Apoxie Sculpt advises

[kaz6120]

Can anybody mention the tips on using and handling Apoxie Sculpt and Apoxie Clay? I don't know which to choose...Is there any big differences? Can they mix together?

 

[T50]

I have been using Ave's Apoxie exclusively.
It's the white one, not sure if it's the normal or super fine.

First thing one has to make sure is to mix A and B correctly.
Then I use baby oil on the tools to avoid any sticky situation.
My nose oil works the best, though.

 

[gordy]

My nose oil works the best, though.

Quote of the year!

 

[bonehead]

I use Apoxie Sculpt white - the regular stuff. I have never tried the fine white or Apoxie clay - why bother when I am very happy with the stuff i use?

I used Magigicscupt before i switched over to Aves. I like the white because it is opaque and you can easily see what the surface finish is like as you work it. With Magicsculpt that is impossible because it is translucent and absorbs light making the surface finish very difficult to detect. This was the one major complaint I had with MS. As for workability, i found little to no difference between Apoxie sculpt and MS.

I use plain old tap water to keep my tools from sticking to the putty and for smoothing the surface. I use my finger for broad surfaces and my usual sculpting tools for smoothing wrinkles and hard to reach areas - both worked wet. That is, i use water on the TOOL (or finger), not the part. I never use a brush for any of my sculpting.

Here is an example:

http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37420

(You can see my tools at the top of page 4 in the thread).

The only difference between a crappy looking part and a nice looking one is the amount of time and attention used to perfect the finish.

I hope this helps....

Cheers!!

Mike

 

[T50]

Mike

Every time I see your original master in person,
it amazes me how perfectly smooth the surface is.
I use basically the same tools as you do, but my
surface is always rough... unless I spend a lot of time
on one area. By then, the same can not be done on
the rest because the putty is drying.
What's the trick? Don't tell me, "just work faster". ;P

Because of this issue, I have to bust out with various
shapes of blades to smooth out the surface.

 

[bonehead]

Mike

Every time I see your original master in person,
it amazes me how perfectly smooth the surface is.
I use basically the same tools as you do, but my
surface is always rough... unless I spend a lot of time
on one area. By then, the same can not be done on
the rest because the putty is drying.
What's the trick? Don't tell me, "just work faster". ;P

Because of this issue, I have to bust out with various
shapes of blades to smooth out the surface.

Taesung,

It is no trick. If i fail to get it looking good while soft - or relatively soft anyway, then I have to use the knife and sandpaper on the hardened surface. My goal, while sculpting is to avoid any kind of "finishing" work (sanding, carving) if possible. Most of the time I avoid it. But sometimes you have to do it regardless of your efforts.

By far the most critical tool in smoothing is a moist finger tip. This is used to get an even surface while still pretty soft, even before adding wrinkles. In wrinkles it is done with the toothpick tool, either by rolling over the surface repeatedly, or "swishing" across the surface - i.e. dragging the tool across. I avoid the latter if possible, because it can corrugate the surface (introduce unwanted ripples parallel to the length of the tool). The only way to get those out is by rolling them out or sanding and carving them away once hardened.

When all else fails, then it is onto the sandpaper. I generally use old crappy pieces of 320 grit (paper, not that crappy plastic stuff) that have been folded or rolled over and used for years on end making them both supple and well worn.

Sorry, that is the best I can do as an explanation. I hope that helps!

MIke

 

[Einion]

Every time I see your original master in person,
it amazes me how perfectly smooth the surface is.
I use basically the same tools as you do, but my
surface is always rough... unless I spend a lot of time
on one area.

I saw your post about this the other day, meant to comment. Now your standards for smooth when you're working at 1/35 scale have to be really high, but how rough do you mean? Sort of wavy or irregular (toolmarks) or just a little more 'toothy' than you'd prefer? If it's more the latter, how smooth are your tools?

In terms of post-hardening smoothing, where necessary, ever tried 0000 steel wool or the Scotchbrite equivalent?

