoid the common mistakes all beginner's make. The videos have been well received and I think you'll love them!

hey cindy!

okay, now i have some of the studio by sculpey (talk about pricey!) and i have finished a piece with it, one coat. it still feels a bit plasticy to me………..would baking it make it harder? i can indent it with my fingernail, and i was hoping for a harder finish. i know you have all this experience, so i want to learn from your input, and i trust it.

it seems i did actually bake this finish awhile, but not long. i put it directly over gold leaf and it did darken it, i think. i was also using alcohol inks, so who knows, the inks might have contributed to this effect. i will have to start over and make really good notes.

do you think one coat is sufficient for use on jewelry, unless i just happen to have a wild hair and want more coats?

hey cindy!

well back to the future shine floor finish…………..i checked it out on amazon and read one of the customer reviews and it said that when it arrived, it was the pledge with future shine instead, not the picture shown on amazon. i found some of this pledge future stuff tonight at home depot, and then i remembered reading that people have had trouble with it. has there been any improvement with this, or should i avoid the floor finishes if the old brand is not available?

also the rustoleum diamond varathane link on this page that takes us to amazon……when the page opens on amazon, it does not say diamond in the title anymore, just water based interior. is this one okay for the polymer?

First of all Peggy, are you sanding and buffing your beads before coating them? It will leave the finish more glassy looking than plasticy if you do. Plus baking the Studio glaze makes it bond better with the clay and have more of a look of being absorbed into the surface rather than sitting on top.

Another thing is that you don't actually have to put a finish on the beads at all unless you're trying to seal in something like a gold leaf or mica power that you're worried about getting rubbed off with wear.

With the number of coats, that's up to you. That really depends on how even the first coat is and how much shine you want. There are artists that use one coat and artists that use many coats.

The link by my name will take you to an article talking about Studio by Sculpey Glaze and in the comments there is a letter from Polyform the makers of Sculpey on how to use the glaze. This should be helpful.

As far as the Pledge with Future, the company has said that the product is identical. There was some talk about it here at the blog awhile ago. If you do a search on Pledge you'll find several articles where people are discussing this in the comments sections.

With the Diamond finish it should be OK if it doesn't say Diamond anymore, as long as it is water based. The oil based varnish will leave your beads in a sticky mess.

If you have anymore questions, you may find they are already answered on this blog. Just type the word of whatever your topic is (finishes, future, baking, sanding, etc) into the search box at the top of the page and press search. A whole list of articles will come up that should help.

thank you so much, cindy, for this information. i did not realize you had such a large site going on here, and there is information all over the place. i will certainly look at the previous threads from here on out! it is so great of you to offer such help to us underlings. a true comfort!

thank you cindy for the suggestion to paint the studio by sculpey glaze on the raw clay and bake it………it did make a difference…..the finish is much harder and more durable. i am about to finish my first necklace………it's going to be exciting!

If you are having trouble finding future floor polish. I found it at K-mart. Dean Andrews

I used varathane to gloss my polymer clay project as recommended, but it is now peeling off. Should i bake it again. I am just concerned to rebake it when there's polyurethane on it and bake in my regular oven (concern about the fumes and chemicals since we use the oven for baking our food as well — how safe is this if i were to do it?) I have a fashion show coming up and want to use these for accessories. What are my alternatives? Please help. Thank you

i

You're welcome Peggie!

@Dean: Thanks for letting us know about KMart.

@i: For the Varathane to be peeling, it is either the wrong kind of Varathane (the water based is the only one you can use, not the oil based) or the clay surface had something oily on it (such as fingerprints) and the Varathane did not stick properly. I would remove the Varathane with either rubbing alcohol or acetone. Then if you have the right Varathane (check out the 'polymer clay finishes' article above to be sure), and it has been properly mixed, then coat your clay again.

If you are nervous about using the Varathane again, you can use Studio by Sculpey Glossy Glaze. It is an excellent product. It can be baked on your clay as well and since it was designed for baking, you know it is safe to do so.

Hope that helps. Would love to see photos of your jewelry in the fashion show. That would be awesome to see!

Cindy and all. I still haven't gotten an answer to why my clay becomes so hard rubbery after baking. I really don't see a lot of answers on your site and I've worded it several different ways in the search bar. Why does this happen. I have tried mixing everything in my clay supplies and it comes out rubbery every time and flexible like. I can't do anything with it, so please tell me what to do. And, maybe you could tell me how to word it where I can get some feedback about this.
Thank you so much for your time.
Here's hoping.
Dean Andrews

Hi Dean. I'm not sure if you know this but the clay is supposed to get hard when it is baked. If your pieces are quite thin, they will still be quite flexible (rubbery) even after baking. If they are thick, such as a round bead for example, they will actually be quite hard.

