How to Make Toy Sculpture Clay and Wax - Intro to Relix
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 พ.ค. 2024
- Relix is an open-source model making material that is perfect for sculpting toys and miniatures!
Download the Beginner Formula Book!
relixworks.itch.io/formulabook
Get the Complete Formula Book!
/ relixworks
00:00 INTRO TO RELIX
01:28 Upcoming Smoothing Solvent
02:13 INGREDIENTS
02:23 Carnauba
02:35 Candelilla
02:59 No Petroleum-Based Waxes!
03:25 Beeswax
04:29 Stearic Acid
04:51 Aluminum Stearate
05:27 Copal Resin
05:58 Cornstarch
06:24 Iron Oxide Pigments
06:50 EQUIPMENT
08:16 Filtering Setup
09:24 Safety Reminder
09:38 THE PROCESS
09:55 Step 1 - Measure Out Ingredients
10:02 Step 2 - Set Melting Pot Temp
10:15 Step 3 - Add Waxes and Stearic Acid
10:30 Step 4 - Add Aluminum Stearate
11:18 Step 5 - Heating the Aluminum Stearate
12:13 Step 6 - Working With Copal Resin
12:27 Step 7 - Grind the Powdered Ingredients
12:58 Step 8 - Add the Powdered Ingredients
13:42 Step 9 - Mix and Allow it to Rest
13:53 Step 10 - Setup the Filter Stand
14:19 Step 11 - First Filter 80 Mesh
14:44 Step 12 - Clean First Melting Pot
14:56 Step 13 - Second Filter 120 or 200 Mesh
15:44 Step 14 - Pour Material Into Molds
16:13 Step 15 - Allow Wax to Cool Overnight
16:37 Step 16 - Break Wax into Smaller Pieces
16:50 Step 17 - Finally Done!
17:12 Closing Thoughts
Song Credits
Imagine (prod. by Lukrembo)
Jam (prod. by Lukrembo)
Bored (prod. by Lukrembo)
Kitchen (prod. by Lukrembo)
Onion (prod. by Lukrembo)
Daily (prod. by Lukrembo)
Rainy Day (prod. by Lukrembo)
Holiday (prod. by Lukrembo) - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Your comment about the product improving after a 24 hour wait really cracked me up. I know EXACTLY what you are trying to describe and I couldn’t do a better job.
It can feel just a little less “cohesive “ when it’s still warm immediately after pouring.
I do have a theory about what it is and your statement about it “realizing that it’s not just wax “ may not be as far fetched as you think. The natural waxes have a crystalline structure that changes slightly as it cools over time. Microcrystalline waxes are still technically crystalline though the crystal structure is smaller than the natural waxes.
So as the wax cools and the crystals interlock to form the new material it does undergo a slight change.
I’m not a material scientist, but that’s my theory. Your blended waxes do truly change into a new material with its own unique attributes. As much alchemy as chemistry. Part art , part science.
Keep up the great work !
That is really fascinating, and makes total sense! I noticed that wax isn't smooth or consistent right after being made and has an almost crumbly nature. I had similar suspicions as you but I thought I was just being superstitious. It's good to know I wasn't seeing things!
I've tried some metalworking and my teacher taught me about how the crystals in the metal change as you hammer it which work-hardens it and heat it to release that built-up tension. That sounds very similar to your theory about the crystalline structure of wax.
Hearing such a thought-out explanation from you really makes me want to dive even deeper into the science behind it all. I think that as more people start finding out about wax we'll make a lot more discoveries about its alchemic nature!
Thanks again for sharing and supporting the development of wax sculpting materials!
Hey Gary, good to hear from you again! My God! It seems like someone else has found you and went trough all stages just like I did! ;-)
@@timvandeweerd3706 it's a small a very connected small world we live in.
Good to hear from "old" friends and new ones too :-)
Best, GaryO
I know who you are
This dude just blessed us with his creation then disappeared, we need him back!
A couple things,
First it's absolutely mind boggling that you made this open source , I can't imagine the amount of tinkering and research that must have gone into this.
Secondly, people don't usually do stuff like this and try to protect their intellectual property which is fair but
Another barrier of entry.
I want to tip my hat to you kind sir, this information is really amazing especially to those where stuff like chanvant and monster clay is not available
Thank you so much
Are you looking at worldwide shipping in the future, would love to support this
Thanks so much Jeremy! I really struggled in the beginning and it took months before things started to click. I definitely couldn't have done it without the amazing work started by Gary Overman and his Willow Wax, as well as Adam Beane's Cx5. Hope this info will help people in the future! And I do offer worldwide shipping but let me know if that option isn't available for some reason. Thanks again for the kind support!
