“I have been using the same Micromesh pads I started with over a year ago and they are still very usable. LOVE IT!” ~Melinda-H
On July 20th, I posted an introductory preview clip for the Micromesh Abrasives tutorial. Today, the full version of this video lesson (Vol-026-4) is available for viewing at the Polymer Clay Members Library. Here is the link: Using Micromesh Cushioned Abrasive Pads for Sanding
For anyone who is not yet a paid member, if you did not know, the cost works out to only $3.32 per month. This gives you 24/7 access to the full versions of my Friday video tutes. Plus you also receive four A-series color recipe cards. This week’s color is: Cattails (4A) from the Marsh Reeds Polymer Clay Color Palette.
I am a member of Cindy’s Polymer Clay Tutor site. I stumbled on her accidentally while looking for a way to make poly clay faces for a beading project. She is not only responsive and amazingly generous with her information, but a fantastic teacher. I finally “get” some of the techniques I had been reading about and trying to grasp for a long time. I am a subscriber to her site and videos and feel her $3.32 charge per month to be a small price to pay for all the information available. ~Ritzs
Wow, the tuts have helped. I wanted to do advanced things with PC and had absolutely no knowledge of how to work with the stuff. I had just started experimenting on my own and was trying to watch youtube videos but I have found everything I need in this one location and for a reasonable price. The books aren’t very clear and the videos on youtube are hit and miss. I took the beginner course from Cindy and will now start viewing the library videos as well. Thanks!
~Lorrie-A
Hello Cindy, I am enjoying my in home tutor classes very much! While I started out with Sculpey III, I am still using it to learn with while waiting to grab some of the firmer clays. I had all but given up, thinking I was doing something wrong or just wasn’t a ‘clayer’. Thanks to you, I have rediscovered my love for clay. I’ve done many crafts over the years but making my own beads to add to my beaded works is just fantastic! Your instructions, tips and ‘you can do this’ attitude are wonderful. The videos are easy to understand and are not long and drawn out. You explain the process as it is listed in the title and then move right along. I also like that I can view them at any time from the comfort of my home, in any order. The price for your videos is fantastic, as well. I can’t go get books that describe all the things in your tutorials for that price – no way! Thank you for an excellent product, wonderful instruction and fantastic tips! If there was only a way to add a ribbon now… lol! Sincerely. ~Roberta-W
If you want to become a paid member, here is the link:
Polymer Clay Video Library
Or if you are brand new to polymer clay, the best place to first learn all of the fundamentals is here: Polymer Clay Beginners Course
To browse other video tutorials that are available for purchase without becoming a subscribing member (in other words… just a one time fee), you can go here: Polymer Clay Video Back Issues
Open Mic… Please use the comment sections of these Friday posts to discuss anything you like… from polymer clay challenges that you need some help with… to success stories about your jewelry creations… to requests for upcoming video tutorials… to general community chit chat. In other words, it’s an open mic :-)
Last week the Friday discussion topics included:
- Help… I didn’t get the Friday email!
- Accidental subscription cancellations.
- Spam… Yuck!
- No anxiety attacks allowed.
- Newsletter… like clockwork.
- Faux dichroic wins over real glass.
- Clear Effects product, from Stampin Up.
- Eye shadow, mica powder.
- Where to purchase flower stamps.
- Reversible pendants.
- Creating custom stamps and texture plates.
- Making seemingly complicated things, so much easier.
- Lino board.
- Meg Ryan, When Harry met Sally. Yes! Yes! Yes!
- Curing magic glos outside in the English sun.
- Michael’s dollar bin.
- Poor kiln… you may end up in the closet.
- Metal cores for making Pandora beads.
- Making your own buffalo snow
- Packaging and shipping your jewelry sales.
- How to enter bead giveaway contest.
- Sanding and sculpting figurines.
- Faux bone still rubbery after baking.
- And much, much more…
If you need to catch up, here is the link to the article where last week’s topics were discussed in detail: Faux Dichroic Glass Video
Otherwise, you can use the comment section below to start talking about some new topics and ideas. Happy Friday!!!
Cannot find on your site where to purchase the Micro-Mesh Pads.
Please help.