You said that you can't do a thing with it when it is baked. You aren't baking it before making beads with it are you? Because you need to form the beads first, then bake them.

I hope that helps. Try typing in words such as 'baking or baked' instead and you will find more articles on the topic.

Hi everyone,
I have always wondered how people got a picture on their comments. Now I finally get it! Just got my Gravatar. It's a picture from my retirement party. (They made me wear the hat and boa!).

Anyway, I bought some PMY II and have used it once. I must say you need a well ventilated place to spray. I did it in front of an exhaust fan in the studio ("extra bedroom") window. and it took out all the smell and stuff that's bad for you to breathe. The final finish is not as shiny as verathane or sculpey glaze, but it sure is easy. A few squirts and you're done.

thank you for your reply. I actually did get the right varathane– i've check sooo many times to make sure i did get the right one. But, what realized i did not do is the sanding and the buffing (of course got this info. from your site). SOOOO — i'm in search for the dry/wet sand paper. Will do that and do the conventional way of buffing (flannel fabric?) and see how that goes. Thank you soo much for the response. I learn a lot from your site.

i

I too have noticed that sometimes my polymer pieces are sticking while using Varathane and I do beleive it has something to do with the humidity.

I am trying to see if after my piece is finished, rebaking it and see if that might set the finish a bit more to avoid this problem. Will update after this has been thoroughly tested. :)

@Bette: So nice to see your face now that you have your gravatar image uploaded! I love the semi matte finish of the PYM II and how easy it is to apply! As far as fumes go, I just open the window and use a fan to blow the smell out. It doesn't last very long. If you want you could always just spray out doors. Since it dries so quick you don't have to go back inside to wait before doing a second coat.

@i: You are so welcome! Let me know how it goes.

@Sara: Re-baking should fix your problem. Let me know how it turns out!

Also, another tidbit I did learn today is that depending on your climate, when using varathane with your pieces, you can experience "blushing". It's sections in your piece that can have a cloudy look. It doesn't happen to often with me, but just as a warning, start with 3-4 thin coats and as a final finish, you can just apply it slightly thicker to create a glass like finish.

To avoid blushing, do not use in humid cool temps. The humidity traps water in the varathane and the cool temps prevent it from drying in the appropriate time, but I have only noticed this when it was a thick coat upon a thick coat. (My work area is by windows, which before I was across the room away from windows. So even that slight change in areas can affect your work pieces.)

Thank you Sara for the 'tidbit'! I have never had any problems with 'blushing' but I don't use Varathane that often. I prefer to sand and buff more than anything on my smooth items. That way there is no finish to mess up! When I do use a finish, I tend to go with PYMII or Studio by Sculpey Glaze.

This info is good to know though, since it can be very chilly and damp at this time of year and it is a pain to run into those kinds of problems. If it does you can just pop it back into the oven to really set it.

@Betty Keating: Can you tell me how to make polymer clay frogs? FROG = Fully Relying On God! I make and sell jewelry at my church and give all the money to the church. My bean bag frogs have been very popular and I would like to make frogs out of clay. Can you help me?

Hello Cindy,

I've been playing with Sculpy for a couple of years now, but since I've decided to start selling charms I've been reading up on how to make them more durable. After reading several articles on your site and elsewhere, I drove all over town looking for Varathane. I finally found a small can and just brought it home. (They had gallon sized cans elsewhere, but that's way too much for my projects!)

I got the water-based stuff, but it's a different variety. The only kind they had at this store was Varathane Diamond Spar Urethane Outdoor, and I haven't found any mention of it on your site. Do you think it will work? Or do you think I would be better off returning it and getting the Studio by Sculpy Glaze?

Also, since my charms are mostly not shapes that would be easy to sand, will simply cleaning them with rubbing alcohol do the trick?

Thanks in advance! I'm learning all sorts of new things about polymer clay from your wonderful website!

Hi Miranda, Sorry for taking so long to answer but I was trying to do some research for you to know for sure. I still can't find an definitive answer as to whether or not the Outdoor version is compatible or not. The water based interior formula has been proven but I couldn't find info on the outdoor.

Studio by Sculpey glaze has been designed for polymer clay, so you wouldn't have any worries, using it.

As for your sanding question, rubbing alcohol, will clean your beads but it will not remove any marks such as finger prints after it has been baked. (Unbaked it works though.)

Acetone will work to remove fingerprints from baked clay. It kind of melts the surface and smooths them out.

