Betty Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I wanted to try using paper clay and thought I'd start out small and do a chimney. Now I'm wondering if that's a bad idea. How long will the left over paper clay last in a Zip Lock bag? Should I really use the whole package in one sitting? When covering the outside walls of a house do you do the entire house at once or can it be done in sections...one wall one day and the next day another wall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 The clay can last a good period of time but I use mine so fast I am not sure the exact amount of time. I always put a wet paper towel in the zip lock bag too. The longest I have had some in a bag is about 1 month (I had put it away and started a new pack before I realized that I still had some left over ). Because you can almost never roll the clay to the right size of the wall, I do it in sections at a time especially while doing stones or brick because t he clay can dry fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I'm doing my harrison in sections, it just seemed easier that way to me. The first section I did is in my gallery I haven't posted any of the second section yet. But it's looking good :happy: . And think I was afraid of trying paper clay, now I'm trying to see what else I can do with it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peggyquade Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Definitely do it in sections...otherwise, I find it dries out and is hard to work with, even if you spray or brush it with water. I only do an area that I can carve stones or bricks into, in about a ten minute period of time. For me, that's about six inches square, more if you are slow or are doing a complicated pattern. Have fun! Remember, you can scrape off anything you don't like and start over again. Also remember that it looks quite different after you've applied color to it. I had some paper clay in a ziploc baggie for a year and it was fine but make sure it's sealed up good! The idea about the wet paper towel is a great one, just for extra insurance. I'll do that with what I've got left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 I wanted to try using paper clay and thought I'd start out small and do a chimney. Now I'm wondering if that's a bad idea. How long will the left over paper clay last in a Zip Lock bag? Should I really use the whole package in one sitting? When covering the outside walls of a house do you do the entire house at once or can it be done in sections...one wall one day and the next day another wall? Hi Betty, My first paperclay project was also a chimney - I did it in sections - making individual river rock to cover it took a long time - at least it felt like a long time so doing it insections was the only way for me - it worked out fine :lol: If you're doing something like block or brick - I'd probably do one side at a time so that the entire side dries evenly and you don't have a difference in shrinkage if you're a little thicker with one section than the last. As for storing it - I got about half way done with that first chimney got fed up with miniatures and put everything away for an entire year. When I came back to it and brought everything out again my paperclay was still good! I had it in a ziplock back and tried to get all the air out I could - I wouldn't recommend leaving it for a year but it should be good for a couple of months if you get as much air out as you can before zipping it all the way closed. Hope this helps some, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty Posted October 30, 2006 Author Share Posted October 30, 2006 Thanks everyone! I'm going to follow Tracy's directions for the fireplace and adapt them for the chimney. Now I have another question for everyone. When I do it in sections how do I join them together? I was looking at everyone's pictures (David your link for your Webshot Albums doesn't work) and the stones go around the corners and I can't see a seam. Do you join a wet and a dry section together with a little water? Do you go right around the corner and end a section or do you end right at the corner? Sorry for all the questions. I'm hoping it might be obvious once I start, but thought I'd better ask too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 The chimney area is so small I think you will be able to do it all while wet. The seams go together well while wet. If one end dries. when you lay the other side while wet, the seams will go well together with just a little help from your fingers I gotta a pictures of it somewhere. I'll look okay :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty Posted October 31, 2006 Author Share Posted October 31, 2006 The chimney area is so small I think you will be able to do it all while wet. The seams go together well while wet. If one end dries. when you lay the other side while wet, the seams will go well together with just a little help from your fingers I gotta a pictures of it somewhere. I'll look okay :lol: OK and thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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