# Aves Apoxie Sculpt



## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

I'm new to using it and like it a lot. Any tips you've discovered to pass on to a newbie?

Also - anyone used their Apoxie Clay? Same stuff?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

The only glitch I've had withe ApoxySculpt is, occasionally, it refuses to stick to styrene. Maybe there's still modl release on the plastic or something. But I've had it fall right out of the inside of a smooth recess I was trying to fill, and leave a visible seam between pieces of plastic.

Consequently, whenever I use it to fill or shape, I dig out a rough "anchor" hole for it somewhere that will be unseen under the putty.

And if I get a visible seam I run some superglue into the seam, let it harden, and sand it down. The seam always vanishes then.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Here's a couple things, frank:

It helps to keep your fingers and sculpting tools moist, but not wet, to keep the putty from sticking to you rather than your model. Too much water will make the putty crumbly and lose its stickiness - just blot it with a paper towel (I keep a roll above my workbench), let it dry a minute or so, and then the putty will be fine again. I just saw an article in either _FineScale Modeler _or the IPMS _Modeler's Journal _where the writer rolled his putty in talcum powder, just as a baker will roll dough in flour to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin; that might be worth a try.
I've had no trouble just using plain old water to smooth Aves, although they do have a special smoothing solution (don't know its proper name offhand). Once or twice I've run off and left some Aves in a paintbrush I'd used for smoothing (never a good brush for painting!). I've been able to get the cured Aves out of the brush by soaking the bristles in lacquer thinner.
You can use Aves to create a feature that you might want to conform to a kit part. To do this you'll smear the part you want to be able to remove with a little Vaseline, then push it into a lump of Aves. Let the putty set up for an hour or so, then gently remove it. The Aves should be stiff enough to hold its shape but still soft enough to release the part without breaking. I just used this technique to alter the locators at the shoulders of the Aurora/Polar Lights Frankenstein's arms in order to reposition them.
Of course, nothing beats trial and error...

Mark McG.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

There's only one thing I could add to Mark's tips: After you mix the required amount, let it sit for 30 minutes before you use it--it becomes less tacky and easier to work with.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks for the Info gents!

.....WOW! .... Mark posted and no blood was drawn, spilt & no missing body parts! :tongue:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I have far fewer problems with Magic Sculp epoxy putty. Never tried the Aves but it sounds like a lot more trouble.

All the built up alterations and interior reinforcement on my AMT 1701 conversion (see http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=189017 ) were done using Magic Sculp.

http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/CastingMaterials/magicsculp0001.htm


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Thanks all for the input, particularly about letting it set a half hour or so after mixing and blotting to keep it really dry (have already crumbled a bit in application due to too much wet).

I'm really surprised I've gone thru so little to do what I've done so far - bought the little sample set last year at WF and I've used maybe 1/5 of the total. Cool stuff.

Assuming the containers are kept sealed, is there a shelf life for this stuff? Noticed the dark gray part has formed kind of a darker oily color on the top, tho it doesn't seem to have affected the usefulness of it.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

frankenstyrene said:


> ...I'm really surprised I've gone thru so little to do what I've done so far...Noticed the dark gray part has formed kind of a darker oily color on the top, tho it doesn't seem to have affected the usefulness of it.


frank, I've found that a little goes a long way, which puts me in mind of another tip: it's not always easy to judge how much epoxy putty you'll need for a particular build session, so it's better to underestimate than mix up too much. You can always add more putty, but what to do if you make too much?

You can use the excess on another project (you _do _have a dozen or so of those scattered about, yes?). Or, mold the excess into a shape that will be useful later. If I don't have that other project to use the putty on (or if it has begun to set up and gotten too stiff for anything else), I roll the putty into rocks or even pieces of debris. It's easy to add texture by pressing some coarse sandpaper into the putty.

"Crazy Joe" Nedjberger (sp?), who is a major dinosaur modeler, mentioned at Wonderfest last year that he makes replacement teeth from leftover putty. Apparently the choppers don't get completely formed on those resin dino kits. It pretty much depends on what you model.

As for the putty's shelf life, the size I use (8 oz. jars? - about the size of a small margarine tub) lasts me a year, easily. I suppose that if you stir the oily color back into the gray component you'll be okay. I've always kept my jar lids screwed on tight; the issue hasn't come up for me.

Have a great weekend!

Mark McG.

P.S. - The summer isn't over yet, fluke... :devil:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Mark McGovern said:


> You can use the excess on another project (you _do _have a dozen or so of those scattered about, yes?). Or, mold the excess into a shape that will be useful later. If I don't have that other project to use the putty on (or if it has begun to set up and gotten too stiff for anything else), I roll the putty into rocks or even pieces of debris. It's easy to add texture by pressing some coarse sandpaper into the putty.


