Non stick sculpting tools??

[Shawn R. L.]

Does such a thing exist?

 

[jppatton1]

Yup.

Colour Shapers are a good bet. (Be sure to spell it \"colour\" if you run a search.) They\'re silicon and work exceedingly well.

You can find them at good art stores. . . the art supply section of the Penn State bookstore carried them, as I recall.

If you\'re sculpting in epoxy putty, I find that lip balm works really well as a lubricant. There are some things I just can\'t do with the Colour Shapers tools.

Joel
http://minutiae-minis.com

 

[Roger Bunting]

I would have thought you\'d have know the answer already, Shawn, what with the sculpting work you\'ve done. Sorry I couldn\'t be any help here, though.

 

[DaN]

Well I dunno if you can get TEFLON coated tools, but I imagine those would be the best...

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Originally posted by Roger Bunting
I would have thought you\'d have know the answer already, Shawn, what with the sculpting work you\'ve done. Sorry I couldn\'t be any help here, though.

I got by with a lot of licking... Have had REAL GOOD luck using stamps and baby powder for a \'release\'. But with regular sculpting I havent found anything.

 

[Einion]

Hard or soft tools? Obviously Colour Shapers and the like work great, but they\'re not the same as working with something rigid.

In the old days I had good luck with superglue-coated wooden tools - shaped cocktail sticks - but I\'ve moved to larger tools now so I use a few steel \'wax shaper\' types (refined and polished). I don\'t do a lot with GS recently but with a touch of moisture I rarely get any sticking to worry about.

Einion

 

[Wren]

The Clay Shapers are harder to find (for me so far, at least) but the firmest of the Shapers so probably better for sculpting. I have a couple that I got as handouts at seminars I\'ve taken, and the non-stickness really is amazing. It would be fantasic if someone could take some of the most useful shapes of metal tools and give them a coating of the silicone or whatever used in the shapers. Even better would be something you could mix up and apply to your own tools as every sculptor has his favourites, often home-made, and it\'d probably rub off after a while.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Wren
Even better would be something you could mix up and apply to your own tools as every sculptor has his favourites, often home-made, and it\'d probably rub off after a while.

PTFE spray sounds like it might be worth trying; if we can find the type used in industry, which is intended to provide a semi-permanent coating.

Einion

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Right now I\'m using polished copper with so so results. Keeping things damp always works but it\'s a hassle and when doing small stuff it simply turns the putty into slip....

 

[DrEvilmonki]

what about vasaline?

 

[Shawn R. L.]

I\'ve thought about some sort of oil but have wondered about it affecting the curing. Also, how it would affect adding pieces on top of it.

 

[Roger Bunting]

Okay, it\'s only an example with greenstuff so I\'m not sure what effect it would have on the more clay-like sculpting substances; but here\'s a tute by Thomas Schadle:

http://www.minivault.com/ModelingTauPads.htm

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Shawn R. L.
I\'ve thought about some sort of oil but have wondered... how it would affect adding pieces on top of it.

That\'s exactly my reservation about anything greasy that leaves a residue; you do really have to de-grease if you want to be sure about additions you want to become permanently adhered.

I have heard good things about moisturisers though, and I think conditioner; but I don\'t feel the need to try either as I\'m happy with a bit of talc and saliva when needed, relying mostly on the natural non-stick nature of polished steel.

Einion

 

[Dark Lord]

Originally posted by DrEvilmonki
what about vasaline?

That\'s what I use. I just dip in petroleum jelly and wipe off the excess...no stick for a long time. Haven\'t had any problems yet with adding on to pieces as not much jelly transfers.
But I\'m n00b too. :yes:

 

[Roger Bunting]

Well, hello to a n00b. Welcome to the forums.

 

[EldinTux]

I use stainless steel tools with a little butter rubbed into the outside. It doesn\'t appear to affect curing times but you do need to make sure that the surface you intend to stick anything to has been degreased.

I have to say I\'m a noob to sculpting too.

 

[pablo]

nose /brow grease. basically as you start sculpting and get stressed this works as a really good lubricant for metal tools or otherwise. i don\'t use anything else nowadays and it can really help with smoothing stuff out.

 

[mugen777]

If your working with green stuff keep a small cup of water nearby and dip whatever your suculpting with in it occasionaly.

Also if anyone here knows of a good non-stick surface to suclpt on that would be appreciated.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by mugen777
Also if anyone here knows of a good non-stick surface to suclpt on that would be appreciated.

Glass or glazed ceramic. Once set GS can be removed with ease (pops right off). This also works with MagicSculp and Apoxie Sculpt, but a quick blast from a hairdryer is a good idea before trying to remove the piece.

If that\'s not good enough food wrap tightly stretched over anything flat will work great. You could also try waxed paper, although you may have trouble getting the putty to stay put on it enough to begin with.

Einion

 

[hakoMike]

On the subject of colour shapers, can someone tell me how soft the \"soft\" and \"firm\" varieties are by comparing it to another object, for instance a pencil eraser?

I\'m going to order a couple online (http://www.dickblick.com/zz049/35/) but I can\'t afford two sets right now.

Thanks.