Einion

 

[T50]

I see... I do the same, but the only difference here is the use of
toothpicks. I use brass tipped tools that I made and a few rubber clay shaper.
When I visited Young B. Song's place in Korea back in 2008, I saw his main
tool: a short and sharpened wood rod that is slightly thicker than a toothpick.

 

[T50]

I saw your post about this the other day, meant to comment. Now your standards for smooth when you're working at 1/35 scale have to be really high, but how rough do you mean?
Einion

I run into this issue more in 1/16 scale where I need to work with
a broader surface. When I need to make a smooth surface, I do not
want to see any lines or tool marks.

 

[bonehead]

Moisture control: secret to a smooth finish?

I have no idea what i do "differently" from others, so while sculpting yesterday i simply payed attention to how i do what i do - pretty much the same way i have been doing it for over 25 years.

First off, here are my tools. Toothpicks are carefully sanded to shape and soaked in super glue - repeatedly over three or four days, sanding smooth once the glue has hardened before the next application. It is important that they be perfectly smooth and uniform and the super glue must be saturated into them to make them completely impervious to water. Failure to do this will result in poor tools and poor results.

If there is any "trick" to the way i sculpt the putty, it is moisture control. I do it pretty much the same way i control paint viscosity while painting. For that, I dip the brush in the thinner, wick off the excess on a paper towel, and then mix into the paint. For sculpting, I dip the tool in the water, wipe the excess water off on my ring finger, then apply to the putty surface.

There must be a thin layer of water between the tool and the putty, otherwise the putty sticks to the tool and the result is no control. But if there is too much water on the surface, it begins to break-down the putty and you end up with a sloppy mess. It is the same with paint: not enough thinner and the paint sticks and drags with the brush. Too much thinner and you end up with a sloppy mess.

If you wipe the excess water off on your unused ring finger, then you can always go back with the tool and wick a little water off of your finger to keep the moisture consistent. That's it. The big "secret" which never really was a secret....

I have no way of knowing this, but I suspect that this method may not work as well with brass tools. The reason being that the tool is cold and has a different relative "gravity" to water and may not retain the water the same way as a wooden tool. But this is only a guess.

I hope this helps.

Mike

 

[gordy]

Good info Mike, thanks

 

[T50]

Re: Moisture control: secret to a smooth finish?

I have no way of knowing this, but I suspect that this method may not work as well with brass tools. The reason being that the tool is cold and has a different relative "gravity" to water and may not retain the water the same way as a wooden tool. But this is only a guess.

Mike

I use baby oil with a little bit of water on my tools.
It works good. But the downside of using baby oil is
that it attracts fine dusts which end up on the working
surface of wet putty. It drives me crazy.
I should try just water tonight and see what happens.

 

[kaz6120]

Thanks Mike, for your good advice. Great help.

Taesung, problem of using baby oil is because it stays on the surface longer than water? I want to see the result using only water too.

 

[Vermis]

Re: Moisture control: secret to a smooth finish?

There must be a thin layer of water between the tool and the putty, otherwise the putty sticks to the tool and the result is no control. But if there is too much water on the surface, it begins to break-down the putty and you end up with a sloppy mess.

Agreed! I use steel tools for the most part, which have no problem holding onto water droplets for whatever reasons. Water lubrication was a learning curve when I discovered apoxie sculpt. My own solution was a small, damp square of sponge in a dish. Wets and wicks with one or two presses.

Also, respect for sculpting with toothpicks. To you and everyone else who does. The few times I've used tools as small as that, pinched between thumb and forefinger, my hands suffered for it. I need handles.

 

[ausf]

My nose oil works the best, though.

Do you play bass?

Nose oil lets my fingers fly on the fast stuff.

 

[gordy]

My nose oil works the best, though.

Do you play bass?

Nose oil lets my fingers fly on the fast stuff.

Note to self: Don't touch Taesung's sculptures or Jeff's bass.

 

[kaz6120]

Do you play bass?

Nose oil lets my fingers fly on the fast stuff.

I play guitar, so I will try this on my guitar. Maybe I can beat Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert with it. Thanks for the info.