On 23 May, 23:40, wrote:
On 23 May 2007 04:21:33 -0700, wrote:

I would prefer to use something a bit more businesslike than Fimo if
such material exists and someone would be kind enough to tell me what
it is.

Polymorph might help

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

I've not used it myself but you heat it in boiling water then mould
it.
You can then re-use it again by heating

I've seen the ads and was about to buy some when Aldi had an offer of
a glue gun and some very cheap packs of glue sticks.
I bought some extra packs in the hope that it would be similar enough
to Polymorph to be used for the same purposes.
As it unsurprisingly turns out, the glue sticks need more heat than is
comfortably handled for moulding purposes. I eventually used the
method of building up layers with the glue gun, then smoothing out the
rough finish by playing a gas flame over the surface. This was only
ever done outside, on a windy day, side-on to the wind. The effects
were less than perfect, but I managed to kit out a couple of my old
WorkMates with complete new sets of feet, which seem to be holding up
quite well.

For my current projects I'd like to produce some parts that have a
less organic and more geometric look about them, so I'll try some
Polymorph and see how it goes. It would be good to hear some first
hand accounts of it's practical use though, because I have vague
childhood memories of street sellers hawking "Make your own balloons"
packs which invariably disappointed.
--
Dick Treen