I must admit that I’ve had this product tucked away on the shelf for quite a while now, but haven’t been doing much polymer clay. Since I had to make some new samples for an upcoming class, I thought this would be a great time to crack it open and try it out.
Poly Bonder is manufactured by JHB International and is sold under the Lisa Pavelka Signature Series brand. (I’ll just say that from my experience, Lisa Pavelka has a high standard when if comes to clays, tools, foils, etc- if she puts her name on it, she really believes in it. It’s not just a vanity label.)
So what is Poly Bonder? Well, it’s a kind of high-temp superglue! It comes in a plastic bottle with a brush tip and you can brush it on just where you want it. It has a fast “grab” and because when you put something on it, it stays stuck! Here’s the description from the website:
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| Lisa Pavelka Signature Series Poly Bonder is a high temperature craft adhesive that is designed to work perfectly with polymer clay craft projects.
Poly Bonder Product Features:
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I also must admit that I’ve never used a glue-type bonder for polymer clay. I’ve had a few experiences using liquid polymer clay to join unbaked clay to baked pieces, but I’ve been underwhelmed with that. The liquid clay stays fluid until fired, and so it didn’t hold things securely. As a result, the pieces I’ve made have been limited to what I can do before baking.
The brush tip is very handy for precise application.
First things first- I opened it up and took a whiff. (Some folks are sensitive to smells, so I feel obligated to check it out.) It smells like the other cyanoacrylate glues I’ve use – sharp and pungent. But that was close up- when you hold it at a normal distance, it’s not bad at all.
Also good to note is that like other instant-bond glues, this is NOT for kids to use. It will instantly bond your skin to…well.. anything, so use caution. Keep it away from your eyes, mouth, dog, etc. Just sayin’.
My first go with Poly Bonder was applying some raw can slices to a baked bead that I made.
The brush applicator is a nice touch!
I added the “extras” and baked it. Now, it says right on the package that it will yellow. And I was sloppier than I thought, because this is what I got:
Now you know why my blog is Craft Test DUMMIES.
That’s the bottom of the bead and it won’t really show (much), but you’ll want to be aware and neater than me!
So…then I got crafty with some beads, and felt like adding some chatons that weren’t in the original design. I drilled a little divot with my Dremel, added a drop of Poly Binder, then popped in a Swarovski chaton:
I checked it the next day and even tried to pry it out with my finger- that sucker is staying put! Ooo! New design opportunities!
I started thinking about making a polymer clay- covered tin. One of the challenges can be getting the clay to stick to the metal. It really made working around the edges so much easier- the clay stuck down to the tin, letting me smooth and trim edges with out popping back up.
A dab of Poly Bonder held the clay securely while I smoothed my seams.
After I baked the base, I decided to add some trim using a raw cane I’d made. Again, I added some Poly Bonder and the clay stuck right in place so that I could bake it- no sagging or shifting!
It does grab fast- so fast I didn't have time to straighten this line. Ooops.
Lastly, I embellished a little tin. I used Poly Binder to glue a crystal to cured embellishment-and then glued that to a tin that was covered in cured clayd. Again, the Poly Bonder acted as a super-glue and held it all fast.
Now let’s talk price. The suggested retail price is $5.49 USD for .17 ounces. This is a comparable price to other cyanoacrylate glues, and we know that this one is safe for polymer-clay curing temps. (It’s safe up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.)
I’d say this glue is a must if you are a polymer clay-er! I can use it like I would normal instant grab glues AND use it for polymer, too. It’s a two-fer, and in my book that’s a Craft-Tastic!!
I’m sure you are wondering where to get it- and Lisa tells me that it’s available at all Hobby Lobby stores and lots of Michael’s locations. Of course you can also get it directly from Lisa’s site, too.
Here’s a happy bonus: Lisa is offering a special discount to CTD readers! Just add code CTD2011 at checkout and you’ll save 15%! Happy Claying, y’all and a special thanks to Lisa!
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I may need to buy some now – thanks for the review! It really shows how useful that stuff will be.
Rachel- it really has opened my mind up. Being able to join raw clay to substraits, cured bits to uncured bits, and attaching metal/crystals etc to finished pieces is amazing. I’ll only be using my liquid clay for impression glazing, now. Poly Bonder is the bomb!
I gave up on the stuff after having three bottles of it dry up very quickly. I even tried storing it in a vacuum sealed bag. Other friends have had the same thing happen. The brush makes it very hard to apply the glue precisely where you want it and the brush gets hard. I prefer a gel in a squeeze bottle. If I need to adhere unbaked clay to unbaked, I use a combination of CA glue and liquid clay – the glue keeps the pieces from moving and the liquid clay provides the lasting bond.
Great review Jenny! Sounds like a product like this would be perfect for adding polymer clay to metal items such as bangles and bezels without the step of re-gluing after baking. I am concerned about the issues Cynthia’s brought up though. Sounds like there may be a packaging issue with the product that is causing the glue to dry out in the bottle, as well as, hardening the brush. Never heard of using both liquid glue and CA glue at the same time. Sounds interesting. Will have to test that out. Thanks for the info today. Once again you have my mind buzzing with ideas!
I will certainly keep an eye on my bottle of Poly Bonder and let you all know if it dries out or the brush stiffens up in the next 6 months or so- only time will tell. I will say that I’ve had the package, unopened for about 6 months before I even opened it up to review. (*blushing sheepishly.*)
I’ll report back!
I was wondering if anyone knows what the shelf life was on this product. I purchased some in November last year for some projects and just loved it. I tried to open the bottle today and it was rock hard. So I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a new bottle, opened it tonight and it was gel like. I opened it again to double check and it was rock hard and the brush was gone. So I went to Michaels tonight and was so excited they had one bottle left. I pushed on the bottle and it was rock hard too. Any suggestions?
Alisha- it’s a lot like any superglue- once you open it, the clock starts ticking. I found 6 months for mine…..
I thought this was great – but my first bottle dried up after one use even though I replaced the cap straight after using it – and the replacement I got felt liquid when it arrived but when I tried to use it a few weeks later it was unusable again. I think it needs traditional superglue packaging. Pity. Meanwhile, I shall use Donna Kato’s poly paste – not glue because it needs baking, but so tacky you can stick things on at an angle without them slipping or coming off in the oven.
hey,this glue seems to be great, I am from India and i have a question ..can i use poly bonder glue to fix metal ear base and the earthen clay or should we use gorilla super glue or gel . When i used silicon glue on metal and clay (which was painted with camel acrylic colors it broke .) Please suggest am really confused ..I need a glue which does not come off so easily when dropped or when removing from ears.
I’d use a jewelry glue that bonds metal. Aileene’s has a good version, or good old super glue.