 :thumbsup: 

That's what I do. I usually have several projects going all at once but sometimes get overly involved in something intricate and have no choice but to make debris out of it. 

There comes a point where it's better not to use it than to struggle with something that will not conform to the desired shape. When it starts to set, there's not much you can do with it.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Thanks, Mark, I realize now i do wet the stuff too much.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Mark McGovern said:


> (you _do _have a dozen or so of those scattered about, yes?)


You mean actually in progress? In the old days, heck yeah. And even now there's at least that many projects stockpiled all 'round...boxed kits, refits, pre-bashed yard sale finds, spare parts...you know how it looks. 

But (pardon the following soliloquy) now that I'm getting old - those of you who are also getting old know who you are, btw - I'm getting more compartmentalized for some reason; I get brainstorms all the time but only want to concentrate work on one thing at a time...at the moment it's Dr. J. 

Weird. In the old days I could keep a half-dozen jobs in the air at once, and loved it. Can't stand the thought of that now. Energy, or lack of it, has something to do with it...as does failing up-close eyesight...but it's more than that. So does all that mean I'm old now? Be honest, I can take it... 

On the upside, I'm getting more exacting in my work. I'm able to conceive of, and at least attempt, precision work that I wouldn't have the skill or patience to try years ago. If it doesn't get done NOW, or get done RIGHT at this very minute, I'm cool and can walk away for a week, a month, or longer. I don't obsess anymore. BP remains normal. So that's good.


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## rat salad (Oct 18, 2004)

frankenstyrene said:


> ...as does failing up-close eyesight...


I was having the same problem. It seemed when I turned 40 I could no longer see things close. It got worse. I now wear progressive trifocals. Might want to make an eye appointment. Clear, up-close, vision makes model building much more rewarding. I use magnifying goggles too (and would not be able to build a model without them....seriously).


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## brineb (Jun 12, 2007)

rat salad said:


> I was having the same problem. It seemed when I turned 40 I could no longer see things close. It got worse. I now wear progressive trifocals. Might want to make an eye appointment. Clear, up-close, vision makes model building much more rewarding. I use magnifying goggles too (and would not be able to build a model without them....seriously).


Yep, bifocals here and sometimes I wonder if I need trifocals!!! I only recently got back into building models and have many in various states of completion ... probaby three need an additional hour or two, but my other problem is that my hands aren't as steady as they used to be, so I can only do detailed work on certain days.

They didn't tell me getting old would be this much fun!!!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Poor eyesight just makes my models look all the better :thumbsup:


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

What all you old far - er, _fogies_ - said. Has anyone had occasion to bash a chunka hardened Aves to make broken looking debris? Seem like it would work, or at least be a great stress reliever...

Mark McG.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

For you Pre-scenes guys it makes a good lump of dino poo ! :freak:


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I make catapult balls....otto


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

I ain't touching THAT line with a ten foot pole !


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

small balls.....otto


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

for my small catapults...heeheehee...otto


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

Mark McGovern said:


> You can use Aves to create a feature that you might want to conform to a kit part. To do this you'll smear the part you want to be able to remove with a little Vaseline, then push it into a lump of Aves. Let the putty set up for an hour or so, then gently remove it. The Aves should be stiff enough to hold its shape but still soft enough to release the part without breaking. I just used this technique to alter the locators at the shoulders of the Aurora/Polar Lights Frankenstein's arms in order to reposition them.


theres another, less greasy way to do this with aves apoxie clay/sculpt. (its an adaptation of the way dental labs get newly made dentures off of the plaster castings of the patients mouth.) get some really stiff hair gel (i use city lights brand). paint the area of the model part youre going to adapt with a coat of the hair gel. allow to completely dry. add a second coat and allow that to dry. (make sure to paint the hair gel somewhat beyond where the aves is going to go.) then go ahead and do your thing with the aves and allow it to harden. then once the aves has cured, drop the whole thing into water and let it soak. the water will re-liquefy the hair gel, and the hardened aves will lift right off of the the kit.


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## DoctorG (Jan 1, 1970)

The folks at Aves recommend storing both parts in the freezer when the containers will not be used for a long period of time. This will greatly extend the shelf-life of the Aves beyond a year. When mixing, if the material does not give off heat, then it's probably gone bad and will not harden properly. A lot of people also keep the material strored in a zip-loc type bag to minimize mositure content.

As for smoothing, water does work, but can break down the putty if used extensively. The Aves Safety Solvent works extremely well and you can often feather the putty down to the poiht where sanding is either minimal or unecessary.

G.


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