Looking for epoxy clay replacement.

[Gaberax]

I have been using MagicSculp for years but in the last year or so have developed a nasty allergy to it.

What I liked about the clay is it's plastic, durable finish. Also that it doesn't shrink, can be used over any surface and doesn't shrink. Also, Krylon plastic paints seemed to work really well with it.

Does there exist a clay that has any of these properties that I can use instead?

I switched from original Sculpy years ago because of it's tendency to shatter/crack.

How would SUPER-Sculpy or Sculpy-Flex compare to to MagicSculp? opinions and reviews appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[btavis]

Try Aves Apoxie. Supposedly non-toxic.

 

[kathrynloch]

I second Aves Apoxie. While I haven't used Magic Sculpt many of my friends in the model horse hobby find them comparable.

But I recommend getting the smallest sizes of Apoxie Sculpt, Apoxie Clay and Fix It to try first. They have a Power Pack where you can get all of them. That way you can try them and see which one you like best.

I have Apoxie Sculpt but it (like most epoxies) is really sticky and soft at first. I have to let it cure for quite some time before I can manipulate it. I think it has a 2-3 hour work time.

Apoxie Clay is a little more plasticy - they wanted it to be more like regular epoxy putties. But while it's more resilient than the Sculpt, it's nothing like Green Stuff or P3. It holds find detail very well, a bit better than Sculpt but not much, and has a 1-2 hour work time so while it also goes on a bit soft for my taste, I only have to let it sit for about 10 minutes before I can work with it.

Fix It has a longer work time and is really soft and sticky at first, but it is more for repairs so it's super strong.

I've been experimenting with mixing different ones together and see if I can come up with something I really like. But that's still in progress.

ETA: For a very long time all I used is Super Sculpy II and how it manipulates and reacts to tools is sort of my gold performance level. Epoxies such as Green Stuff and P3, for me, are very sticky and don't have as much elasticity for me. So I'm trying to find something similar to that sort of workability. Apoxie Sculpt is softer and for me manipulates better but is still too sticky.

But I have a friend who mixes Apoxie Sculpt and Green Stuff together and she gets great performance. I tried it and it doesn't quite suit me. It's the having to use the water or Safety Solvent to keep it from sticking - that drives me nuts.

So that's why I'm experimenting.

 

[Einion]

Apoxie Sculpt is definitely the thing I'd recommend trying first as a direct replacement for MS, since it's similar enough that most people could use them interchangeably if they had to.

AS is softer when first mixed which takes a little getting used to but not much different beyond that in terms of working characteristics (individual mileage varies here). It does set harder though, much harder for me, which could be an issue if you carve much; if so I'd suggest getting most of your carving done within a day or so of it setting.

Einion