Video #593: If you have hand mobility issues, or if you process lots of clay, this machine could be a real life saver for you.
Topics Covered In This Video:
- Unboxing my new NeverKnead Machine for conditioning polymer clay.
- This machine takes the hard work and pain out of conditioning polymer clay.
- Although it is not for everyone, for some people it will be a real life saver.
- Perfect for people doing large batches of polymer clay.
- Pain-free polymer clay conditioning for those with hand mobility/strength issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
- Some minor assembly required, instructions included.
- Install handle with round black ring and Allen key.
- Due to some base plates getting broken during shipping, all NeverKnead Machines will now be shipped with the base plate wrapped separately, and you will need to install it. You simple slip the bolt on the back of the base plate through the hole in the machine base and thread on the bolt to secure. It is also recommended that you glue in base plate with Weldbond, E6000 or 2-part Epoxy.
- Can be bolted to work surface through two holes at back of machine.
- Clean with baby wipe or damp paper towel to remove any machine oil, dirt or clay (after you’ve used it).
- Machine arm applies 1000 lbs pressure on clay, to knead it quickly and easily.
- The NeverKnead squeezes the clay so it doesn’t introduce air to the clay, like pasta machines do.
- Large amounts of clay can be conditioned at the same time.
- Has potential to be used for stamping, embossing, cane reducing, and more.
- Related Link: The Never Knead Tool on Amazon
- Related Video: Conditioning Hard Polymer Clay Tip #1 Using a Hammer
- Related Article: Conditioning Polymer Clay Tools Techniques Tips
- Related Article: Conditioning Polymer Clay without Trapping Air Bubbles
- Related Article: Polymer Clay Pasta Machine Motors
Do you have any suggestions for videos on tips, techniques or products you would like to learn more about? Let me know in the comments section below!
My goal is to help you to learn quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.
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Looking forward to hearing from you!
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Great video. I really like my NeverKnead. A minor cool thing about it – is that it makes it easy to get the clay in a good square shape for my little storage drawers. I think I will bolt mine down eventually – just still haven’t decided exactly where yet.
And, I got the same toy in a different color. Have had lots of fun playing with it. What a fun little extra (:
I am so jealous of your purple color! when I bought mine I opted for the standard gray since she was selling them for $99 right after the Blue Bottle showed them on Facebook. The first one she shipped was immersed in peanuts which melted on some of the metal parts because of the heat. The thin plastic plate broke in two with my first downward stroke on the clay. I was in tears because I had waited three weeks to get it. This wonderful lady immediately shipped me a second machine and the same thing happened. Well I could really see the potential in the NeverKnead and really wanted this thing to succeed. I got ahold of my neighbor who was a mechanical Engineer and together we figured out how to make the plate thicker to withstand the pressure and how to attach it to the base without glue but with a screw and nut. We sent her the instructions, the diagrams and photos of what we had done. She was extremely grateful and immediately launched into Version 2
which is what you have received and I guarantee it is 200% better. I now have 2 machines since she told me to just keep the other one as it was too costly to ship back and I could use it for parts. I will always be proud that I helped her in improving her product even though few people know the story, I’m sure she will always be grateful too. I absolutely love my NeverKnead and could never get along without it now!
What a cool story! Well, a great ending anyway. My dad ordered mine for me. He called her number and talked to her on the phone. He said she was super nice.
That is a very cool story Dixie Ann, I had no idea. Deb benefited greatly from your innovation. Now I would like to see some add-ons like texture plates and other ideas. I am thinking that there could be more than one thing a machine like this can do.
Wow….Dixie…thanks to you and your friend we PCers now have an easy way to condition our hard clay
I saw a You Tube Video on this and still have the same impression. It looks and bulky big, especially if you have a smaller for area It also looks like you could get the same results by stepping on your clay a few times. It moves a lot unless it is bolted down and then you have a fairly large footprint for a machine with limited uses. If my clay was as hard as the You Tube Demo, I would use a food processor and deal with the trapped air later. The main reason I would not buy it is the size. I would think you could do the a press bought from Harbor Freight.
Thanks for the demo.
Anna, I thought the same thing until I got mine and used it. It takes up very little space on my table and sits right next to me and the computer, 5″ wide by 10″ Long. I put mine on a knee pad which is about an 1″ thick I bought at the dollar store and it does not move around being on a rubberized piece. I have tried stomping on a package of clay and it just hurt my feet. It has to be a little heavy in order to bring a 1000 lbs. of pressure down on a block of clay. Thank God I don’t have to use my body or hands anymore to knead that dang clay.
