OT: 3D Printing - Combining printed resin with clay
N-RArts
Posts: 1,520
So I've got a few 3D printed models that I want to display, but they're going to need a little help when it comes to standing/staying in place.
I've thought about using clay. But I don't want to use the wrong type, and have my prints breakdown.
Does anyone know (or recommend) a clay that I can use? Bearing in mind that oven-baked clays and polymers are totally out of the question (I don't own the oven).
I've been G**gling this for several days, and I haven't got anywhere. I was thinking of a paper-based clay. But I'm really not sure what to get/buy.
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Epoxy, bondo, superglue. The base can be anything. If you use superglue use plastic. Find what your resin will stick to and use that. You could also use sand and make a cast using molten metal and create a true metal cast of your printing. See youtube for this. Bronze looks great.
Believe it of not, I have a packet of Das clay lying around somewhere. Hopefully, it's not gone mouldy. I'll get started on my project tomorrow. ^^
Thank you, both, for your replies ^^
WARNING: Do not bother to read this if you don’t have time to read a lot of words or you are a professional sculptor or experienced hobbyist.
Too Long Won’t Read version: Try Epoxy Putty.
Got Lots Of Time On My Hands version:
In my opinion, use two part epoxy putty... the kind that comes in stick format and is the consistency of clay.
Don’t use polymer clays because they react with some materials and resins over time.
Air dry clays are cheap and easy to use, but are usually not nearly as dense or durable as epoxy putty, so if you glue the figure to it and it’s mishandled, the glue will usually rip out of the surface, leaving a chunk of material attached to the figure’s feet and a hole in the surface… if you go though the trouble of painting and detailing the model that can be annoying and bothersome to fix, especially if the figures falls on the floor and a badger comes along and chews it up or it chips falling on a hard surface.
Epoxy is strong, won’t react with most materials and is fairly cheap, depending on how much you need… (cheapish, it’s more expensive than air dry clay and polymer clay).
It usually comes in a stick form inside a clear tube/canister...
JB Weld is one common brand that's good... Oatley and Loctite are good too and they all make many different formulas, some for steel, copper, wood or plastic... the ones for metal are most common and you should be able to get them in any hardware store... That's in the US, if your are outside the US or Canada, that probably still applies, but the brands might be different.
JB Weld's plastic formula is good for adhering to materials like ABS... if it's something you feel you might want to carve details into or something, JB Weld has "Kwik Wood" which is pretty strong but carves much better than the steel or plastic formulas... If you don't really care much and have a Lowe's nearby, Oatley's Fix-it Stik is a good bargain(usually around $8 here)... you get a lot more in their tube too... it's not great for pipe repair, but for sculpting details in a repair, it's good enough for fiberglass and plastic because it actually carves somewhere between most manufacturers plastic and wood formulas (material density-wise).
If you decide to go with Epoxy Putty, make sure you get one that comes in stick format, if it comes in separate jars or containers, it's usually more creamy than clay-like... you want a clay-like format, as creamy format, which is usually more like the consistency of Bondo or polyester Automotive Body Putty, is a lot harder to sculpt with in the application you seem to want to use it for.... Make sure you mix the material well, so it is a uniform color, avoid leaving unmixed streaks as they might not harder or cure completely.
Small bases are easy because you can just take a glob of the stuff and shape it quickly but bigger ones are more awkward.
One thing I'd suggest for a larger base is to figure out the size and shape of the base first, and make the perimeter first by rolling out a long noodle of material that’s long enough to form the size needed, and then joining it into a loop or ring...
You can do this on a ceramic tile dusted with talcum powder.
The talc acts like a release agent so you can remove the part when you are done.
Shape the ring of material as you like, then flatten it out a little so it’s an even thickness.
You can use any firm smooth surface (also dusted with talc)… I like to use ceramic tiles because they are strong, pretty cheap and come in a variety of sizes.
Once the perimeter is hard, you can force material down into the ring to make the surface you’ll attach the figure to.
(the above examples are shown using polymer clay because I'm cheap and didn't want to use epoxy)
The advantage of this described method is it saves material for big bases.
Depending on how you will attach the figure, you might want to build up material in the center if you intend to have a support rod going through into the figure’s leg, if for example it’s running or in an action pose where it’s more unstable.
You can drill out the leg and epoxy a piece of thin rod or hanger wire (from cheap metal coat hangers like the dry cleaners give) and drill a corresponding hole in the base to epoxy it to.
Of course you don’t have to do it that way, you could just make a big huge glob and try and form it… usually you have about 3-4 minutes till the material starts to get unworkable, so I usually do it the way I mentioned previously because you don’t have to rush so much.
Also if you are doing a couple of big figures it gets expensive... having a semi hollow base saves material and $... so there's that.
If you don’t have sculpting tools or any interest in buying them you can carve popsicle sticks into temporary ones or even use plastic knives sanded to appropriate shapes.
Most of these epoxy clays can be thinned with isopropyl alcohol.
I will often take a small glob and smoosh it up with a drop or two of alcohol to make a spreadable paste to fill voids or seams.
It’s good for cleaning tools and hands too… but you really gotta get it before it hardens.
If you make a paste out of it, be aware that takes longer to harden and cure.
Denatured Alcohol can be substituted for isopropyl... it's less friendly to flesh, but better for cleaning tools.
Once you have a nice hard solid base, you can flatten out a thin layer of epoxy putty and press it onto the face and add/sculpt details like concrete textures, tiles or rough ground details… if you have some detail shape you want to press into the material, remember to talc the surface so it doesn’t stick to the epoxy putty.
Another suggestion which I’m sure after reading all the previous crap, you are really interested in hearing more of, is if you have a big heavy figure, you can go to a home improvement store or tile shop and look for slate tile in small sizes… or if you are really industrious cut up a 12” tile to size… most slate can be score cut and snapped to size… or cut with a tungsten hacksaw.
I used to go to counter top shops and bum scraps of granite and marble from them that they were throwing out… but most places like that aren’t very friendly to that idea anymore.
(The above figure has a cheesy base made out of a corner of a broken onyx tile)
Whatever you chose, consider this... A good base is an investment in protecting the figure... the more stable and durable it is, the less chance of your figure taking damage.
Of course if you glue it to a 2 inch thick slab of granite and drop it, that will probably crush it and your toe which it will definitely fall on.
As this is way more unsolicited info than most people will ever care to read, I’ll shut up now, since for all I know you are aware of all this kinda stuff and I’m probably sounding like a big jerk blabbing on and on.
Well, either way good luck with whatever material you choose.