dry, crumbly clay

I am sure you've heard this questions a million times, and yes, I did go
to Glass Attic, but I have two questions:

1 - I have some old, dried out Sculpey that sat too long - yes, I know
Sculpey isn't that good, but I bought it when I didn't know any better.
I would like to use it just to make molds or something, but don't want to
buy the commercial expensive stuff to revitalize it. I have read two
schools of thought:

a - use oils, vaseline, etc. (those seem to be oil based)
b - use something water based

So what is correct? And can this old basic Sculpey be used to
make molds? I have used it some, but wonder if there's a better material.
I did try plaster of paris, but am not sure of that either. Need
something relatively cheap (hopefully) that stands up, and gives a sharp
outline, which you don't have a real problem getting the clay out of to
bake.

2 - I've read alot of stuff about polishing, gloss, etc., but when I tried
the floor polish (haven't tried Future), it did not seem to give a gloss
finish. I have also read that it should be water based. Any thoughts or
will I just have to experiment until I get something?

You can reply to the above, but I get so spammed (no filters on this
freenet), that I would rather you would use this address minus the spam:



And thanks. Enjoyed reading the discussion.

Elizabeth wrote -

2 - I've read alot of stuff about polishing, gloss, etc., but when I tried
the floor polish (haven't tried Future), it did not seem to give a gloss
finish. I have also read that it should be water based. Any thoughts or
will I just have to experiment until I get something?

I tried Future several times. The only time I could get a shine was if
a dipped the beads...and ended up with a big dry drip on the bottom
I didn't have the patience for sitting there with a damp paper towel to
remove it over and over.

I use a polyurethane (gloss and satin finishes). I haven't tried
Varathane; so far, I can't find it in my area except for the big gallon
cans. I don't know how much difference there will be between that and
my LHS's housebrand. I do know I love the way the polyurethane
highlights the colors/swirls in the beads, especially if I use one of
the pearlized colors, or mica powders.

Cheers,
Carla

a - use oils, vaseline, etc. (those seem to be oil based)

Mineral oil, specificaly is recommended to condition it so maybe it will
revitalize it.

I did try plaster of paris, but am not sure of that either. Need
something relatively cheap (hopefully) that stands up, and gives a sharp
outline, which you don't have a real problem getting the clay out of to
bake.

Corn starch works real well to get clay to "pop" outta molds. I also put it in
the freezer before I pull it out.

I have made some molds with fresh Sculpy and it has worked real well...

(haven't tried Future),

Future is very shiny!

..Stephanie.

I do know I love the way the polyurethane
highlights the colors/swirls in the beads, especially if I use one of
the pearlized colors, or mica powders.

I can vouch for that, I have some beautiful shiny beads made by Carla!

..Stephanie.

...I have some old, dried out Sculpey . . . I would like to use it just to
make molds or something, but don't want to buy the commercial expensive stuff
to revitalize it. ...and yes, I did go to Glass Attic. . . I have read two
schools of thought:
a - use oils, vaseline, etc. (those seem to be oil based)
b - use something water based . .


Hi Elizabeth,

Just want to make sure that you didn't see any advice to reconsitute polymer
clay with water at GlassAtti (ack)! ...I'd need to change that for sure if you
did because mixing water into raw clay would be a total no no. Did you perhaps
get the reconstituting-clay suggestions mixed together with the "releases" for
molds suggestions?
In that case, it is true that some clay brands work better with water as a mold
release because of their fillers/etc, and some work better with cornstarch or
talc, but often either will work and sometimes no release is needed at all.
(Also all clays work well with metallic powders or ArmorAll as a release
--though ArmorAll may inhibit later finishes in areas it touched the clay).

I haven't actually seen any plain Sculpey or Sculpey III that was so far gone
it needed actual additions to reconstitute it though... both those Sculpeys
stay pretty soft or need only a bit of kneading to make them workable.
SuperSculpey can sometimes get a bit stiff over a long time... is that the one
you had a problem with?

