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FAIR
USE STATEMENT This website article may contain copyrighted
material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the
copyright owner. This material is being made available for the
purpose of education, commentary and criticism, it is being
distributed without profit, and is believed to be "fair use"
in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.
The ability to make a Perfect cane or slab slice is a goal we all share. How often have we needed a paper thin slice, only to find the top half of the slice is a bit to thick & we're so off course by the base it's 3x times thicker than what we intended? Not to mention, the waste of cutting away the 'unsquared' waste to get back to a straight edge? It can be frustrating! The straight cut is especially more difficult for me, because I work on Large Pieces covered in clay. My canes & slabs are often a foot long (12") & can be 6-8" wide & 4-8" tall.
The waste involved in just 1 bad cut is crazy... & without a tool to keep me on track, there would be a Lot of waste!
So, let's resolve the Slicing issue once & for all! But, let's do it WITHOUT spending hundreds of dollars, shall we? But first, a much needed rant. Although it will most likely seem just plain mean spirited... I give you my word - I share this rant to help you avoid a costly mistake such as I made, ok? So, here goes...
Lucy Clay Mini Slicer... SUCKS!!!
There, I said it. Why is my humble opinion so negative? I must say, a big part of it is my own fault. They give specs for their slicer as130mm x 170mm. Since I'm in the US & metric measurements mean less than nothing here... I'm totally clueless. So, I based my assumptions on this photo, trying to judge size. Hmmm, photo looks ok.
Dumb bunny me, I looked at width of the blade & how far back the base plate extended. I knew I could put in a longer base plate. Ok, let's look at what I Didn't see. The overhead arch (roof) limits us to a Maximum cane or slab height of 1 7/8" inch high PLUS 1 7/8" width. Uh oh, trouble in paradise. But wait... it get's even better. Let's pretend I reduce away my canes & try to work within the height & width limitations... at least there's still plenty of length for a long cane, right??? Look closely at this photo & let's compare it to another.
How funny, they completely managed to hide the maximum cane or slab length in the last photo. As you can see, we are left with a whopping 2" (inches) length of cane... MAXIMUM! Who in the universe works with such teansie canes??? A nail artist maybe? OK, let's pretend I'm not a total moron for a moment & pretend I understood the size limitations. Well, you have a blade that's locked in place on 1 end that you raise & lower to slice your canes. You have to keep pressing the blade against the 'Arch' to try to get a straight slice, & because the maximum combined weight of slicer (made from a laminated compressed paper) & the tiny cane is a few ounces at best - pressing the blade against the arch sends the whole gadget sailing across your work surface. Lets pretend you refuse to accept you just threw away $120- USD & GLUE the slicer to your work surface, now you find the little mat your cane sits on has a little shimmy as you apply pressure... so no matter what you do - there seems to be No Way possible to get a straight cut - even from the tiniest canes. I guess if you are a nail artist ... a Perfect uniform cut isn't essential & this may well be the gadget for you! Be warned though... they are going to be getting $24- USD PLUS hefty shipping fees to the US for replacement blades... ouch. In Lucy Clays' defense, although shipping is a bit steep (I'm spoiled on Amazon's free shipping) they had this slicer to me from the Czech Republic in 4 days - WOW!
I must say, there are a Lot of notable Polymer Artists out there using & demoing the full sized Lucy Clay Slicer & I'm certain it's a much better tool & was much more along the lines of what I actually thought I was getting as far as tool specs & size of canes & slabs it can handle... but at $248- USD - I just can't justify that kind of investment. I clay for amusement, not a living & have a somewhat limited budget.
Thank you for your patience, now... let's get to the Good stuff - killer deals on slicers that the snappy gadgets just can't get near!
Thinking outside the box... SLICERS
1: You can build your own homemade slicer. I made my own 'Plexiglas' body slicer that worked really good for a few years. I will post several articles right after this for How-To's. Bare in mind, most give specs to accommodate smaller canes. You can make your slicer any size, but I found you will need to put a bar (or 2) across the top - locking the top of each side bar together for added stability to handle the Really large canes & slabs.
OK, you just wanna play in your clay without all the handiman build it yourself stuff, no problem!
And, you'll save a Bundle, WooHoo!
Mitre Boxes have been in use for 1,000's of years - the ideal easy way to make perfect cuts in pieces of wood, but... they work just as well if not even better for our polymer clay canes & slabs.
Here's a Quick & Simple video to show you how easy they are... on wood :-)
How do they compare in price to those official snappy polymer slicers?
Get ready to do the Happy Dance!
2: Mini Slicer Mitre Tool - $10.71
& FREE Shipping Slot Angles 45* & 90*, 5-1/2" Length x 1-3/4" Wide x 3/4" High Aluminum construction will last forever! Awesome Low Price - Woop!
4: Commercial Grade Gourmet Rocking Slicer - $19.95
& FREE Shipping 14" Wide x 8" Height - No Clearance Limits... This is the one I have
One final note... Although I have sharpening stones... IF you have a 'Sharpening' company or service in your area... they'll renew your sharpest edges for a buck or 2 as a rule.
Remember, always be thinking 'Outside the Box' & as always... Happy Claying
