Aves Clayshay....?

Aves

I've never used it, but $49 for one pound of Apoxie Sculpt seems incredibly high! I pay about $33 for 4#. I know you're down under but still...

 

whitewings is quoting the prices we pay in Australia, we pay for the freight that the suppliers pay to import the materials from the US.

Adi, have you tried other suppliers? Dalchem.com.au ships fast and I bought my last lot of apoxie from here: http://www.fabricaddictions.com.au/p/401766/aves-apoxie-sculpt.html

 

So how do you like the ClayShay?

 

clay shay

I ordered 5# a few weeks ago.
I like it, it isn't quite like clay though, its very mush no matter how firm you mix it. It's great for coating foam. I am attempting a figure from it though...it carves beautifully! It has a very nice feel when carving.

 

I've just about run out of Apoxie again and after reading some poor reviews for Amazing Sculpt, I decided to stick with good ole apoxie sculpt. I also want to try ClayShay now, since it can be (sort of) sculpted as well as cast. Being lightweight it might be better and more economical in some instances. If it really can be cast in a rubber mold it would also be awesome compared to using resin as an armature for revised construction creations.

I have Apoxie and Clayshay on order directly from Aves, since Barnes is the only aussie retailer that sells ClayShay and they are also the most expensive for Apoxie at AU$104.50, compared to the $US35 it originally cost. Even with shipping, ordering 5lb of clayshay and lb of apoxie is still cheaper direct from Aves. Shame on you Barnes. Perhaps Aussie apoxie users should band together and import their own. You can always stick it in the freezer until you actually need to use it. Although I have ordered now and should be good for another 6-12 months.

I am also trialling a product from Amaco called Sculptamold, which is like paper pulp, add water and make mush. I am not sure it is good for anything other than filler and structural armature. I've been drying it in an oven, it shrinks a fair bit. I tried casting it in alginate and that sort of works, as would a plaster mold, but casting it in silicone is futile since the silicone would not allow the moisture to escape. It dries hard and light, very hard to sand and remains fibrous papery. At AU$15 or so for 1.36kg I needed something quickly to test out while I was waiting for my new apoxie. Still have not finished deciding what I think about it, but I think I am so fond of apoxie it will always stay with me, and I guess I have high hopes for other Aves products, but prepared for disappointment. Will report back when I have my clayshay in hand and have tested it.

Considering how dense and heavy apoxie is, it would be great to build internally with a more lightweight material and use aves only for the outer layers....