Thanks, Lisa
@Lisa Watkins: here is the link to the website, just add the www to it. If it doesn’t work the link is on the page with the preview video.
micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=88
@Lisa Watkins: I just ordered my micro-mesh pads from Stewart-MacDonald for 9.89 plus 5.95 shipping. That’s the best total price I found in my search. This is a guitar repair place. They are less expensive in the shipping that the manufacturer. Go figure.
Hi Bette, I just went on the site and ordered a set! That’s a much better price! Thanks for sharing the info.
Cool!!!! I’m going to order them right after leaving this comment. Thank you Cindy and Doug for being our research dept. for new products, just as you’ve made the mistakes so we don’t have to, which saves us money on clay, your researching of anything new that could be beneficial to us and make our projects easier is SO much appreciated. Thank you SO very much.
Cindy, thanks for showing us how to work with this product on beads. I’ve used similar sanding pads to prep wood items for decorative painting and they definitely are easier than using sandpaper by hand. They also last a really long time.
Coincidentally, I received my Polymer Clay Daily email yesterday that contained a link with a tip for reducing fingerprints on polymer clay. The tip was: Before baking, put your piece on its baking surface, as usual. Then dip a semi-soft paintbrush into clay softener and lightly paint it all over your clay item. She said that it will be shiny until you bake it, then it looks normal, but smooth. She makes sculptures, so this may not work so well with a bead, unless you use the bead baking rack. Somebody else commented that you can do the same with acetone or some kind of turpentine, but who wants to mess with that stuff.
@Linda K.: I agree. The process sounds too time consuming for me, and who wants to have turpentine vapors in their craft studio?
I had a purple pad like that, that I purchase from Sally Beauty Supplies. So aren’t these also the pad the nail industry uses when creating those long acrylic sculptured nails?
Can’t wait ’til mine come-(ordered from PC Express)! Thanks for the great tut, Cindy and Doug. Now, maybe those hundreds and hundreds of unsanded beads we collectively own will get pulled out of their bins and morph into the beauties they deserve to be.
Glad you guys are liking today’s Micromesh demo video. In my opinion, proper and adequate sanding is one of the main ingredients for being able to create high quality professional looking smooth beads. That being said, there are some types of polymer clay beads that don’t require meticulous sanding… but that’s another story for another day… :-)
@Ken H: Thanks for helping Lisa with the Micro-mesh link.
@Lisa Watkins: For more tips sourcing the micromesh products, click the link by my name.
@Claycass: I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Nail Art and Beauty Supply Industries use the Micromesh products as well. That would make sense.
If you click the link by my name, you will see a short summary of some questions that went unanswered over this past week. Your support in providing some feedback to these questions would be greatly appreciated by me, as well as by the community members who originally posted the questions. Thanks so much guys, for making this community such a sharing and caring place to hang out :-)
I have a problem in knowing where to go to get to your website. I am looking to find out where I can purchase the Micromesh products. I love your tutorials and color recipes that I get every Friday, but I kind of “get lost” trying to find my way around your other sites. I’d like a guide. Thanks!
Dorothy,
I’m Glad to hear you are enjoying the Friday Tutorials and color recipes. In regards to information about where to buy the micromesh sanding pads, please see my comment above.
And in regards to information about finding your way around my web sites, click on my name link to read a helpful customer service article that I posted earlier this year.
Hope this helps.
I am so glad to see this tute! I have actually had both the sticks and pads for about a year now. If I had known everything you shared in this video, I would have been using them so much more!
PAGING SHARON-G: It has become apparent that my email messages from the last couple of days have not been getting though to you. Please follow the link by my name for more info about how to resolve this issue. Thank you.
Cindy,
Once agian you have made my week a bit more bearable. I am sooo tired of being on bed rest, but you have given me so many things to look forward to these last 6 weeks. I definitly will me getting some micro mesh as soon as I can afford it. I don’t have carpel tunnel(which as a nurse I am aware of how very painful it can be)but I do have ruemetoid arthritis, and when it settles in my fingers and wrists just holding a fork can be very painful, so this will be a great thing to try! Not to mention that it goes quicker than regular sand paper!
Besides your video, I got one other thing this week that is fabulous: I had a check up with my surgeon, and only one more week of bed rest and I can start trying to walk on my left leg again!YIPEE I will be able to get up and try all the wonderful things you have taught over the last 6 weeks. I am so happy! Thank you so much for helping me keep my spirits up through out my recovery. Once again I must say it, Cindy you are the bomb!!!