As for Future and shininess, you can get different levels of shine depending on
how you apply Future and how many coats you use.
If it's applied to a warm clay item (right out of the oven), it "sinks in" and
doesn't show too much. If it's applied with a cloth and kind of rubbed in
(even on cold baked clay), it also won't be all that shiny (vs. applying it
with a brush or hands which will show up more).
If shiny is what you want, you can either dip it as was mentioned before, or
you can apply multiple coats letting it dry between, or even use gloss
Varathane instead. (btw, re-baking the clay briefly with the Future on it is a
good idea too to "harden" the finish later --250 degrees, for only 10 min. or
so).

HTH,

Diane B.
http://www.glassattic.com ...... polymer clay "encyclopedia"
.........if sending me e-mail, DO NOT USE THIS AOL address (or I may never see
it!) Please use this address instead.....






..

| On 01 Nov 2004 00:27:02 GMT, (DianeGlassAttic) wrote:

(Also all clays work well with metallic powders or ArmorAll as a release
--though ArmorAll may inhibit later finishes in areas it touched the clay).

It turns out that drawback can be overcome by wiping the cooked item well
with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol before applying the finish.

Helen "Halla" Fleischer, Fantasy & Fiber Artist
http://home.covad.net/~drgandalf/halla/
Balticon Art Program Coordinator http://www.balticon.org

| On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 13:56:46 -0400, "Elizabeth M. Phillips" wrote:

1 - I have some old, dried out Sculpey that sat too long - yes, I know
Sculpey isn't that good, but I bought it when I didn't know any better.
I would like to use it just to make molds or something, but don't want to
buy the commercial expensive stuff to revitalize it. I have read two
schools of thought:

a - use oils, vaseline, etc. (those seem to be oil based)

I use mineral oil for reconditioning old clay. Crumble the clay into a
clay-safe container that can be sealed. I use polypropylene (recycling #5),
but #1, #2 and #4 also work. The big one to avoid for clay storage is #6
polystyrene. It melts with prolonged contact to any oily product, including
polymer clay, destroying the clay in the process. Drop in just 1 or 2
drops of mineral oil for each ounce of clay. Mix it up with the crumbs. If
you have plenty of time, just let it sit that way for a week or so.

Otherwise, spoon the crumbs into an old-fashioned, hand-cranked, meat
grinder. If it's still dry and stiff, run it through again without adding
any more oil. Those old meat grinders can be found pretty cheap in flea
markets or even new at some hardware stores like Harbor Freight. The
smaller the better for clay. I keep 2 in operation, one for light colors
and one for dark, but they do disassemble with just the turn of a wing nut,
to clean out any clay that sticks inside. They have to. Imagine the
sickness if you couldn't easily clean meat out of one!

b - use something water based

Never! I am adamant about keeping water away from raw clay. My favorite
mold release is Armor All;a very thin coat spread with a brush. Vaseline
and other oils just seemed to glue the clay to the mold. Cornstarch works
but can tend to fill details in the mold. Clean off the Armor All residue
with rubbing alcohol after baking, if you plan to apply a finish or paint.
Otherwise just leave it.

I mostly make my molds out of Sculpey Flex, since I'm making molds of
things I've sculpted out of Premo and it's handy to know that the green
mold is the one for my Frog whorl when I'm reaching into the bin. But I
have also made molds out of Sculpey II in the past. Old basic sculpey takes
detail very well but may not stand up to many uses as a mold. Fine details
will tend to chip off in use. It's about like plaster in that regard. Using
it for a master can mean it will do that when you remove it from the mold
the first time.

2 - I've read alot of stuff about polishing, gloss, etc., but when I tried
the floor polish (haven't tried Future), it did not seem to give a gloss
finish. I have also read that it should be water based. Any thoughts or
will I just have to experiment until I get something?

The thing I like about Future is that it takes a few coats to get a high
gloss and you can stop at a softer, more satiny gloss with one or two
coats. If you like, you can thicken it, by putting a few tablespoons in a
film can and leaving it open overnight. I use a film can to hold a small
amount at a time anyway, so If I spill or taint it, I haven't lost much.

Helen "Halla" Fleischer, Fantasy & Fiber Artist
http://home.covad.net/~drgandalf/halla/
Balticon Art Program Coordinator http://www.balticon.org