wax

[bassfencing]

what kind of model makers wax are you using to make a mold? I can't find around here. Thanks

[aka anglinarcher]

What are you trying to do with the wax?

I like carving and hand molding the wax and then making HS2 or HS3 molds with the wax blanks. I don't get polished surfaces, but the wax is easy to work with.

Sculpy clay is probably a better way to do it, but there are other things I can do with wax, like melting it and pouring it into the silicone molds.

If you must use wax, use microcrysalene wax. That wax can be found at art supply stores and is used for hand sculpturing. It can also be found on line.

Just make sure the wax has no sulphur in it or the silicone will not set up properly.

[bassfencing]

I tried the microcrystaline wax and the wax is hard to work with for a mold. I'm trying to make a whiggley out of it. Is there other clay I can use instead of sculpey clay for a whiggley mold ?

[aka anglinarcher]

It helps to heat the wax in a microwave to several seconds. Once it is heated your hand heat and internal friction will keep it workable.

I suspect FEMO clay might work.

I advise against using a non hardening clay.

[Mike - Alumilite]

I've always used a polymer clay called Sculpey. Its pretty user friendly and when you get it the way you want it, simply bake it to harden it and then sand it and finish it if necessary to perfect it before molding it.

Complete Whiggley video demonstrates the use of it on the How To page of www.makelure.com

Mike

[aka anglinarcher]

bassfencing wrote:
> I tried the microcrystaline wax and the wax is hard to work with for a
> mold. I'm trying to make a whiggley out of it. Is there other clay I can
> use instead of sculpey clay for a whiggley mold ?

Is there a reason you don't want to use Sculpey?

Many art supply stores have it and Hobby Lobby usually carries it.

[bassfencing]

thks Mike When you sand(what grit are you using?) to shape the mold? What do I use for scales on the body (what scuplting tool?)

[ajelstein]

Hi guys, I struggled with the same question of where to get this "model makers wax" ever since I first saw Larry sculpt a Mr Whiggley master out of it. I have spent more time than I care to admit searching the web, as well as local and online retailers trying to find it. I have tried microcrystaline wax...very sticky difficult to work or carve, and spru (Sp?) wax...better but still not very workable by hand hard to weld, and goes almost directly from solid to liquid when heated (I have successfully carved a couple Whiggley masters out of this with the help of a knife and soldering iron). The sculpy is good for many things but to me the added advantage of being able to melt a substrate into a mold or incrementally modify/improve my original master after a mold and hard plastic duplicate has been made is invaluable.

Well the good news is I finally found it and the info is as follows:

Website: WillowProducts.com
They offer many different wax formulations, the one you want is called Ether
It costs $7 for a 5.25x5.25x.5" block which may seem expensive but when you consider that you can use it over many times it is not.
They are a part time garage business and in my expierience they are quite slow but it is worth the wait, their transaction process is also quite odd; when I submitted my order I waited several days to receive an invoice via email then I paid via PayPal and waited more than a week for it to ship so be prepared to wait. Make sure you read all of the FAQs in the catalog before you order.
Finally, I just want to be clear that I am in no way officiated with the company.

I hope some of you find this as useful as I have...Mike, perhaps you can even work something out with them to stock and sell it thru makelure.com so that we can get it in a more reliably in a reasonable time frame.

Regards,

Andy