EM-210 (or EM-700) clay UK equivalent
in Lab work
Hi folks,
As is frustratingly the case with pretty much every material used in SWSCA videos, they are typically not available in the UK, the equivalents cost 4x as much, or I can't figure out what an appropriate equivalent is lol.
This time, it's EM-210 or EM-700 clay, which appears to be the preferred clay for making mold walls.
Does anyone know of a suitable UK alternative for this please? I can't find a type that anyone agrees on on any other forums and there seem to be very few clays that are anywhere near the $0.50/lb price range of EM-210 in the US.
I've finally managed to source WED clay over here for sculpting (although I am actually currently sculpting with Chavant medium), but given its price I am reluctant to use that as a throwaway mold-making product. If I understand correctly, WED clay is EM-217? So there seem to be a bunch of variations just in this line and from what I've read, the makeup of the clay is somewhat important to the mold making process, so I don't want to buy a massive lump of unsuitable stuff.
If anyone has any recommendations for me, I would be very appreciative.
Many thanks,
Stu
As is frustratingly the case with pretty much every material used in SWSCA videos, they are typically not available in the UK, the equivalents cost 4x as much, or I can't figure out what an appropriate equivalent is lol.
This time, it's EM-210 or EM-700 clay, which appears to be the preferred clay for making mold walls.
Does anyone know of a suitable UK alternative for this please? I can't find a type that anyone agrees on on any other forums and there seem to be very few clays that are anywhere near the $0.50/lb price range of EM-210 in the US.
I've finally managed to source WED clay over here for sculpting (although I am actually currently sculpting with Chavant medium), but given its price I am reluctant to use that as a throwaway mold-making product. If I understand correctly, WED clay is EM-217? So there seem to be a bunch of variations just in this line and from what I've read, the makeup of the clay is somewhat important to the mold making process, so I don't want to buy a massive lump of unsuitable stuff.
If anyone has any recommendations for me, I would be very appreciative.
Many thanks,
Stu
0
Comments
While I can't point you in the direction of products/equivalents in the UK, I can help a little bit here.
When making mold walls a clay like "klean klay" or the white clay you linked to is great. The main features that make those clays great for mold making is that they are somewhat soft (so they do not damage your sculpt as you press them into place), and they are sulfur free. Sulfur can inhibit the curing of silicone so it should be avoided for anything that will be molded in silicone. They are also clean, so they are not making a mess or leaving reside on your sculpt.
Water based clays (like WED) will work, but they can get a bit messy, will crack when dry (so time is not on your side), and some mold making materials (like urethanes) react poorly to water/moisture.
Any relatively soft plasteline or oil clay that is sulfur-free should do the trick for you.
On a side note, our translation team is working on identifying locally sourced alternatives to many of the materials listed in our lessons.
/Chris
Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that Klean Klay was discontinued, but it seems there are a few alternatives available now, albeit still very expensive. But I guess as it's not "throw away" clay, I may be able to accommodate that.
Thanks for the heads up on the cracking / mess issues of white clay, that may help swing the vote also.
Excellent news about the local sourcing information, that will be incredibly useful. I have managed to find a couple of UK alternatives to some of the the products used in your lessons, is there a suitable place I can submit those suggestions?
Thanks again,
Stuart
Also, depending on your mold you can use metal or plastic shims to make a mold wall rather than clay. Sometimes that's an easier alternative.
/Chris