How long should I boil my Sculpey III parts to properly "cure" them?

The actual time required to "cure" a piece of Sculpey III by boiling will vary. Larger pieces will require more time, and larger amounts of water will take longer to heat if you use a microwave. Here are some very general guidelines:

Stove-top Boiling Water: A piece added to a Stikfas head, about the size of a helmet, should take about one to one and a half minutes to set. A piece wrapped entirely around a torso, or thicker than a helmet would be, could take up to two or two and a half minutes to set. Since the water should already be boiling, the amount of H2O shouldn't matter.

Microwave: The time needed in actual boiling water is the same as with the Stove-top, but you need to add some extra time for the microwave to get the water to the boiling point first. A small mug full of water, with a piece about the size of a helmet, should be ready in two or two and a half minutes. The same size mug with a larger piece of Sculpey could take about three minutes. More water, such as a large bowl with several pieces at once, will take longer to boil. Experiment with just water to find out how long it takes to boil first.

As mentioned earlier, my own technique is to fill a mug with water, drop the Stikfas/Sculpey part into it and then put it into the microwave. Once the time is up, carefully pour the water and part into an empty metal pan and slowly run cool water into it to cool your part. DO NOT put cool water directly into your mug of hot water, or the mug may shatter!

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