Press cut shapes into a raw polymer clay slab through baking paper. The Pebble burnisher combines a 40 mm flat disc with a short upright handle, shaped like a small letter seal.
The items below are included in the download. Styled examples and props shown in the images are not included unless the list says otherwise.
One-piece burnisher
One STL design with the flat sole already facing the build plate, plus the editable STEP solid.
P1S project and instructions
A Bambu Studio project for the P1S with a 0.4 mm nozzle, plus a short 3D printing and use guide.
Maker workflow
How to use the burnisher
Arrange the shapes first
Place your cut shapes on the raw base slab and finish positioning them before pressing. Work on a flat tile or glass surface. Lay a clean piece of baking paper over the pattern and hold it steady.
Press lightly from the centre out
Pinch the upright handle and rest the whole disc flat on the paper. Make small, overlapping presses from the centre towards the edges. Lift and move the disc between areas so the shapes stay where you placed them.
Lift a corner of the paper to look
Stop when the shapes lie against the base and the edges still follow their original outlines. If an edge starts spreading, ease the pressure. Remove the baking paper when you have finished burnishing.
Disc and grip
A flat face with a small upright handle
The 40 mm disc gives you a broad contact face. The centred handle rises 32 mm above it, with a rounded 14 mm grip tapering to a 10 mm waist.
Upright handle
View exact dimensions and fit details
Disc diameter
40 mm
Disc thickness
5 mm
Overall height
37 mm
Handle above disc
32 mm
Rounded grip / waist
14 mm / 10 mm nominal diameter
Sole edge
0.35 mm chamfer around the flat contact face
Make your first one
Burnish with the disc flat
Keep the paper steady and use light pressure across the flat pattern.
The rubbing face
Keep the whole disc flat on the paper
Use the broad underside for flat patterns and joins. Pressing with the edge concentrates pressure in a smaller area, so keep the disc level as you move across the slab.
Flat contact face
Sole-down 3D printing
The build plate supplies the working finish
3D print with the disc on a smooth plate and the handle pointing upwards. The working face is the first layer against the plate, and the raised handle prints without supports.
Disc down, handle up
Before you start
Prepare your 3D print and clay
What you need
A 3D printer or 3D printing service, PLA filament and slicer software
A smooth build plate for the flat rubbing face
Raw polymer clay, baking paper and a flat tile or glass work surface
Not included
A physical 3D-printed tool
Polymer clay, baking paper, a work tile or 3D printing equipment
Keep the making setup practical
Making tips
Keep the paper flat beneath the disc; a fold interrupts the contact across the slab.
For a tiny join or a raised detail, use a fingertip through the paper so pressure stays on that small area.
Use the burnisher after rolling the slab to the thickness your design needs. The disc has no depth stop.
3D printing setup
How to 3D print it
Keep the supplied sole-down orientation at 100 percent scale. Use a smooth build plate for the rubbing face.
Print settings and orientation
Put the rubbing face on a smooth plate
3D print sole-down at 100% scale on a clean, smooth build plate. The surface touching the plate becomes the rubbing face. A textured plate gives the disc a textured underside.
Starting P1S settings
Use PLA, a 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.12 mm layers, four walls, five top and bottom layers, and 25% gyroid infill. Keep supports off. These settings are saved in the P1S project.
Keep the sole flat and clean
Let the 3D print cool before removing it from the plate. Clear any loose first-layer burr or debris from the underside before it touches the paper. Use the tool at room temperature and keep it out of the clay oven.
Before you 3D print
Questions makers usually ask
What does burnishing mean here?
Pressing the raw clay through baking paper to smooth a join or seat cut shapes against the slab beneath them. This tool is for that step before baking.
Do I need a separate burnishing tool?
A fingertip or the underside of a spoon can burnish through baking paper too. Choose the disc when you want a broad, flat face and a short handle to hold.
Will it stamp a design into the clay?
The letter-seal shape describes the handle and disc. The underside is plain and flat, with no lettering or stamp pattern.
Can I use a textured build plate?
Its texture will appear on the rubbing face. Use a smooth plate for this tool so the underside matches the intended flat finish.
How do I keep cut layers aligned?
Position every shape before covering the slab, hold the paper steady and press lightly. Start in the centre and work outwards, stopping before the edges spread. The layering guide explains placement and pressing for flat polymer clay patterns.
