"What doesn't green stuff stick to?" Topic

Can anyone out theree let me know what kind of surface will green stuff not adhere to.

I want to roll out some capes for some figures but the green stuff always seems to stick to my working surface. I've tried using the roll of plastic that is rolled around the unmixed strips, but I could do with a larger area.

So anyone got any tips, I'd really appeciate it.

Cheers Guys

What I do is smear a bit of vaseline over the work surface. Seems to work nicely.

I use a square of plastic cut from the side of a gallon milk jug.

Almost any kind of hard plastic surface that is flexible. Milk jugs are great. The putty will stick enough to lay flat when you roll it, but pop off when dry.

Otherwise, you can use water on the end of tool or your finger to prevent sticking. It also helps to wait a few minutes after mixing, the putty will dry slightly and not be so gooey.

You can use wax paper or cling-wrap – especially if you put a thin coat of vasoline on it.

This way you can roll out some green stuff, smoosh it between two pieces of cling-wrap and roll it flat without worrying about getting fingerprints on it.. let is dry and harden a bit, cut it to cape shape and apply it to the model in a semi-rigid state. Then let it dry fully.

Many thanks for the tips guys, the only problem I can see with the vasaline is wont this stop it sticking to the model as I tend to use the slightly sticky quality of the green stuff to adhere it to the figure, I might give it a go though.

What I tend to do is mix the putty then go and make a cup of tea before I actually staurt sculpting as this lets the putty "go off" just a little and I cant do anything with out a mug of tea anyway!

I think I'll give the milk bottle side a try first, but thanks for all the tips. I'll report back on how I get on.

Cheers Roger

Hear you with the cup of tea!

Polythene is pretty good, especially the stuff that greenstuff ribbon comes between. Let the putty go off a bit to lose some of it's stickiness then sandwich it between the sheets and you should be able to remove it again (with a little trial and error).

I also find the backing paper for dymo thermal printer labels are great for this purpose.

I use no vaseline (on miniatures, that is). Instead I cut out pieces of freezer zip-loc bags (they are the thicker ones) and then mould the cape/whatever to the figures using an eraser or other sculpting tool (from the protected side, of course).

When it hardens, I simply do a quick tug and voila, all done.

Hope this helps.

CC

Best advice I can give –

1) Pasta making machine – this can be bought for around £20.00 GBP in the UK, or probably less on eBay.
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2) Talcum Powder. (May be called something else in the USA. The stuff you put on baby's bottoms to prevent nappy rash.)Stops the green sticking to surfaces temporarily.

Mix your putty, let it go off a little so it's a little bit stiff as this will help stop it sticking to the rollers of the pasta making machine. You can also do it fresh but use plenty of talc to cover the putty and flatten it out by hand a bit prior to putting it in the machine. Then simply use the pasta making machine to flatten the putty out to a perfect thickness. Cut out a shape to suit from the finished putty once it's firm enough. Depending on how long you left it to cure before rolling, it may still stick to you sculpt as is, or you can use a dod of superglue to attatch it, then build up over it with extra layers of putty to strengthen, once this first thin layer is totally cured.

Incidentally, I also recommend you get some clayshaper sculpting tools. Totally non-stick. Brilliant for folds and things in cloaks.I use them all the time. I happen to sell them, too. ;)

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Nice tip CC, I might give this a try too.

I'll keep a look out for a pasta machine as well thanks Heresy, sounds like a good idea, I am in the UK so I know what talc is, I have some clay shapers I use for most things these days, I actually bought my green stuff from you at "Hammerhead" Cheers Roger.

And coffee makes the whole procedure easier than tea ;-)

Coffee! yuck can't stand the stuff, we are British after all.

Pish, tush, Roger! If coffee was good enough for Dr Johnson, it's good enough for you!

I've got a bunch of old card sleeves from my Magic the Gathering days that I use. In addition to being stick-resistant, the things are smooth and glossy, so whatever I make using them comes out *very* smooth.