Step 4: Fridge magnet tentacles
To make the fridge magnet variation you will obviously need a magnet.
You will also need some release agent to remove the magnet prior to baking. I used some KY Jelly, just remember to pull a really big grin at the cashier who sells it to you to see who will blush first.
Start the tentacle cone as usual, but this time when the wide end starts to form press the lubricated magnet into it.
Finish the tentacle as usual and form it into the desired shape.
To remove the magnet take the stack of magnets and place it against the base, they'll stick and you can pull it out, leaving a hole the right size. Once baked you can glue the magnet back in to the hole.
Make four and arrange them on your fridge in interesting patterns.
You will also need some release agent to remove the magnet prior to baking. I used some KY Jelly, just remember to pull a really big grin at the cashier who sells it to you to see who will blush first.
Start the tentacle cone as usual, but this time when the wide end starts to form press the lubricated magnet into it.
Finish the tentacle as usual and form it into the desired shape.
To remove the magnet take the stack of magnets and place it against the base, they'll stick and you can pull it out, leaving a hole the right size. Once baked you can glue the magnet back in to the hole.
Make four and arrange them on your fridge in interesting patterns.
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I am curious though, why do you remove the magnet before baking?
I have baked magnets with polymer projects several times, without problem. See for instance http://www.instructables.com/id/Posable-Action-Figure-Building-System/
The baking temperature was to low to affect the magnets. They were of the neodymium type. It could be different for other types, but I guess the baking temperature of 110°C is to low for almost any type of magnets to affect them.
Of course you can not microwave them.
Baking with the magnets in place also removes the need to glue them back in. In most cases anyway. If I do need to glue the magnets, I use superglue.
Also, you may not notice the drop in strength of your magnets, but i assure you there is one, as you will realign the atomic structure with the heat.
Everybody knows magnets lose strength when they are heated, but I have no idea to what heat and what kind of magnets. Mostly I just didn't want to risk killing the magnets or burning the clay. It's not much more difficult doing it this way so this was the way I did it.
And with my way of working you miss out on the blushing contest when buying the KY Jelly!
However, If you ever want to conceal the magnets by incorporating them completely in the clay (near the surface), it is good to know you can bake neodymium (and possibly other types) at 110°C without an obvious drop in strength.
After about a dozen magnets baked together with polymer clay, I never noticed any blemishes. I always use fimo brand polymer clay. It could be sculpey has more problems with it, as I've read it is more sensitive to overbaking. But still I would be surprised. What could make difference is a difference in thermal transfer between hot air/magnet and hot air/polymer clay, but actually there is no reason to expect that, as in both cases we are talking about smooth surfaced solids. Actually, the thermal capacity probably the most important factor. And the thermal capacity of metals is generally high compared to polymers. And the high internal thermal conductivity means the surface of the magnet does not heat up much faster than the inside. Therefore the whole of the magnet will rather suck up a lot of heat, having the polymer clay bake a litter slower, rather than faster.
And in applications where I realy needed high strength (magnetic joints for a self standing action figure) I did indeed not notice any strenght loss. I guess at 110°C the neodymium magnets are not affected. Magnets in electric motors probably also reach that kind temperatures in for example a number of RC applications. It is well known that electric motors can lose their power when overheating (that is why they are often cooled), but good ones wo'nt yet at 110°C, at least not irreversably.
I use the plate upside down, to avoid any polymer clay stains on the side you eat on. Actually I never noticed any stains and any invisible traces are baked and therefore will not react to anything else. But as I would not like to accidently eat on any invisible PVC traces, I still do it that way.
And way cool project, I'll be making some of these!