How To: Depth Guides

Depth guides are a great tool for rolling out consistent thickness polymer clay slabs. They can also be helpful to use after a pasta machine to roll out any inconsistencies/rolling marks in the slab. Our depth guides are made from acrylic and come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses and colors.

How do I use depth guides?

To use depth guides, you'll place one on each side of your workspace (typically a tile). Then you'll place your conditioned clay in the center of the tile and roll out until you have a smooth, flat slab. Personally, I do think it's still helpful to have a pasta machine to help with color mixing + conditioning! 

What thickness depth guides do I want?

We have depth guides available in the following thicknesses: 1.5mm, 3mm, 4.5mm and 6mm.

1.5mm depth guides are perfect for thin pieces or for layering! These are pretty thin, so you'll want to take special care of them when they aren't in use.

3mm depth guides are our most popular size and a standard thickness that works well for jewelry making.

4.5mm depth guides are great for creating extra thick pieces or when you're using texture plates.

6mm depth guides are great for creating really thick pieces or making hoops!

We have a variety of sizes/colors for our 3mm thickness depth guides (this is the most common thickness!) They are available in the following sizes:

• small: 1" x 6"
• medium: 1.5" x 8"
• large: 1.75" x 10"

I don't have depth guides, what can I do?

You don't need depth guides to make polymer clay pieces, they are just helpful! If you don't have depth guides, you can also use stacked popsicle sticks, stacks of business cards, chipboard, etc.