Hope that helps!

Oo, very cool! I'm afraid I got impatient and ended up using the Varathane after a couple of days. It looks great so far! Hopefully it'll stay clear and not sticky. I'll let everyone know if I see any changes.

I'm curious to try the Studio by Sculpey, but this can of Varathane will probably last me a good couple of years now. We'll see how it goes!

I'm definitely going to try using acetone to remove fingerprints, though! That's awesome!

Thanks very much for getting back to me, Cindy. :)

~Miranda

Hi, I am new to polymer clay jewellery and find that once I have baked my pieces, they do not harden. I baked the pendants for about an hour at 130C. I am from South Africa and I use the Filani Polymer clay.
I do roll the clay out to about 2 – 3mm. Am I working with my clay too thin?
Can you use ordinary resin to coat the pendants and beads.

Love your site…..
Blessings
Debra

@Miranda: That's great! Let us know how it works for you.

@Debra: Although I haven't tried the Filani clay yet myself, I did talk with the manufacturers and they said that, just like all polymer clays, the clay will remain flexible after baking, when it is that thin. If you were to bake a thick piece or round bead, you would probably find the clay to be quite hard.

If I were you, I would test the clay at different thickness' and see what works best for your purposes.

As far as being able to coat with resin, I can't see why not. But you may want to test that as well.

Great Cindy, thanks for the reply.
I am off to find resin to try coating my pendants, I will let you know how I
go with that.

Blessings and enjoy your day further…….

Hi

I'm so glad I found this thread and your site. Wonderfully helpful.

Would be very grateful for your advice on the following…..

I've tried cooking Studio gloss and the new Fimo gloss on beads. Gives a fair finish and is rock hard and doesn't peel.

BUT, I'm getting bubbles.

Please could you tell me if this can be avoided and, if so, how?

I cooked the beads with the gloss on at 130 degrees F, and am wondering if that's too high?

Many thanks

Vicki

@Moco: Hi Moco — Are you waiting for the gloss to dry before putting it in the oven? The temp. should be okay. Are you getting bubbles only when baking, or all the time?

Have you ever used resin on polymer clay… Or the juniper solution and 3D mixture…. Also Lisa P??? famous polymer person has come out with a 2 oz mixture that dries fast for 50.00.. Does that work?? I have tried a surfboard formula that dries in minutes in the sunlite and boy that mixture does not work it rolls off like jelly. But I am find in tthe doming jewelry resin is working good.. I like the 3d look and the shine and it really preserves the polymer from scratches…

@kalatoo: The 3D, UltraDome, and Lisa Pavelka's Miracle Glos are actually techniques rather than finishes. I've used Lisa's with foil for the faux dichroic look.

For finishes, I highly recommend PYM II. It has been discussed here before and Cindy and I are both on their site as ones who recommend their product. I did a fair amount of testing for them.

@kalatoo: Hi, there are lots of articles where people have discussed resin here at the blog. One that has lots of comments and info about Lisa Pavelka's Magic Glos is this one, where Cindy discusses trying a one-part resin called Ultradome Brand.

It's supposedly a lot cheaper than the Magic Glos. Be sure to read the article and the comments below — it should answer some of your questions. Cindy has been testing resins, so she'll probably be interested in knowing the kinds that you've tried that didn't work out. I'm hoping she'll be coming out with a video soon, as I'm really wanting to use resin in my jewelry. There are other articles where people talk about the things they've tried, and what works vs. what doesn't. Try using the search box at the top left of the page; you can find an article on any topic, or at least a comment where it's been brought up. Just type in a word or two like "resin, gloss, UV light," etc.

I was wondering what you meant by "juniper solution." Is that some kind of topcoat? Good luck, and I hope I was able to help you a little with your questions!

@Phaedrakat: Hello Phaedrakat. Thank you for your response. I'm ashamed to say I can't remember….which sounds ridiculous. I think probably not, so I will maybe try again. I did a sample yesterday and this time it cracked instead of bubbling!

I have a feeling I varnished the samples and then put them in the oven fairly soon afterwards. So, while they weren't 'wet', they probably weren't exactly 'dry' either!

I'll try and come back to report on the outcome!

@Moco: Here's a link to the Studio by Sculpey glaze article.

It will explain (at least I think) that you have to let the finish dry before putting it in the oven to harden it further.

Let us know if you need any other questions answered. Good Luck!