This is the most incredible video I have seen on making your own Clay Wax material !! Being a sculptor it is always frustrating to purchase materials that you wish were better and having to settle for a mediocre clay wax at best . Your attention to detail is incredible and what you have done is giving back so much to the artist community for many years to come . I understand your frustration with a product being discontinued and not available any more . Thank you again for your generous gift !
Thank you Richard! I'm glad this was helpful and really appreciate the kind words!
Hey buddy are you ok? If you are taking a socialbreak its all good and chill but let us know that you are still alive lol
This is an amazing project and a gift to the sculpting community!
First you were making toys, and now a sculpting material for other people to make toys, great job.
Haha thanks! It's really come full circle.
Wow Kevin. You did a FANTASTIC job here ! The video and your presentation style is outstanding .
I Love the improvements you’ve made in the formulation and the lean toward the best natural ingredients.
I’m hoping you nothing but the best and your research is very exciting.
Best , GaryO (WillowProducts)
Thanks Gary, really appreciate it! Honestly I can't thank you enough! Relix wouldn't have existed without your work in pioneering the formulas. This journey has been such a blast and I hope to tell people more about not just the successful formulas, but the weird failed ones that might lead to interesting spin-off versions in the future :D
What an amazing video! Thanks so much for your hard work.
Super excited to see this in my feed this morning! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Dan! Appreciate you checking it out!
You are a man of great heart.. salute
Awesome!
Awesome thanks for sharing! I’ve been wanting to make my own wax for a while. This will definitely help!
It's been really cool to see so many people interested in making their own wax. I was making this stuff on my own for so long I didn't even know if anyone would care. Thanks for all the kind words and definitely reach out if you need help with anything!
This is very well put together homie! I’m going to have to pick myself up some or make it. Amazing work, really. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, I'm glad it was clear! Honestly, everything about making wax is interesting to me so sometimes I don't know if I'm just rambling or saying meaningful things. If you decide to make it yourself, you can always reach out to me with any questions! Thanks again for the kind words!
I would love to buy Relix, but it’s out of stock on your store. Any chance you will have it in stock soon? Thank you for creating Relix!
Thank you! I hope my relix batch turns as good as yours
I hope so too! Let me know if you have trouble with any of the ingredients. I went through a lot of trial and error too. Your first batch may not be perfect but you'll get it with some practice!
Amazing work! truly impressive!
may I ask what made you choose to work with starch over sodium bentonite clay?
So when will you be making g available again?
This is awesome! Really inspiring to something I'm working on.
Weird question. Do you know if this can mix with clay? Like, from a riverbed.
Also, do you think Mayan copal could work for the copal resin? I think it's less pure, but smells amazing.
Do you think Dragon's Blood Resin could be used for the pigment? If so, would you modify the copal amounts, or just keep it the same?
I'm really happy somebody attempted to make another cx5 type clay! i didnt have a chance to get any to try before it went out of avaliabiity.
right now im using jewlers wax since i have limited means to make wax at home its a great wax that can handle high temperatures and machine sanding/drilling but its not opaque and it only has liquid or hard state and can't be smoothed with zippo only high heat and elbowgrease :(
so i hope i can purchase your new version sometime. btw will you have any other way to support you/buy recipe books in future than patreon?
(and out of interesst is your hard version ok with a rotary tool as well or will it clog the tip?)
In addition to copal resin did you also try rosin aka pine tree resin with the solvent removed? Such as what's used for grip with athletes/gymnasts. It seemed to have a lower melting point than copal but you may already have experimented with it
Very instructive, thanks! I have more than 5 gallons of Monster Clay Hard that I want to convert to the new Grey that they now offer. I can't afford to replace it all in one shot. They won't sell me a bottle of their coloring agents, so I've been researching to see what would be compatible. My answers seem to be in this video (aluminum stearate + powdered pigments), but to clarify, what would you recommend to tint my old Monster Clay (and similar), and in what order? (I'm thinking to melt Monster Clay then gradually add both powders that have been mixed together). I have a crock pot, and access to artist-grade powdered pigments and various other powders for making paints and glues. I bought a pack of the new Monster clay to match the color, so if I buy more in the future, I won't get distracting variations in my sculpts. I'm worried that the pigments may introduce a gritty texture. I'd also like to increase the hardness, so maybe I'll add the same ones you recommend for that.
Thanks for pointers, Relix & commenters!
