Aug 31, 2009

Polymer clay UV gel lamp and cabochons

It is summer, but unfortunately this season we've experienced a fairly cool and wet summer due to El Nino which means very little sun. This means I can't cure my Magic Glos unless I have a lamp. I've found an economical one online, for $25 including shipping, sent from the UK, Sisi-business on Ebay. Am quite happy with it. What I like about it is that it has an off/on button and no timer. Most other ones I looked at on Ebay have either a 2 or 3 minute timer with automatic shut-off which means you'd have to reset it a few times. If you decide to order one, make sure you get the North American plug-in.
While on the topic of curing UV gel, I've found that when applying Lisa Pavelka Magic Glos on Polymer Clay pieces that the gel would always recede or pull away from the edges. I'd then have to apply 2 or 3 more coats or layers to fix and even then I might miss part of the edge. This would use more Gel than I'd like. Frugal me, the gel is fairly costly at approx. $9 an ounce. Apparently it is now available in 6 oz bottles too which will serve me better since I like to use it a lot, lol.
I've finally found a solution to avoid the 'pulling away'. It's so simple I wish I had discovered it sooner! By applying the Gel first around the rim of the piece and curing it, the gel won't recede.



Then I apply the second layer, filling the center of the cabochon and around the edges again, giving the piece a 'domed' appearance. Cure a second time. Afterward a little sanding around the edges will fix any rough edges. I'll show you tomorrow what I do with these pieces...

2 comments:

Azure Accessories said...

Lovely beads Tina...a nail gel lamp...resourceful lady you are, just think you can make your beads and do your nails at the same time!! :0)

Don't you miss the sun?
Cheers

Amythest said...

Wonderful! I've been looking into Magic Glos but it's tendency to pull away from the edges was putting me off. So thanks for the tips!

http://maysayso.blogspot.com/

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