@Tiffany:Take all our strength with you when you try that first step.
Hugs,
Elizabeth
@Tiffany: Hi Tiffany, I’m so happy that you’re about to be able to get out of bed! Best of luck with that “first step”, as Elizabeth said. I’m praying for your speedy recovery… :D
Cindy IS the bomb!
@ Ken – I just checked at the site. Is it the hobby kit or do you buy the micro gloss liquid and the pads separately? The swabs are three sizes too – am I looking at the right item?
@Cheryl Hodges: I just brought the pads, I’ll give them a try to see how they work and then add to the equipment later with the swab sanders and the liquid. It was the 2×2 regular varity pack @ $10.17, the only problem is shipping is more than the cost of the Items purchased.
Nice tutorial. The micro mesh pads seem like the way to go. Does it eliminate the white residue left behind when you use sandpaper? Ken I checked the website and you’re right the shipping is high, if you buy the starter kit, with the shipping it’s over $32. I quess for now I’ll stick with regular sandpaper. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Great feedback and comments everyone! Thanks Carolyn for contacting Micro Mesh like that for the Alignment info. That is very helpful! Also glad to hear you’re getting back on your feet Tiffany! You’ll be running around in no time!
@Jeanne Collins: I noticed your question above got missed, so I’ll address it now. Yes, Micromesh eliminates the white residue left behind from the regular wet/dry sandpaper. There is a sanding residue that comes off the beads when using this the Micro-Mesh pads BUT it doesn’t sit in scratches like it does when using sandpaper. So you won’t see it on your beads. At least I haven’t seen it. The powder is just in the water and any deep indents, like a textured or rubber stamped areas. which you can get out by rinsing or with a toothbrush if needed. This is a great time saver! I love this product! I think you will to if you try it.
I did not order the craft kit, only the pads. The kit from the manufacturer is probably the cheapest. The Complete Sculptor site has it for about 14.95 but were unable to give shipping information (5.00 handling plus shipping). Prices on other sites ranged from 20-50 dollars for the kit without shipping. The shipping on the manufacturer is 12.50 and the kit is 14.02.
The video answered a question I had. I’ve never liked having all that dust on the sand paper (I always sand with water and a drop of soap) but it gets clogged quickly. I’ll still be using my toothbrush sander but I can see that these pads are better for larger flat surfaces. I have noticed the sander often leaves some spots untouched. So these pads are definitely in the future. I was also amazed at the grits. (Must get out that box of unsanded beads…!!!)
@Koolbraider:Does everyone but me in the pc world use a toothbrush sander? When Tanya posted about using hers I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard but obviously it is more common than I knew. Just one more example of why I live in “DUH”ville. Sigh!
@Elizabeth S.: I thought the same thing Elizabeth, it looks more and more like we’re in the minority here ;) You’re absolutely not in “DUH”ville…your sense of humor is way too sharp for that! Isn’t it great to be in such a “creative power tool” friendly place!!..the ideas just keep on coming.
@DJ: Oh, thank you. It’s nice to realize that I am not alone in not knowing to use my toothbrush to sand beads. I don’t have an electric toothbrush but I wonder if I attached sand paper to my regular one and went real fast if I’d get the same result. Necessity IS the mother of invention, right?
@Elizabeth S.: LOL!! Once again you’ve made me laugh, thanks for the smile today Elizabeth =)
@Elizabeth S.: I don’t use a toothbrush sander… I don’t even know what it is and why one would want to sand teeth… sounds painful and if I had one I would probably use it for sanding beads too!
My first set of micromesh sanding pads came from woodworkingshop.com and I was actually looking for wet-dry sand paper because I couldn’t find the very fine grades that we all need for PC but I stumbled across this instead. I agonized over the purchase for about a week before I broke down and bought them because the shipping was so high. After that I found them at polymerclayexpress.com (under finishing tools and glazes) for a little more but I have always found the shipping and handling to be quite reasonable there. Next time I order from them I’m picking up another set because mines almost 2 years old and my rust colored pad is getting quite pathetic looking! Can’t say enough good things about this product but I still use my rock tumbler most of the time…. sometimes I micromesh through the first couple pads and then throw them in the tumbler and finish them up that way.