Thanks so much for this. I have been trying to emulate Gary's wax's for years with varying results. One of the biggest problems I encountered was the pigment not dispersing evenly and also discolouring when I use a wax pen on it.It would either turn a lighter or darker shade and was very offputting when trying to evaluate the forms I was trying to sculpt
Thanks for checking out Relix! Gary's formulas are such a great resource! To be honest, my formulas aren't perfect either and if you overheat the wax, you can still get some discoloration. I have some ideas on how to improve that so stay tuned!
This stuff looks really cool! Are you going to be making any videos soon showing off the toy making process using relix?
I definitely need to do that! I've actually been going through a bit of a mental block with sculpting. Once I figure out something I'll try to show the process! I don't know when that will be but if you see my mecha top sculpting video, it's basically the same as working with Relix.
Looking for what you use to smooth it. Did you say that would be in another video?
Well done Kevin and thanks for sharing! Can't wait for the lost wax recipe!!! I've been trying too to develop it , tried a few plasticera mixes too, but never with the right results... I also contacted Gary, but health and time issues stopped me from continuing...I'm definitely gonna purchase a batch of Relix soon, although I'm a bit afraid of custom tax in Europe (Spain). It's great to see, I'm not the only one that has been trying to get what he wanted...I've been on this sinds CX5 got off market...I've been crawling the internet and my kitchen became a lab.Wife not happy! Haha! I' will compare your recipe with my latest one... I think we are very close the same...I used Gary's formula's as a base and tried to change, add, leave out some ingredients etc....you've probably been doing the same...Awesome to find your video as I felt lonely in my whole project process, except for the great support of Gary! Keep up the great work and hopefully soon you'll get a Relix lost wax version out there! Good luck!!
Thanks so much Tim! Your comments really made my day! I think if you're already set up for it, you should probably make Relix yourself since that will be more cost effective. The medium formula is free to download and I'll bet you already have most of the ingredients! Just let me know if you have questions about anything!
what would be a good substitute for the copal resin? would adding more beeswax to compensate work?
this medium seems similar to Adam Bean's CX5 wax clay..I have alot of his product still left that i bought in 2011 its the best stuff just like the stuff your making..nice
Indeed! I was first introduced to toy sculpting with Cx5 and it really opened up a new world of possibilities for me. Hope Relix can do the same for others. Thanks for your kind words!
This is amazing, thank you for sharing everything! Crafsman linked a video awhile back to a guy making his own wax and he used crayons for coloring; would that affect this formula somehow instead of iron oxide?
Thanks so much! I saw that video too and crayons can be used instead of iron oxide pigments. However, crayons contain paraffin and other additives so they might affect the formula a little. It shouldn't be too noticeable, but if you do use crayons you might not need the aluminum stearate since the pigments in the crayon probably don't need a dispersing agent. If you try this, I'd love to know how it goes! Thanks again for the kind support!
Hi. Looks very interesting. This video is two years old. Did this story end similar to CX5?
Any idea when the relix will be back in stock? Thanks!
Amazing work !!!! But the only thing that I think makes it almost impossible to do it in my country is candelilla wax, can it be replaced by another material? Will there be a substitute for this candelilla wax?Thank you very much for sharing your work!
Thank you! If candelilla isn't available in your country, you could just use carnauba but it will make your wax a lot harder. If that happens, try adding some more beeswax to soften it. Hope that helps!
As Kevin mentions, Carnauba might work … if you are talking to a supplier ask them if they have a hard microcrystalline wax or a synthetic Candelilla. Also you might Try looking for “Palm Wax” , Ceresin , or ozokerite .
Too much Carnauba can create problems with cracking while cooling and if poured into a mold it can really stick tight.
Candelilla is grown and harvested in Mexico and an be bought off Amazon and EBay. It’s such a wonderfully balanced wax that is worth pursuing if possible. And the smell is delightful.
Best of luck !
I really like you job dude. I need a machinable wax, deed you try you hard relix formula on a cnc milling machine ? Do you have any other payment method? From my country i can't use paypal
This seems a lot like Casteline, which is sort of like a hard plasticine that models like clay but carves/works like wax- and is way more expensive than either plasticine or wax cost alone. I have yet to work with it, so I can’t make a direct comparison, but if you’ve made an open source version of that you will save people a lot of money!
When can I buy some :D
hi this reminds me of cx5 adam beane, and I would like to purchase from you
wow
Sooo is this no longer going to be produced for purchase?
I’m about to make up a batch of willow 360 but with a couple of other ingredients I could try your recipe too. My issue is that there are very few places to get aluminium stearate near me. Do you know if magnesium stearate could be used as a substitute?
Hi Chris, I believe Magnesium Stearate can be used as a substitute. I haven't tried it yet myself but it should work since it has similar properties to Aluminum Stearate. I'd love to know the results of your batch using this ingredient!
