y2klay

O wow patl!! *gazes at your awesome sculpt* I really love what you did with it

Never heard of that clay before....is it like working the the grey sculpty (I think its Super Sculpty 2 of 3..)? My hands can't take it being so tough but I'm tired at how brittle paper clay is :\

 

I hope you don't mind answering some questions about this Y2Klay?

First of all, how many cubic inches of Y2Klay did you purchase? How many blocks of Y2Klay was that? Did you base the amount you purchased on being able to work on a specific size doll, or what?

I'm curious about the odor of the Chavant modeling clay? My Roma Plastilina has a slight petroleum odor if I put it up close to my nose, but otherwise I don't really notice it. I do not have much of the Roma, and am considering replacing it, one of these days. Roma contains Sulphur, Chavant does not.

This clay warmer sounds like it encloses the clay completely. You must lift the whole box up to access the warm clay? You cannot see the clay while it is getting warm?

My home-made carving wax is too hard to cut into small pieces easily with a knife when it is cool. How big are the blocks of clay, as shipped?

Are you comfortable working with clay that is 130 degrees Fahrenheit, with your hands? Do you think that working with clay at that temperature, on a daily basis, will affect the joints in your hands after awhile?

Morgan has posted that her fancy modeling clay (FUSE) can be locally heated with a hair-blower, or a similar type of tool? Have you tried anything like that yet? How about using a wax pen with it?

I'm looking forward to hearing about your experiences using an oil clay to model with, molding it in a plaster piece mold, then casting the carving wax in the plaster mold.

As doll makers, I think we can appreciate a polished breast, or two. :XD

 

That New Chavant Y2klay sounds and looks awesome. It would be a nice material to use here since the normal Klean Clay gets sticky during hot days. *u* Tell us how well it holds up.I'll definitely consider buying that.

 

I've been using Y2klay since before it was released to general public...It's an industrial modeling clay for the automotive industry. I got it from a Chavant Rep about 8 years ago.
It's sold to the public now in 1.75# round ingots that are approximately 11"X 2.5" in diameter.

My favorite way of using the clay is by puttingsmall chunks in an old juice glass that's sitting on a cheap electric candle warmer. For larger amounts you can kep it warm in an old crock pot, boiler or skillet...basically any electrically heated and controlled container with sides.

I've mentioned this clay frequently here in the forums and especially in my clay shootout thread.

I can probably answer any questions you have on this clay.

One thing to note is the ability to make cold joints.... meaning you can heat up and attach one piece to another...it will stick but can be snapped back off cleanly. To make a solid joint both pieces must be heated.

 

My condolences Pat. Best Wishes for a Safe journey and a Safe return. All The Best.

 

Thank you.

How do you use Y2Klay in your process of making a ball-jointed doll?

The process I'm following is more or less the way Martha Armstrong-Hand made BJDs.
After getting her ideas for a doll, drawing some concept drawings and working drawings, she modeled the doll in oil-clay over a wire armature on a modeling stand. Once the oil-clay sculpt was complete, she removed it from the modeling stand and cut it apart at the joints (head, arms, legs, torso - 5 parts). Next, she made rough shell molds of the parts in plaster. She cast her carving wax in the plaster molds. She also cast ball joints in carving wax in plaster molds. She cut the carving wax casts at the joints, and using a wax pen and wax carving tools, she designed and attached the ball joints to the parts. She refined the carving wax BJD by adding carving wax with the wax pen, then carving the excess away, and sanding the parts until they were very smooth. She did that process until the doll was perfect. The carving wax was hard enough so she could test-string the doll before it was molded for the final time.

At this point in her process, the smooth carving wax parts can be molded with rubber or plaster, depending on whether a resin or porcelain BJD is wanted.

After the molds are made, and the parts are cast, the castings are cleaned-up, the BJD is strung (she used a spring-tensioning system which allows each joint to move more or less independently of the others, so a limb can be moved without disturbing the other joints). Since she made porcelain BJDs, she did the China Paint face-ups before the final spring-tensioned stringing. However, with resin BJDs, the doll could probably be strung before doing a face-up? I'm not sure, yet.

Once the doll is strung, and body-blushed, face-upped, and so forth, she hand-made a wig for the doll, sewed clothing for the doll, and made shoes and accessories for the doll.

It is quite a process, and one that pivots on the use of carving wax, or Industrial Design Carving Wax, such as Y2Klay.

In her process, being able to melt and pour the carving wax is important. Also, being able to add carving wax to refine the forms is important. She welded carving wax balls to the limbs to make ball joints, so that is also an important thing to be able to do, as well.

Since she modeled the sculpt in oil-clay first, then cast the carving wax in molds made from the original oil-clay sculpt, modeling in carving wax was not a main consideration. Most of the original modeling was done in oil-clay. Refining the forms in carving wax is important. She did the refining using a wax pen, wax carving tools, and sanding with fine sandpapers until the doll was perfect. Add carving wax, carve the excess away, sand until smooth. Repeat until the doll is perfect.

 

I don't make BJD's... not yet anyway. I love sculpting. I do have plans for a BJD though as soon as I refine the joints to where I'm happy with them. I probably will use Apoxie and eps foam though. Once I mold the head though I will probably cast several Y2Klay heads to make varied characters. Like porcelain, Y2Klay can solidify some then pour out excess leaving the cast hollow.