Convection Oven Baking

[Former_Member]

I was baking my polymer clay pieces in a toaster oven dedicated just for polymer. I started to have problems with burning pieces as the toaster oven elements were just too darn close to my pieces. I had done some research and decided to pick up a Deni convection oven. So far so good. No burnt pieces, better temperature consistency. Just wondering if anyone else is using convection ovens for baking their polymer, and if so how are you liking it?

[Former_Member]

I've too use a convection toaster oven to bake my pieces....love it! I use a internal thermometer to always be sure of the temperature.

[Cabinfeverclay]

I use a convection oven too, plus two thermometers. I also use a ceramic tile as the "rack" - i had my husband cut a piece of tile that was the same size as the metal rack. I read somewhere (i think it was glass attic) that when you use a tile as the rack, the heat distributes more even. I love it.

I am wondering, do you cut back your cure time because you are using the convection oven?

[Former_Member]

I have been playing with this idea of cutting back on the time and the temp for my light colored clay. I always would burn the realistic Skin Tone colors in my old toaster oven no matter what I did, so I wouldn't dare use them. I would use a beige but it wasn't an authentic skin tone and baked just fine. Now with the convection oven I am baking the skin tone colors with no burning, but at the recommended temp and time they are getting a little darker, they look more like skin tone to me with a nice tan, if that makes sense. Not too happy about that. My next test batch will be at 230-245 degrees to see what happens. I plan on increasing the time since the temp will be lower, I want to make sure they are cured. The package states 275 but I think that's too high for natural skin tone colors.

Anyone else have any suggestions?