@@RelixWorks I’ll give it a go. It’s commonly used in cosmetics as an anti-caking agent which is probably what the aluminium stearate also does. Not sure whether they both act as a thickener too.
hey this was really cool! Have you experimented with clay recipes? I've always wanted to find a way to make an inexpensive but good quality plasticine clay like the Chavant NSP clays but have had a hard time finding information on that. Also it might be cool to do a channel collaboration if you're interested in that kind of thing. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for taking a look! I have been experimenting with a more clay-like recipe although it doesn't use any clay ingredients. I will be posting an update about that among other news soon. And appreciate the idea of a collab! I'm not doing as much traditional sculpting these days but your channel and sculptures are super inspiring. Well done!
Howdy. Quick question. So I followed the recipe and made the wax. After I casted it the surface was kinda tacky. I waited a 24 hours again to see if it would change. It slightly did? It's still kinda sticky and my metal tools are sticking to it. Any ideas on something I can try to harden it up? Thanks again. Hope your doing well
I would consider lowering the amount of copal resin, or removing that ingredient all together and give that a go. Another recipe I have for "sticky wax" is just bee's wax with some pine rosin in it, so I'm guessing that is the main ingredient that would make the material sticky.
Hi there, I'm just wondering do you still sell Relix wax? I went to the website but it doesn't seem to be in stock. Please let me know. Thanks
It's sad the Workbook is no longer online it seems..
Link is fixed! So sorry about that! Here it is:
relixworks.itch.io/formulabook
@@RelixWorks Thanks dude! im going to try my hand at making it in a few days. hopefully i don't completely screw it up lol
@@RelixWorks Hey, i was reading your Book and am i right that i should substitute the Aluminum Stearate with Castor Wax flakes now?
@@Glitch-Gremlin I bought the Castor Wax Flakes, i really hope it works better than the Aluminum Sterate
i made up a TINY Batch of Relix "unfiltered currently, and without Pigment" with the Castor Wax Flakes, i don't know if it works yet but ill say this much. this stuff is almost JUST LIKE CX5, honestly i think it's BETTER than CX5! this stuff when you drop it doesn't shatter, either. of course CX5 Soft didn't shatter, only the Hard version. but regardless this stuff is fantastic! i can't even imagine how much better it will be once the Pigment and Aluminum Sterate gets to my house "i'm going to try both the Aluminum AND Castor wax in different batches, to see what i like more"
Are you selling this anywhere? I am using CX5 but I made the mistake of buying some of the hard. I started with the original and I liked it but the hard is too brittle and hard for me to sculpt with. I can but it takes longer. Is your Relix any softer than CX5 hard?
What is the tool you are useing at 18:00 it seem very useful for sculpting wax
It's a Kerr Ultra Waxer which is a bit expensive. For people just starting out, an alcohol lamp and metal sculpting tools works really well!
@@RelixWorks ok thx bro
Can you drill a deep hole into it?
Although it's pretty durable, wax is still brittle so you would either have to drill very slowly or first use a heated sculpting tool to create a preliminary hole and then use a drill bit to bring it to the appropriate size. Hope that helps!
I can't download the free beginner book =( is the link taken down?
Hi Michael, the link should be working. It takes you to my website but if that doesn't work, here's the link to my itch.io page: relixworks.itch.io/formulabook
you may want also to incorporate relix for 3d print
How would that be done??
I'm interested. Price is about the same as Castilene. Is this stuff microwave safe?
There aren't any toxic materials in Relix so it's safe to microwave! Just note, it insulates heat very well so there will be some "hot" and "cold" areas in the wax mixture after being warmed up. You just need to stir it well and it will become a more consistent mixture.
@@RelixWorks Payday! the deed is done. Looking forward to my first batch.
@@blackjackdavie1327 Thanks so much!! :D
@@RelixWorks Hey, I got my shipment and started messing with it. I ordered the medium stuff and it's a bit harder than I thought it would be. Much harder actually. I'm was wondering what can I do or add to it to make it a little softer. I don't want to mix it with my castilene as I notice that that castilene is too soft, and it doesn't have a good affinity for itself. Meaning that if the pieces break, they're difficult to reattach. Where as the Relix stuff has a strong affinity for itself and mends very easily. I don't want to loose that characteristic, but I would like if it was a little softer.
@@blackjackdavie1327 You can add some beeswax to soften it. I would try adding about 5% by weight at a time until you get it as soft as you want. Make sure to mix it in thoroughly so it dissolves completely. Also, as I mentioned in this video, try to buy pure beeswax made in the US since most imported beeswax is diluted with paraffin!