@Melinda Herron: All these comments about using a toothbrush to sand beads have got me laughing so hard, including yours. I can’t figure out why this has struck me so funny-I guess it’s just the visuals I get when I think of people doing this. OK it’s over, I promise.
I can’t tell you how much you influenced my decision to purchase these micromesh pads. You’re such a beautiful pc artist that I knew if you were happy with them they must be good. I also ordered from polymerclayexpress(dot)com. I ordered the pads and those little stick things and for both I think shipping was around $5.00, much less than the company shipping. Anyway, thank you, thank you.
@Elizabeth S.: I had originally converted my electric toothbrush, being too much of a miser to want to spend money on batteries, but evidently it was on it’s last legs. Bought a cheap battery operated one at WalMart and I love it! I know, it really is funny, though, isn’t it?
@Tanya L: I did the same thing with mine! I tried it right around the same time I joined this blog, so I never mentioned anything about it (I didn’t feel ‘comfortable’ here yet.) That is funny—I thought I’d save money on batteries, too! I even used my extra “heads” (that cost about $20) so I didn’t have to change the grits as often. My experiment didn’t work out so well; the toothbrush was definitely on its last legs. Before long it wouldn’t charge fully, and it didn’t have enough power to do a proper job. Ha, ha, ha??? LOL
It looks like this is a great product. I really like the little Q-tip sanders too. One thing i do not like about using regular Wet-Dry sand paper is some beads is hard to hold onto and I end up sanding off my finger nails. It looks like these pads will almost conform to the palm of you hand. Way Cool. I use a vibrating tumbler and am thinking I could do my tumbling and then continue on with the last 10 or so pads.
I never knew this company was in Iowa. This is one more reason for Lietz family to come visit Doug’s sister in Fairfield, Iowa. We could have a tour of the Micro Mesh factory. Of course Peggy B and I will catch up with her too.
Anna-Des Moines,Iowa
Here’s the alignment info from the Micro-Mesh manufacturers:
Dear Carolyn,
None are “aligned.” You will get a much better finish using a “straight” line sanding motion. The eye will detect a curved scratch more easily than a straight scratch.
Another reason why you sand in a straight line is so that when you cross this sanding pattern with the following (90 degree pattern) you can easily see if you’ve failed to be consistent. Meaning – if you are sanding vertically and at the end of that step you still see horizontal scratches – you know you’ve not sanded long enough or you missed the spot all together.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Debbie Abrahams
Inside Sales Mgr
Micro-Surface Finishing Products, Inc.
Got the Micro-Mesh Pads on July 29th, played with them with a few things sitting around until I could find the time to sand, they’re fantastic, that’s all I can say, so easy, and QUICK. I did some aggressive reshaping of a not so oval cab. with regular sandpaper on a dremel and then finished with the pads. I love them and will very soon order the sanding swabs as well. Thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much Cindy for discovering and testing these for us!
@Phaedrakat: Kat, that’s so funny! Glad I’m not the only one! I didn’t mention that I converted the extra heads!
@Ken H: Ken, you use a dremel to sand?!! I’ve been trying to find someone who does! Pretty much everything I’ve read is that using a dremel to sand is overkill and that it’ll melt the pc. Would you mind telling me how you do it? (Is that a stupid question?) Thank you!!
@Tanya L: I used the dremel to shape or better yet RE-shape a not so oval cab, so it was an agressive sanding, after it was more of an oval then I used the pads to sand by hand. My no name dremel type tool came with little cylinders of sandpaper and an attachment to hold it. I just use it when something is really out of shape to clean it up.
Could someone please explain how to use the sandpaper roll on the Dremel to “true up” sides on pendants or such? When I made the bowls on lightbulbs, finally resorted to my Dad’s flat sander. Held it in the vise upside down, turned it on, and held the bowls on the surface to even up. Wore a mask, and tied the hair back. Should’ve worn earplugs.
Seems like there must be an easy way to do it (in bed, lol) with the Dremel flexshaft.
