Fimo

[Seahorse]

Has anybody used Fimo?

I bought some yesterday and gave it a go,
Trouble is its very sticky so if I have to peel it off the surface it distorts whatever Ive made.
Do you think it would be a good idea to make the item on the baking tray its going to be cooked on?

Also I wasnt sure what the temperature is that it should be cooked on as my oven goes from 0-8, it doesnt owrk in degrees/fahrenheit so I cooked it for half an hour on gas mark 5.It was transparent Fimo before it went in but was a horrid orange colour when it came out.

Any tips or getting the fimo flat and what temperature it should be?

[Tigger]

Hi Seahorse,
I haven't used fimo much at all, but have used salt dough once or twice. Now it says in the salt dough books that the problem is with ovens is that they aren't always accurate on temperature. I am assuming you have a gas oven from what you've said about the numbers. Now if you are cooking chips, a jacket potato or a cake, it doesn't matter that much if the oven is a few degress out, too hot, you cook it for less, too cool, you cook it longer (hence most recipes say stuff like 30-40 mins). The thing is with something like fimo, cook it too hot and it will go horrid. I would suggest getting some sort of themometer to go in your oven, and testing to see what temperature your oven is at. Looking online such things aren't that expensive.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20051006.p.Oven_Thermometer_

http://www.decuisine.co.uk/cookshop/bakeware/oven-thermometer.html?ref=shoppingCom

Not sure about the answer to the other question, but I hope this helps some

Love
Tigger
xxxxxxxxx

[Seahorse]

Thanks

[liz15a]

I've used fimo several times and I accidently bought the transparent colour myself once and the same thing happened - it came out looking like someone had been smoking around it for 20 years!

So I invested in some white and it comes out fine - just get rid of the transparent colour is my advice!

Regarding the stickyness, I've not had a problem - just keep washing your hands whilst usin it (particularly if you need to use more than one colour) and you should be ok.

Cheers,
Liz

[Seahorse]

Thanks

Yep, it looked like a smokers piece of Fimo.

After the 'disaster' I tried it again on a lower heat, about gm3 for half an hour and it was fine tho kinda mottled again.I think i may have rolled and folded to many times and got air bubles caught in it.

[Alexandra]

Hi, I'm a big fan of fimo but have never found the transparent stuff very successful. I don't think it will ever really come out transparent. The other colours are usually fairly true to the pre-baking colour though. As for making the designs on baking trays, this works ok but if it really sticks to the tray you might find it difficult to get it unstuck afterwards. the thicker you make the piece, the easier it is to make it keep its shape. Fimo usually stays slightly bendy if it's very thin.

[Seahorse]

Thanks, the thin bit is quite bendy.I use it as a coaster now.

I bought some cookie cutters the other day so i can get proper shapes then maybe imprint a rubber stamp design on it.
Not tried it yet.

[Seahorse]

I tried the cookie cutters with the fimo last night, they came out quite well, I got a heart,diamond, club and spade in the clear(not clear)fimo.
I think Il buy some red and black and try it out.

[Seahorse]

Yuck, black fimo is horrid!!

[liz15a]

yes you have to wash your hands every time you touch it or they end up black aswell !!!

[Seahorse]

It was all dry and brittle until I realised hand warmth made it more pliable.
The black from the Fimo deosnt bother me as I have wood stain already all over my hands.
Ooh, Ive had a busy morning.

[Seahorse]

Can fimo be microwaved?

[0103media]

Can fimo be microwaved?
I don't think your ment to eat it ? :mrgreen:

[Seahorse]

Oops, too late.


Juuust kiddin'.Im just sat here at work, did somehting in fimo and id like to cook it but we only have a microwave.

I have no patience.

[Seahorse]

If cooked fimo could i then heat embossing powder onto it?

[0103media]

Try it I guess...

If you can use someone elses mircowaver :wink:

[Seahorse]

Ive spent all morning(hoorah)makeing fimo cookie cuttered shapes with imprints of rubber stamps in them, eg a heart shape with an Alice in Wonderland stamp.

