ugh sticky plasticene

Try nylon net (the cheap fabric that they make shower and bath scrubbers with) it cleans your tools great, and it won't hurt your skin. In the summer I use firmer clay. the Le Beau Touche is really soft. I prefer a firmer clay that I heat in a homemade clay warmer I have. I use it warm but when it cools it gets hard enough to add details and its less subject to damage when transporting it to the foundry. Do you work in Air conditioning? M. McMillian

how do you get this stuff off? I use a nailbrush and soap and water and a credit card and a shower. Using Chavant's Le Beau Touche and it is nasty. Totally nontoxic so you can eat it even but its like halfchewed gum in the summer. Anyone have a good recipe for toughening this stuff up so it doesn't melt on my floor? Should I just stick it in the fridge? And ugh how do I get it off my hands? Oh for my beautiful carcinogenic waterclay...

Nylon net... hardware store you think would have it? Have you tried Chavant's High Melt? I'm only using Le Beau Touche because I have a whole bunch of it and right now I'm working in the same room as I'm sleeping so I can't use waterclay so I'd like to be able to use it. No airconditioning alas. I really don't like Le Beau Touche at all. Can't handle much stress. Thanks loads for the nylon net tip.

On Wed, 7 Jul 1999 19:55:53 -0500, 'McMillian Quarter Horses, INC'

The 'orange' type of hand cleaners work well to get it from your hands.

A tip for you plasticine users....use a microwave to heat your clay to modeling temp. Be careful though, it can burn you. I heat around 5 lbs at 30 seconds then wait a minute, and reheat for 30 more.

I can really burn you. If you use a clay heater like I have it will warn your clay to a even temp. I use a light bulb on a dimmer control, I can adjust the temp by dimming the bulb its mounted on the inside of a insulated cooler. Clay is a nice even warm temp. The large quantities that I use at one time can be kept at the right temp. A friend of my uses a Bread warmer from a restaurant, works good but cost more even though it was used when she got it.

[I haven't used this particular brand, but most oilclays (and other greasy gunk too) can be removed by using salad oil as a pre-wash. The vegetable oil dissolves the grease, most of which can then be rubbed off with paper towels. The residue will come off with soap and warm water- save your credit card for better things...

As for increasing the firmness of your clay, I suppose you could try wedging in more clay powder, but probably the best (and least carcinogenic) thing would be to save this for winter use and get some firmer clay for summer. Or you could mix your own, using more wax and clay, less oil and grease to increase the firmness.]

Andrew Werby

UNITED ARTWORKS- Sculpture, Jewelry, and other art stuff http://unitedartworks.com http://www.computersculpture.com for 3d design tools

Thanks for the help y'all. Will definietly try that Classic Clay and maybe Roma. I hate plasticene but I kinda hafta use it now cause I don't want to be breathing silica dust or sulphur while I'm sleeping yknow. No need to beckon the reaper.

'I've got clay in my toes and clay in my nose, And I'm as hap-hap-happy as a man can be.' -Michelangelo Buonarotti

Try using 'Fast Orange' or citrus solutions. Both products can be found at Wal-mart or a hardware store

Try industrial design plasticene..dark red, hard, expensive, from AMACO..temperature is the hardener/softener. Mineral spirits gets it off