Heat Embossing Question
 

I'm using old SU! clear embossing powder (at least 4 years old) and a Marvy 2500 heat tool. I'm finding my clear powder to be dull looking after heated rather than slick and shiny like I'm trying to achieve. I also have a hard time figuring out the flow of the air from the tool and can't ever really be sure I'm not over heating it.
Does anyone have recommendations for me? TIA

Go to plan 2
 

When things dont work out I always go to plan 2 which is make do or redo with what you have. If you dont want to waste the powder and its dull I would mix some embossing glitter in it. It may not be shiny but glittery is next best.
The other option is to use it as a build up embossing powder and when you want to make an object look old and cracked you build up layer at a time.The embossing powder and it doesnt matte if it is dull or not.When you have your layers you crack yourpiece and the dullness never shows. I love to use this technique on full roses.

I am pretty sure that I have embossing powder that is older than that. I don't think that is your problem. My best guess is that you may be over heating it. It hard to tell without seeing it first hand. Good luck.

One recommendation to not overheat the powder is to heat from below, rather than above, and to move the heat tool as soon as you see the powder start to melt. The paper itself will conduct & hold the heat, so the powder will carry on melting even after you have moved the heat source away.

Thank you so much for the responses and the glitter idea! I will definitely try it!

Also try heating the gun up for 10-15 seconds before you point it at the paper. This way it is at full heat and the melting happens faster with less chance to overheat th EP.

I use embossing powder MANY years older than 4 and the only kind I have age-problems with is the Sticky Stuff, because all adhesives deteriorate faster than our other supplies.

When ink I emboss doesn't shine, it most often is because I need to reink the pad I used so the ink is juicy enough to hold enough powder. This also happens to me when my VersaMark pad gets old and can't seem to absorb any more of the reinker. Or when I've held the heat on so long, the cardstock absorbed the shine. Or when I'm using SU Whisper White craft ink, which seems to have a very short window between melting to a smooth shine and melting right into the cardstock.

Some brands of ink, cardstock, embossing powder and heat guns require more or less heat, ink or powder to achieve a nice smooth shine, and there are some combinations that won't produce a smooth shine no matter what.

Bottomline, embossing isn't a one-size-fits all proposition, but ALWAYS do what others have mentioned.......let the heat gun warm up before hitting the cardstock with it, so you can get the melt to happen as quickly as possible without burning the cardstock and/or the embossing powder.

When you get a nice smooth perfectly embossed image,you can't beat the feeling that you just performed magic. LOVE that! :-)

Bahb