I didn’t think I would need it that much either , but now I’ve been using it every day. It is great for waking up your clay before rolling it through the pasta machine. And large batches don’t need that lengthy process of taking slices and rolling them through the pasta machine one at a time until they are soft enough to make a sheet. I can even squish it down flat enough to go through the thickest setting on my pasta machine with no problems. Although I probably would live if I was without it, I would be wishing I had it back!
Cindy your suggestion on using texture plates is a great idea! I already have another plate made up for the second machine so I could actually use it and sandwich it on top of the other base plate with my Clay and texture sheet in between. That would allow me to use the larger textures also. In fact anyone could use another piece of plastic or hard material to use as another pressure plate as long as it was about the same size as the base plate. Hmmmmm, my ole brain is charging up again! LOL, let us know if you come up with anymore great tips! Thank you ever so much! :)
Hi,
Quick question,
if you have someone who can make the plates have you considered selling them as possible add ons. I would love to have one of these machines, but it is just too costly to even consider right now. But I could swing one of the harbor freight ones. I haven’t asked the designer if she would sell just those parts, but depending on your feedback, I might. Thanks
Hi Cheryl, I really can’t help you with this question. You’ll have to check with Deb at NeverKnead (you can click the ad at the top of the page and go straight to her page) to see if something like that would be an option for you.
What a good idea for the machine. I ,too have “ARTHUR” in all my joints/ This will be a God-Send for those who need ( pun) it. My hubby gave me his bench press, so that is what I will use. The pressure it creates makes “duck soup” out of hard clay.
Thank goodness there are folks who think up these things………….great job with the demo. TY
I have the motor that you can attach to the pasta machine and love it, but I am wanting this new toy too. I have had surgeries on both my hands also and think this is a really good idea. Thank you Cindy for showing us new ways and breaking it down to show us the easiest way of doing things. I see this in my near future. :)
Oh joy! I got my machine today. I put it together and squished a piece of Katoclay and I’m ready to play. My husband was grumbling about “another damned clay thing”, until I handed the clay and told him to get it soft using just his hands, I knew he couldn’t do it because he has diabetic neuropathy and his hands are pretty weak. then I demonstrated the machine for him and he thinks it was a good decision. Thanks for this video. I’d never know about some of these things w/o you.
Peg, you made me laugh when I read your response. Some guys just don’t understand what we all have to go through to follow our creative passions. God bless.
I didn’t bolt my NeverKnead down – wasn’t exactly sure where it was going to work best, and didn’t want to drill holes in my bench. Instead, what I did was get ONE good C clamp at a big box hardware store. Lined my NeverKnead up along the overhanging edge of the bench -my dad built it, so it is over engineered :) – and applied the clamp to the back portion of the machine. I can reef and lever, and it doesn’t move. Now if I decide to rearrange my jewelry studio, I can move my wonderful NeverKnead with no problems.
Agree Noreen, clamps are the bomb. Without them, I could not function. I use them for the pasta machine, the light/magnifier, the vice to hold the drill/extruder and hopefully, after the JoolTool investment, soon the NeverKnead.
My favorite source online is Harbor Freight.
They are having a sale on some models today. Plenty of C-clamps and lots of others. I use the big spring clamps.
2 in. Steel Spring Clamp
Item # 39529
Only: $2.99 Sale: $1.99
I didn’t get a toy at all. WAH!!! And I used sugru to hold my machine down. Works great. It doesn’t move at all and if I decide to move it the sugru can be taken out.
Have you try using this machine to reduce cane yet? did it work?
Thanks :)
Hi Carolyn, it will wake up a cane quite nicely and it will reduce square canes… just as long as they are small enough to get under the top plate.
Cindy have you tried reducing a cane with the Neverknead? It doesn’t do that great a job because of such a small area you have to work with. I finally ended up finishing it by hand. It’s just not the same and forget round canes. The hand roller actually does a better job on square canes and if someone invents a tool to reduce round canes or either one I will be the first in line to get it. :) Happy Easter Doll!
Yes I have Dixie Ann… it works pretty good for waking up an old cane… you can put pressure on it from end to end to warm it up. It will also work ok on large but short canes… as long as they fit unto the top plate… but you are right… it won’t do a good job the whole way through.
PR Newswire NeverKnead News Release
Congrats, Cindy. Nice article.
J, this link is dead.
The link is all fixed now Dixie Ann.
Thanks Doug, am so glad they mentioned Cindy!
I have to tell you Cindy, I have spent a ton of money after watching your videos. I bought a NeverKnead Machine, and all sorts of other things too.
Now I’m looking for those tiny little cutters, but apparently the lady that had an account on Etsy either changed the name, or is no longer active on Etsy. Any idea where I may find them now?
So glad to hear that you getting good value from my product recommendations, Theresa.
In regards to those Tiny Cutters, I post a link to alternative source for those tiny cutters at in the comment thread at this blog post.