polymer clay and pewter

[DWFII]

I'd like some advice about using polymer clay both for modeling and for casting.

I have read that polymer clay needs to be baked after sculpting/modeling. Does it shrink during this process? How fine and detailed can it get?

Can polymer clay be formed around an object, baked, and used as the mold for pouring pewter?

Where does a person get polymer clay? Anything special to look for or ask for?

And somewhat related...has anyone used casting wax to sculpt a shape prior to casting? How does the casting wax compare to polymer clay for sculpting and picking up detail?

[Spc. Scott]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as I have been thinking about the same sort of things.


Steve's snake head sgians have gotten me thinking about casting.

[Bugbear]

Let us know how it comes out.

[bubba]

I have read that polymer clay needs to be baked after sculpting/modeling. Does it shrink during this process? How fine and detailed can it get?

Can polymer clay be formed around an object, baked, and used as the mold for pouring pewter?

Where does a person get polymer clay? Anything special to look for or ask for?

And somewhat related...has anyone used casting wax to sculpt a shape prior to casting? How does the casting wax compare to polymer clay for sculpting and picking up detail?

Yes, you can use polymer clay. Shrinkage is insignificant and you can get as detailed as your skills allow. I wouldn't try using it for a break away type mold however. It isn't really a clay substance and doesn't fracture easily. You'd probably damage your casting. You can get it at most any craft shop, it's a fairly common item in making some types of jewelry. If you intend to try lost wax casting you might have some problems since the mold would have to be a two part affair.

[MonsterDon]

Sculpey is a polymer clay that I have used. Actually I used the Super Sculpey and I was able to get some good detail from it. They also have a product called Super Sculpey Firm which allows for even greater detail.

For casting pewter you will want to look into a RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) product. This is a rubber/silicone product that you do not need to bake. It usually comes in liquid or "clay" form. Once you have a model of a object you want to cast, you use the RTV to make a mold of the object. Since I did not have a model of the object I wanted to cast, I carver/sculpted it out of polymer clay first. Most RTV can handle the low temp melting point of pewter. The life of your mold (number of castings) will depend on how hot you melt your metal.

Pewter casting with RTV is a very common practice with figure makers (toy soldiers)


I'm sorry I can't offer you more examples but the funding for my projects got pulled when my air conditioner died.

[osric the pale]

just don't bake it in a toaster oven!
my girlfriend tried baking sculpy in a toaster oven and THE TOASTER OVEN CAUGHT FIRE!!!
fortunatly it was outdoors, but the fumes were toxic as all get out.
~oz

[AzureLupine]

'Tis right Oz, toasting the sculpey wasn't a good idea. However, you could use plaster of paris for a break-away type mould, or cuttlefish shell (available at pet stores for birds) two of these shells and a bit of strong wire makes an excellent "clamshell" type mould as it can be carved with a good sharp knife (sprues), or "profiled" by clamping the original article between the shells and imprinting the design that way. (just make sure that your original is strong enough to withstand the process)
Hope this helped
-AzureLupine

[Carolina Kiltman]

For a one off, the lost wax method and moulding plaster is a good process. Just be sure to leave spru holes, to let the metal fill the mould completely. If you are not certain bout the process, check in with one of the artists in the schools near you. They probably have done it.

Pewter soldiers? Mine were cast in lead! (No wonder the younger generation is . . . . . .!: D)