My
beautiful, wonderful oven!
This is a Sharp microwave/convection oven. It's about 25 years old now.
And it's still ticking just fine, thank you. I select the temperature specified,
i.e. 275 for my old Fimo and Premo then punch in 60 minutes. Yes, 60 minutes. I
don't care to calculate and I know the clay won't burn if baked at the
right convected temperature for that length of time.
I absolutely love these kinds of ovens, because:
- convection is a much better baking environment,
especially for polymer clay,
- it's digital, so I have to punch in
the baking time; it's impossible to bake longer than intended
- I don't
need to do tenting because of the convection environment.
But it's
not a cost-effective suggestion, especially for those who are looking
for a second polymer clay dedicated baking appliance. But if you find a
good used one at a nice price... count your lucky stars.
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What about the fumes and smell? Some
folks worry about the fumes generated by baking and want to dedicate
a separate oven just for polymer clay, placing it in a whole different
part of the house or even outside. To use your kitchen oven or not -
it's actually a controversial topic! However, I don't worry baking
polymer clay in my home because:
- I knew a polymer clayer who, for over 10 years, baked
in her kitchen oven who also had small birds (parakeets or canaries)
in her kitchen. The birds suffered no ill respiratory effects.
- I knew a jeweler who
had severe respiratory problems and sensitivities after working years
in jewelry business where she was exposed to lots of chemicals that
damaged her lungs. She started working with polymer clay to keep some
creativity in her life. She initially worried about the baking fumes.
After a few years, she still had not noticed any breathing problems.
- There's far more gasing out from all the
polyesters and plastics such as, well... nearly everything made of
plastic in our homes (computers, appliances, furniture, carpets, etc.)
and vehicle interiors. I'm not going to put in extraordinary effort
towards quelling a little polymer clay bake gasing that appears to
be no more harmful than everything else in my environment.
- I don't bake often.
- However, for production level work or if you're
hypersensitive to the smell (which not offensive, just distinctive),
an oven just for polymer clay might be a good idea. ;-)
What about toaster ovens? Sorry folks, I feel a toaster
oven is the worst baking device for polymer clay. Admittedly, it's possible
to find a decent one, but it's easier to find lousy ones. They may
be adequate for toasting appetizers and bread, but polymer clay needs
a stable temperate environment to cure properly. Reasons I have concerns
about using toaster ovens for baking polymer clay:
- Most
toaster oven brands fluctuate too broadly in temperature; they're not
designed for precision baking. They'll might *average* the temperature
setting, but can cycle 25-75 degrees +/- that average.
- The space near
the heating elements in the little chamber is too hot; the area near
the door isn't hot enough. And the temperature can vary quite a bit
due to simple drafts or power draws if the oven is on the same circuit
from other electrical devices. Consequently, most often, toaster ovens
will either underbake, burn or do both.
- They have virtually
no sweet spot (where the tempeature is spot on). Standard sized convention
ovens have larger sweet spots. Convection ovens have the largest sweet
spots.
Still, I can't afford some fancy schmancy oven.
What can I do? There are a couple/few things you can do to
counteract the toaster and regular oven deficiencies. I'd recommend
getting a separate oven thermometer. Most ovens are pretty inaccurate
anyway. Place your clay items on an index card or whatever, place that
on the baking tray and cover with a baking dish. This will create a
more stable temperature environment. Then, disregard any timing recommendations
on the clay package - bake for an hour at the recommended temp as indicated
by your oven thermometer (not your oven dial). |