Scalefour Forum

Morning all,

Whilst wandering around "Flying Tiger" in Cambridge yesterday looking for Christmas gifts, I perused their craft section with an eye on what might be useful for modelling purposes.

I spotted this white air-drying modelling clay, which looks equivalent to, but half the price of, DAS.



I've picked up a pack to try at some point when my current pack of DAS runs out, but I don't see why it shouldn't be just as good.

Find the nearest store at https://uk.flyingtiger.com/en-GB/find-store

Cheers
Flymo

It will be interesting to make a comparison. DAS as far as I can ascertain is made from paper pulp, probably with the addition of some china clay, there's certainly some mica in it, and dries with the same characteristics as paper or card. This makes it ideal for colouring with watercolours. It can, to some extent, be reactivated with water from the dry state. Some 'air drying' clays being sold are real clay with the addition of a polymer which sets like rock and cannot be re-worked, they are also much harder than DAS making scribing more tiresome. It will be interesting to see how this one behaves!
Steve

Another option (though with a bit more limit in terms of use) is polymer clay, available in a number of different brands.

It is an oven baked clay, and tends to bake to a hader more durable finish than DAS and can (depending upon composition/brand) take a lot of fine detail. Shrinkage doesn't seem to be too much of a problem for smaller items. I've been using it for jewellery pieces for a while now.

Has Flymo tried Fimo?

I went to Tiranti's a couple of months ago (great store - thanks for MRJ introducing me to it years ago) and the staff advised "claydium) - off white nylon reinforced modelling material. Dries in air. It can be softened with water when hard. Far cheaper then DAS which they also had.

I have used Claydium for many years now on my Midland and south Western Junction Layouts Chiseldon and Cirencester, It's not perfect but what is.