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Discussion in 'Whatever' started by zindabad, Aug 21, 2020.

  1. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    You can use CS lure paints, it’s made to bond to vinyl.
    It’s just VERY thick. I got the white paint to thin down to proper levels. But didn’t need to with the rest. Thy alone though means with enough trial and error it’s possible to make it proper.

    Everyone state side uses their thinner and clear though. You can order direct by the gallon and save money.
     
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  2. Waterbear

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    I don't paint so I have no clue but I always thought one of the main points of using a real vinyl paint on toys is that you don't need to clear coat stuff after painting. When you clear coat what is it for exactly? Just like spot gloss stuff or do you coat entire figures for protection? Do they need any protection?
     
  3. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    Technically no you don’t have to clear. However different paint and different thinning can result in different levels of paint gloss. So a proper balanced clear can act as a polish that’s pretty much unnoticeable. It will balance out all imperfections in gloss levels and give just a small protective barrier.
     
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  4. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    Very interesting. So you coat most of your work after painting?
     
  5. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Here's one that's on my mind after moving: how harmful is indirect sunlight? My collection is definitely more exposed to light than before, but I keep the blinds down and none of the windows in rooms where I have toys are ever in the path of the sun. Should I be freaking out and moving everything to a dark corner?
     
  6. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    Really depends and why my process takes so long. I literally will do my best to go over each and everything I paint one by one looking it over for flaws and consistency. I have a gloss blend I like to use to to give it a “polish” it’s very very subtle. I’m trying to mimic blank vinyl. So the clear really needs to be so thin that you can’t tell it exists.

    So for the most part if I’m painting a run, the odds are yes they have a layer of gloss, for balance and a slight layer of added protection.
     
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  7. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    I think about this also. I know you can buy clear UV sheets to lay over the glass. Something I’ve been looking at.
     
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  8. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    Direct sunlight does damage for sure. It is way more evident on some vinyl colors than it is on others though. Like clear for example.

    I don't worry much about indirect sunlight but as a precaution I ended up buying blackout curtains to go over my normal curtains. The blackout ones block 99.9% of UV rays and I figured why leave a room full of sunlight when I'm not home or when I'm asleep? I was able to fully blackout two rooms with lots of windows for about $100 bucks. The install took a couple of hours(would take just minutes if you put them on existing curtain robs)and opening and closing them now takes seconds. Plus I like that it isn't possible for randoms to look through my windows when I'm gone.
     
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  9. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Thanks @Waterbear! I'm getting a better blackout shade in my office and will try out the UV film for other rooms.
     
  10. Patrickg2k

    Patrickg2k Addicted

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    Regarding the sticky toys: My experiments have concluded and I basically wrote an essay, which you can find here: http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/index....eriment-–-or-–-how-to-fix-a-sticky-toy.54503/ - It was long enough that it needed to be it's own post but feel free to discuss here as well. Whatever works. In summary, to fix a sticky toy, I had success with brushing on Liquitex matte varnish or airbrushing on Mad Ape clear coat. Check out my post for the full write-up!

    Also, thank you to @Waterbear and @Rich for sharing info on CS Coatings. I'll definitely experiment with their paints at some point.
     
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  11. JoeMan

    JoeMan Mini Boss

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  12. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    Why don't the makers of sculpy just drop the firm into an unsealed box? The shit dries out as it sits. I hate having to work it through a pasta maker.
     
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  13. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    So as this Pandemic rages and there are shipping and supply delays I'm noticing the price of Mr. Surfacer is pretty high. and harder to find as I just used my last can of 1200.(also probably due to sellers not wanting to deal with the flammable clause).
    I noticed there is a "clear" version available. I sort of thought it was a joke. How can you see the surface if it is clear? LOL!
     
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  14. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    I buy mine in bulk and just seal it up with a food saver. It seems to help a lot I think.
     
  15. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    Well I use mine pretty fast and what i had was sealed in the freezer. Just saying I've ordered it online a few times and got dried out stuff. Probably old stock.
    I got some more in yesterday, all new sealed plastic packaging. Nice and about time.
     
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  16. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    Where did you order it?

    I've bought it a few times and had it already dried out beyond repair when it showed up in the mail. Safest place was buying it in person at Dick Blick because I could feel it first but they didn't have it at all last year.
     
  17. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    I'm sculpting a pretty large fig so I ordered the case of 3 packs off Amazon. All in plastic sealed packaging. Nice and soft ( mean...for FIRM.)
     
  18. Patrickg2k

    Patrickg2k Addicted

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    My understanding of the Sculpey freshness issue is that it cures over time for various reasons. It doesn't really "dry out" because PVC doesn't evaporate, which essentially what Sculpey is - so the plastic packaging isn't really a factor which is why they don't always pack it with plastic. The plastic wrap protects from dust and particles more than anything else. You never know how long it's been sitting on a shelf or even if it's been stocked in a warm storage container behind a store or in a non-climate-controlled warehouse or something, who knows! If it's in a warm place for like a month it's gonna be partially cured and thus harder to work with. That's why they recommend you store it in the fridge / freezer so it doesn't cure in your warm house or garage. So yeah, finding a fresh source for Sculpey is very important but at times can definitely be a challenge.

    For anyone new to Sculpey, the Sculpey FAQ actually helped me out a bit when I was getting started.
     
  19. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    Hmmm...
    I think it's strange I've managed to reconstitute packs I was going to toss as I didn't want to waste them, but by infusing it with Terpenoid in a plastic bag and running it through my pasta crankier,(Lots of damn work!) seemed to bring it back...
    Led me to assume it was some sort of evaporation rather than it actually being slightly baked due to bad storage.
     
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  20. Waterbear

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    I'm with you considering sculpey sells it's own liquid softener. You add a few drops to dried out crumbly sculpey to bring it back to life.

    https://www.sculpey.com/products/sculpey-liquid-clay-softener

    • Improves the texture of dry, crumbly clay, creating the perfect consistency. Add a few drops of this polymer clay softener into firm clay and thoroughly knead into the clay to make it soft and subtle.
    If it had nothing to do with drying out why would they make their own liquid to soften it back up?
     
  21. Patrickg2k

    Patrickg2k Addicted

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    I certainly could be wrong or at least partially wrong. That was just my understanding based on some info I was told by my resin/silicone dealer. Also, I haven't come across the Sculpey softener, that's seem really useful.
     
  22. Paulkaiju

    Paulkaiju Mini Boss

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    Terpenoid works great as well. Great for smoothing too.
     
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  23. Mr. Humphreys

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  24. LastResortToys

    LastResortToys Fresh Meat

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    I'm not sure about the exact chemistry involved in soft vinyl, but I do spend all day every day mixing rubbers and urethanes and silicone and fiberglass and more.

    There are lots of considerations and variables. Ambient temperature and humidity are two main ones. These simply have to do with how fast a chemical reaction might occur or, in the case of humidity, how much moisture might push a mixture over the edge to just not working as intended. But the age of the chemicals and potential exposure to air and moisture also matter. Variables like adding in pigments or oxides or other additives can have different effects too. Sometimes you might just be a little off on your mixing ratios (though there is often a little grace for small amounts of wiggle room). Usually if I encounter a problem I can make a good educated guess on what adjustment to make or what the problem is, but if it's a combination of problems that can get difficult. And occasionally something goes awry and it's just like "Well that is very weird and I cannot explain that," and you chuck it and start again!
     
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