Ive also got some of those fantastic photograph stamps with great detail.
I tried in on the fimo and surprise, the fimo seems to have stuck in places.I dont want to be too rough with it as the rubber may get ruined.
Any solutions?
Just thought about using stazon cleaner, il report back.

[Seahorse]

And hay presto, or piff paff poof, it worked, most of it came off, still little bits caught in little areas but a big improovement!!!

[Auntysally]

try dusting the stamp in a little cornflour or talc! :wink:

[Seahorse]

Thats an idea!

I love playing with cornflour and water mix, when i was younger of course....not now....ahem.

[Craft Cellar]

If you find the fimo Soft too soft go for the Fimo Classic, it is firmer and needs a bit more working in but keeps its shape better for finer projects.

Some colours vary in consistency too so the Black Fimo Soft is really soft and you do have to wash your hand between colours especially going dark to light.

As for temperature I find most things are done in around 10 - 15 mins on 130 degrees. Don't forget the fimo keeps hardening as it cools. If it turns a horrid brown it is burnt. I did the same first time I used it! You can always stick it back in if its not done but once its burnt there is no going back.

Once you get the into it though you cna make almost anything with it and it gives great results. Have a browse through our FIMO gallery on www.craftcellar.co.uk

Good Luck with it.

PS I don't advise microwaving it!

[sand]

Sorry I am so late jumping in on this thread.
Please do not microwave it, the fumes are toxic.
Before handling fimo or sculpey either rub baby oil into your hands then wash your hands with hand was or washing up liquid or use swarfega prior to handling.
Always a good idea to knead some scrap flesh coloured scrap fimo to get stray bits of fluff off your hands.
The blue and white j cloths are great to dry your hands as they have no fibres.
If you find fimo soft too soft, mix it with some fimo classic.
And vice versa if you find the classic too hard to work with.
The transparent fimo is good for some projects, so don't through it away
Temperature should be very low, I would take a guess at a number 2 to be honest, for 30 minutes.
I made a particularly lovely model but didn't bake it for long enough, her head snapped off and you could feel the inside was quite soft.
To harden your work further, run under cold water straight from the oven.

[06cal23]

Has anybody used Fimo?


Do you think it would be a good idea to make the item on the baking tray its going to be cooked on?


Yes that's a good idea and check this post out as it may help with the oven thing!post 76851

[ARI]

Hi Seahorse,
yes, it is a good idea to make your piece on someting that you can put in the oven as it is, but everybody recommend to use a tile.
If you work your piece on the tile and put it in the oven straight away, your artwork won't be distorted.
Regarding the "special" fimo, as far as I know you should bake it for a shorter time to avoid the brownish effect..not sure you'll avoid it completely,though..
A very good idea,particularly in your case, is to get an oven thermometer to check the proper temperature.It is crucial, as you may undercure your piece and this may lead to breakage..
Hope this help, I'm learning too...
:D

[ARI]

Sorry,
I've just realise this post was ooollld!!
I'm a bit late, I guess..:o

[sharry]

I've used polymer clays before and find that sometimes you have to 'leach' it a bit of some of the ploymers in the clay. Put the clay (rolled out thinly) between a couple of sheets of untreated typing paper stack and weight with something and leave for a couple of days. Keep checking to see if it's reached the consistency you like to work with.

Look for a website on using polymer clay called Elvenworks, look at her tips/tricks page, it's got some great advice. Can't post the link as I've not made enough posts here but you should find it ok with a search.

Hope this helps.

SORRY DIDN'T NOTICE THE AGE OF THE POST!

[doodles of Tadley]

I love Fimo! Soft is much easier to work with than the ordinary Fimo though - I make mine on a piece of grease proof paper and then put the whole caboodle on the baking tray with the paper still underneath it all (very carefully!) and that way you don't have to disturb it too much. Keep heat really low otherwise it does affect the colour and you can get blisters on it if the heat's too high. Put it on the bottom shelf at the lowest setting and don't pre-heat the oven, that works best for me anyhow as my overn's a bit knackered and the termostat isn't what it should be, I think if the Fimo warms up gradually with the oven it's less likely to cause a problem.