Ok here goes, I have the names of all that I have used for finishing a polymer clay piece. Thanx for the responses,,,3GCL did not like at all too bubbly… 3GCL and Glamour Glaze… They dried well but had like a wavy crator effect… Meaning I would have to put many coats on the piece.. I have used EZ cast pouring… I have found no matter what it stays a little thicker than what I like… Does not dome on jewlry as well as the other products… Now I thought I found the cats meowwww.. It is a UV curred made by solarez.. I got more than the magic glo uv curred and it cost a lot less.. This product is used on surf boards to make them shine and dries within seconds… Well it smells ungodly lke the fumes will kill you in seconds.. Needs to be WELL ventilated and when it dried it either crackled or gooed up. Now I have not tried Lisa P MAgic Glo I know it will work well because of who created it BUT I can not see spending 50.00 on 2 oz. that is reidiculus. Especially when I found the stuff from Solarez in a 10 flo oz bottle for like 22.00.. That tells me Lisa P is very pricy for what she has becasue solarez has had the market a lot longer than Lisa P.. I will continue to investigate the Solarez. I'm thinking add water will help out..
The product I now use is Lowe's Doming resin for jewelry.. And I will be switching to Colores Doming Resin… Which (I hope I can mention) Rio Grande has the best cost for it… 8 oz for 20.00…
Here's the secret when using doming resin… I take the caps of each bottle fill them and put one cap in a plastic cup I cut down.. Stir for about 50 times. NExt put the mixture into another cut down 2 oz cup and continue to stir..Switching the cups guarantees no leftovers from either parts.. U need this resin to mix thoroughly.. NExt I take a heat gun hold it high up and heat the resin. Fo a count of fifty.. This helps with making the resin mix thinner and much easier to work with and usually no bubbles will form on your piece… All you use is a little and start in the middle move to sides with a popsicle stick..
As for the dust and such getting on your pieces. I use a scrapbookers paper storage hard container… It has a cover on it I open a corner with something to allow to breath… put down wax paper…
Even with my process there is a little of the dripping over the edge if the piece is not flat flat… I wish there was a cheaper quick drying solution… hope this helps… If anyone has a quick not expensive solution let me know…

@Phaedrakat: Hi. And thanks. It worked when I tried it on completely dry sruff. No bubbles except when cooking and then only when not dry now. Am grateful for help!

@Phaedrakat: Thanks for the reference to the Studio article as well. I'm really glad to have found all the information on here and very grateful for the help in answering my questions.

I think I'm getting somewhere now!

@Moco: I'm really glad that it's working out now! Thanks for letting me know, too. Now I don't have to worry about your project… ;-D

@kalatoo: Wow, you really gave us some tips! Looks like you've tried a lot of resins! Did you read about the Ultradome resin at the other article? It's a little cheaper than the Magic Glos, and you don't have to mix it. The other resin I hear lots of good things about it ICE resin. It's created by (or affiliated with, at least) Susan Lenart Kazmer, who, if you don't already know, is an amazing mixed-media artist. Her stuff is funky and fun and just awesome. Anyway, you can read about it at iceresin "dot" com. There are videos showing how to use it, usually at the places it's sold. When I see resin comparisons in magazines, this one is always among the favorites.

Anyway, I'm sure Cindy will be glad to see this list, as she is gathering info on all of these resins (and testing them, most likely.) This is the first I've heard of Lowe's Doming resin, I'm interested in checking that out. Thanks for writing all your tips! I feel confident that as soon as someone comes up with a good, easy-to-use, doming resin that costs a reasonable amount, you'll see it here! Good luck, and have fun Kalatoo!

@kalatoo: Cindy reposted your comment to another page that has a lot of resin talk, in case you didn't see it already (or if someone else wants to follow.) Have fun!

@carolyn: Hi Carolyn — I didn't see your comment here! I must have been busy typing my response while you were posting yours. I usually try to refresh the page if it's taken me a while to type it out, but I must not have done that yesterday. I just read yours now & thought, "wait a minute???" but I realize what happened. That's happened with Cindy before, too. I was busy typing a novel, and post it only to find Cindy already answered the question. Ooops!

@Phaedrakat: Actually, Phaedrakat, mine had to be moderated by Doug since I had included a live link to my website. I now have PYM II available for all the USA clayers here at Cindy's site. Just click on my name to the left and you'll see the PYM II info in the verbiage at the bottom of my home page … along with the link to my blog where I have posted an endorsement page. I just think this PYM II is such a wonderful finish and so easy to use that I decided to handle it through my website. Anyway, you didn't really miss my post. It just hadn't been posted yet.

Oh, good! I thought my eyes were going bad or something! So you sell the PYM II directly from your site? I'll have to check it out. If it's not too $$, I'll get some, especially since it's good with the wire, too.