Video #456: Roadtrip #2-05 (WA): “Just Like Butter” (to the touch)… is the reaction you want to hear.
Topics Covered In This Video:
- In today’s PcT Roadtrip video, we visit with KaronKay Cowger again, in Spokane Washington.
- When we arrived at Karon’s place, I asked if there was anything she could use a little help with. “I’m having trouble getting any shine from my Renaissance Wax,” she said. “It’s just flat!”
- So in today’s video I explain to Karonkay, how Renaissance Wax works and the reason why she wasn’t getting any shine on her polymer clay beads.
- Here are links to a couple of other videos as well, that you will also find helpful… Renaissance Wax For Finishing Polymer Clay and JoolTool Buffing Polymer Clay
- When you are using any kind of wax type finish on your polymer clay pieces, you want to make sure that your piece is well sanded and fairly shiny before adding the wax.
- Now Karon had had done a good job with the sanding and buffing, so her pieces did feel nice and smooth. But… she was still having difficulty getting a high shine when she was applying the wax and doing the final buffing.
- Watch the video to find out how we got to the bottom of this mystery…
Question of the Day:
Have you tried using a finish like Renaissance Wax, that did not get as shiny as you wanted it to? And do you think the tips in today’s video will be a helpful for you?
By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.
Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.
Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here…Buffing Renaissance Wax On Polymer Clay To A High Shine. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
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I loved the ‘stroke’ that Karen gave her Jool-Tool after Cindy used her jooltool with the buffing. Yep have trouble getting a shine on pieces that i have sanded and buffed. i’ve gone back and resanded them to see if that helps too. I use premo clay so i don’t think it is the clay. I use ren was too and it has the same effect. I will go back and try again now after seeing this video. Thanks guys.
I thought that was sweet too, Sandra! It was like it was one of her pets that she was feeling tender towards. :) Let us know how your buffing goes. Maybe spend a little more time with the finer grits of sandpaper, so that your buffing is a little more effective. That should help if you are doing your buffing by hand.
The video would only play about 1/3 of the way through and then stop, couldn’t get it to finish so didn’t get to see the rest of it. I love Ren wax and have been using it now for almost 2 yrs. It does make a huge difference in how you sand your piece. I will go all the way to a 1500 to 2000 fine grit on a lot of my pieces if I am not going to apply any type of glaze. Hand rubbing it is okay but you will never get the shine that a rotary tool will give it whether it’s a buffing machine, dremel or Jool Tool. It the high speed that really puts the shine on. I have buffed after only using 800 grit and then buffed after using up to and including 2000. The difference is enormous. The wax alone will not make up the difference in the shine from the difference in using these grits. The Ren wax only “enhances” what is already there and I think Cindys video clearly shows that.
Hi Dixie Ann… sounds like your web browser has had a hiccup. If you watch the video using a different web browser, it will very likely work for you. If not let me know.
You were right Cindy. I normally use Firefox but can never get through a video. I switched to IE and got to watch them all the way through. Thanks so much for the tip.
Hi, All!
Ren Wax is all I ever use since I started using it this summer. Frankly, I do not ever have to sand very much as my pieces always come out smooth. And I put on a coat, buff it out with a cotton cloth, let it sit for a few hours or a day. Then, I do another coat the same way and it comes out gorgeous. It is not like a vanish or coating, but that is what I most prefer about it. I can only say great things about the product.
Hi Cindy,
I used the sanding method you showed using the rock tumbler and plastic polishing substrate and the Renaissance wax on my round beads and they turned out GREAT; BEST EVER!!!! Thanks for all the tips.
That is excellent news Sandra! Thanks for reporting back and letting us know!
Hi Cindy,
I just love your tutes on you-tube. I enjoy listening to all your videos, I’m just going to start getting into clay. I have done a few simple beads etc, and now I’m collecting clay and tools. And about to purchase your beginners course. I was wondering what on-line stores you purchase clay from if any. I found the polymer clay superstore and have been looking at it, just curious what sources you use. The only place we have here in Prince George (BC) is Micheal’s.
Laurie
Hi Laurie, welcome to our happy clay family! You are going to love working with polymer clay! The Beginner’s Course will help you to quickly get off to a great start and will prevent you from having to learn by making a lot of mistakes. (Much cheaper in the long run!) As far as good places to buy polymer clay supplies, you’re in luck! Michaels is perfect. Every six weeks or so they have a sale on polymer clay. Buy Premo clay then and you can’t buy it cheaper anywhere else, even at Wholesale. Then use your 40% off coupons (sign up online if you don’t get the flyer) and you’re good to go. I have a Michaels close by and buy most of my supplies there. If I do buy something online for a tutorial or something, I will let you know where to get it. The places I regularly buy from is Rings & Things, FireMountainGems (they now have a $5 flat rate shipping to Canada), OttoFrei, Contenti and WireSculpture.com. I have bought some large blocks of clay at PolymerClaySuperstore and lots of people love PolymerClayExpress. That should be plenty for now! :) I look forward to having you around!
Hi Cindy – I really enjoyed your course. It was extremely thorough and helpful. Even though I knew some of the things in the course, it clarified a lot of the subject matter. Some of the little tips should have been common sense, but it’s like a little light bulb went on and I wanted to slap myself on the side of my head (V-8 style) and say ‘why didn’t I think of that myself?’ LOL I don’t think you need to change or add anything other than changing your title to ‘The Polymer Clay Goddess’! You are so amazing and generous sharing your knowledge with us. Take care.
I’m intrigued by Renaissance wax and must order some to try it out. Thanks for the tips (found this site while googling renaissance wax and polymer clay)
Does it harden to a relatively permanent finish? When I hear “wax” I think of of soft, scuffable surfaces that wear off with, well, wear! How’s the lasting quality of this finish?
Hi Melanie, Ren Wax dries very well to a hard finish that is never soft or sticky. (That is if you apply it in thin coats and not a thick one.) The surface is very durable and was created for Museums. You will love this product on polymer clay and any other material you would like to add it to. I highly recommend it!
Hi Cindy. I think I heard you say that you should sand/buff everything you make to give it that finished feel. Can you tell me how to do that on, say, something like a figurine? It has texture that I don’t want to file off, but if I don’t sand/buff, it looks and feels unfinished……very unprofessional. :-/
Hi Brenda, not everything has to be sanded and buffed to look good, just anything that was meant to be smooth and/or shiny. And of course the finish should not be filled with flaws like fingerprints, nail marks, lint, dirt, rough edges (unless you want them there). Sculptures are a little harder but you can use something like the JoolTool with the Flexshaft attachment and brushes to get into the small spaces and clean up your work. We are currently working on a launch for the JoolTool that contains training on using it for sculptural pieces as well, so stay tuned for that. Other than that, doing an excellent job of having the finish as perfect as possible before you bake, will really help later on with the finishing.