Hi everyone my name is Rose and I am new to  polymer clay but want to learn more.  I just bought a rock tumbler to use with my clay beads.  I read somewhere that if you tumble your beads you get a glass like finish.  I' mot sure how to use it for polymer clay or how long to tumbel my beads?????

can anyone help????

beady girl

Hi Rose welcome to the forum!

I have been playing with polymer clay since last Oct.  One of the best resources available to us is www.glassatic.com  try searching there for what you need.  I have tumbled my pc beads.  There are a few different options.  This one seems to work the best. 

1) Find a plastic place mat that you can cut up.

2) cut it to fit inside the barrel of your tumbler

3) glue/staple 1000 wet/dry sandpaper to the plastic place matte - if u glue let glue dry following directions on glue container

4) put sandpaper strip in the barrel, add water and a tiny drop of dish soap

5) tumble for 24 hours or more depending on what you want to achieve, if you have applied pearl ex or something else on the surface this will remove some surface treatments, you also need to consider bead shape, some shapes will tumble better then others

6) experiement and see what works for you

7) after tumbling a good buffing with a light touch will give you a nice shine.

Good luck and have fun

Vanessa

if you go to the Art Jewelry section's forum you will find a category just for polymer clay artists. as with many things regarding pc, there are lots of correct answers about how to tumble. the suggestion to go to glass attic is right on. you'll find lots of info there.

Following up on what Sparklebee said, at the artjewelrymag site, in the polymer section, we have a good thread going on tumbling, plus other stuff about finishing.  Hope to see you over there! 

Welcome to the wacky world of PC!

Glassattic is a good place to start.  There are also a number of polymer clay blogs out there with good information on them. (including my own -shameless plug, I know)

I tumble many of my beads.  I start with a lower grit and go to the higher/finer ones in stages, usually two to three different ones, all depending on waht I am after.  You can do this all be hand but....

I would simply try different things to figure what works best for you.  That is one of the great things about polymer clay, even mistakes can turn out masterpieces.

Enjoy your clay!

Helen

www.justbarrettes.com/blog

              I've sanded polymer clay beads but they take days! I love using the new cordless polymer clay bead sander. Quick and easy on the wrists.

Matthew

There are several different products you can use. You should find inforamtion on the Polymer Clay Central web site. I have found some really good info there. Also you can find instructions to make your own buffing whells and how to make a scum buster into a wet sander. I am making a wet sander out of my scum buster, the newer smaller cleaner and a battery operated tooth brush. When I get everything done I will be posting a how to on the Polymer Clay Central web site. I have learned so much from the artist who share information on the Polymer Clay Central web site it is so great that they share info and have a need to teach others. I really feel like I need to give back and hope that the information I post will be helpful.