@Jocelyn: For anything that’s supposed to be flat I use my Skil Octo sander (I LOVE power tools!). I just hold it flat against and kind of swirl it around. Since it vibrates I’m not sanding my fingers along with my piece. Plus it has odd shaped attachments that come in handy sometimes. I usually only used this when I have heavy duty sanding to do, though, and the cool thing about it is it’s already set up with a hook and loop system, so all I have to do is add the loop part to my sandpaper. You definitely need earplugs for this too, though. Although it does have it’s own dust collector! And it leaves you with an awesome feeling from the vibrations after your done! I’m not going to tell you, or anyone else, that I use a dremel, the Octo, the toothbrush sander, AND plain sandpaper ALL for sanding! Hey, they all have their place..
By the way, took my son to Lowes this weekend to buy him stuff he needs for school- he’s going to vo-tech this year. I was drooling over the flex-shaft and thinking of you! LOL!!!
Y’all are too funny.I can’t picture how to attach the micromesh to a toothbrush, would love to try that.
by the way, does anyone know how to get a tumbler drum clean? I’m embarrassed to admit this, I thought I was being smart!! I used the pellets from shotgun shells, not realising that it was not the same thing as steel shot. DUH!!!!
@Sandra: What needs cleaning about it? What did the pellets do to it? I’ve always just used soap and water to clean my rubber barrels.
I did find out after going through the micro mesh pads three times on one piece, that it is still necessary to use the buffer to bring out the sheen.
I finally bought these. I LOVE THEM!!!!! I do still use 400-1000 grits of regular paper and then go to the Micro Mesh but they work awesome…..so worth it.
Attention all Micro-Mesh Fans:
My friend Terry Morris of EpoxyJewelry.com and Ultradome (The UV Resin Guy) is now carrying Micro-Mesh Pads at his site. So next time you order some resin, pick some of the pads up there. Also, check out his new bezels and other findings. He’s starting to carry some pretty great stuff including some awesome silicone molding putty that I’ll be showing you soon, as well as, some 2 part epoxy resin. You may want to go check that out!
I just want to say what a HUGE difference using the micro-mesh pads makes to the sanding process. I have just used the set to sand a couple of beads, and without using the buffing wheel, they look like they have been buffed. I won’t be going back to using the sanding paper unless absolutely necessary!!
I have one question though, does anyone know how long they last? I know sanding paper doesn;t last long at all, so was just wondering on the micro-mesh pads.
thanks heaps
@Sandra: I know what you mean about loving the Micromesh abrasive pads. They work so quickly and beautifully! As far as how long they last, I have heard of people using them heavily for more than a year or so, which is much better than regular paper. I am finding mine are holding out well. The cloth has separated form the pad on some of the ones I left soaking in water, but that was easily fixed by gluing them back on with my Weldbond Adhesive, which is waterproof and flexible after drying. They are the best product I have found so far for finishing polymer clay.
Thanks Cindy, I have noticed one of my pads lifting too, so thanks for the tip re the Weldbond, I have some of that, so will put the micromesh back together.
Have a very merry Christmas.
I need location of a cooking rack for drying beads in the oven. I know they are available but I have not found them.
@Carolyn B: I saw them in the clay aisle at Michaels. In my store, they are hanging on the rack above the Premo clay, near the rest of the tools and accessories.
@Carolyn B: JoAnn has them, too Carolyn.
It’s called a Professional Bead Baking Rack — made by Amaco.
Hi Cindy
What is the company of Micro-Mesh Cushioned abrasive pads that you use. I want to order them so I can use them when I purchase the back issue of that tut plus a few others that I need. Thanks for your help.
On another note. Michaeals carries something called rodelles in the jewelry section that can be used as small bezels..they are not deep but do have holes on each end so that an eye pin could go throuh it. It comes in a pakage of 12- bronze, silver, and gold tone. They are fairly inexpensive, esp if you use a coupon. I’m going to try it this week with some scrape of my mukugum( sorry about the spelling) cane.
Natalie
Hi Natalie, Terry Morris at EpoxyJewelry.com now sells Micro-Mesh Pads as well as the UV Resin I recommend and some great looking but inexpensive bezels. You might want to go there to get them!
Hi Cindy
So far I have picked up the UV resin at Michaels at 50%–Lisa P product..now I am checking otu UV lamps/… Lisa says you can use a black light..have you ever tried that?
Natalie
Natalie – By typing “Black Light” or even “Lisa Pavelka” in the search box at the top of the right side bar of this page, you will get a list of links that will be helpful for you. I linked my name to one thread where this topic is discussed at length.