Hii my final product is flacking what to do
Hey there, sorry to hear you're running into some issues. If you want you can contact me at info@relix.works and explain a bit more about what's going on? I'll try to help as best I can!
@@RelixWorks Hi thanks for reply
I have made according but it is good when hot in working condition but as it start drying it chips of some places
@@ankitaniltrivedi3199 You probably didn't mix it well enough, or didn't measure them correctly. its easy mistakes to make.
Dude, your hard wax is great 👍
Could you give some updates? Are you ok?
You don't even reply if someone subscribes to your Patreon.
Man, in my opinion the fact that the pigment can't mix well is not the priority. It is more important that the various types of wax do not separate while using the wax pen.
But the most annoying thing about making this wax formula is the aluminum stearate.
Please find something MUCH easier to use, because aluminum stearate melts damn badly.
Just to help clarify. You cannot “sand” wax. Not in the conventional way. This does not remove particles according to grit size. Sanding medium quickly gets bunged up in between the grits. Unless you can find a way to avoid this, like by freezing, then it is not sanding. This actually is smoothing with the grit value. Which works. But don’t waste money on tons of sand paper, when you just fill it in with wax particulate then it becomes dull…useless. Use a solvent, and a cloth, which will smooth the surfaces much like a plasterer does when smoothing a large wall. He only sands AFTER the plaster is rock hard. If you do it wet, well you know what that does. Smoothing, not sanding. This is not a whine about use of words. This is much deeper. You can waste a lot of money just mucking up you expensive wet and dry sand papers. Believe me…I know! This is meant as a tip, not to degrade this good man. His work here is excellent. He has given me great incite, thanks brother.
A very expensive modeling mass. More expensive than the Monster Clay.
Indeed! If you make it yourself it's not as expensive but I wish I could offer it at the same price of Monster Clay! However, since I don't use petroleum-based products like paraffin or microcrystalline wax, I think the trade-off is worth it :)
@@RelixWorks It's all about the cost of materials. It is easy to calculate that their cost far exceeds the price of Monster clay. And is the production and use (heating) really safe for health (inhalation)?
Monster clay hard is still too soft for my tastes.
And it is definitely clay-like and if you like wax , Monster Clay is not very fun IMHO.
If you’re looking for a clay like product, the book “Pop Sculpture” by Tim Bruckner has my formula for an easy Hard Clay and his personal formula as well.
Also look in TH-cam for “Plasticera” most of the videos will be in Spanish but some are subtitled.
It’s an in expensive blend of plasticine and wax. But again it’s not wax like Relix.
@@garyoverman4393 What I care most about is that the mass is not toxic when inhaled. As well, she was not expensive. Even Monster Clay is a bit too expensive mass. If anything, I would buy Degas wax. As for hardness, it depends on what you need. Perhaps the hardest version from Degas will suit me. However, I have some beeswax at home and for the test I will make this mass myself first at the cheapest cost without any toxic additives.
@@Gawron..
A very simple mix that Tim Bruckner included in his book “Pop Sculpture “ is a simple wax and ball clay blend that I used for decades. It was included in the book because it is very inexpensive to make and allows the artist to customize the hardness to their preference.
It’s about 50% wax of your choosing, 40% ball clay, and 10% coconut oil. By varying the coconut oil you can make harder or softer. More coconut oil creates softer, less and the clay is harder.
just a note … all smoke is detrimental to health. And natural doesn’t equate directly to safe for all users.
even all-natural ingredients can create a problem if heated to the point of smoke.
also allergic reactions can occur with nearly anything… like peanuts, and some plant resins not to mention petroleum based stuff. Baby oil and vaseline used for decades with little issue, but they are petroleum based.
One of the things i always like about mixing my own products is that I know exactly what is in them.
I think there is a much greater awareness now in the industry (thankfully) but about a decade ago It was reported that One popular product being sold allegedly used motor oil in the early days. When it sold to another maker they immediately saw it as an issue and They eventually switched to a plant based oil, but who knows what effect might have been for some.
Non-toxic wax? "The most dangerous ingredients in cosmetics: ..... aluminum stearate ..." :) When heated, rosin toxic when inhaled.
You're correct! Many things can be overheated to a point of decomposition and will create toxic fumes. However, we're not burning the wax as that would be terrible for your sculpts (and health of course).
@@RelixWorks So rosin is only toxic when soldering? Yes, there are no such temperatures here, but why do you recommend ventilation during wax production?
@@Gawron.. Copal Rosin is literally used as an Incense? lol
@@Mr.Boglin That would probably be the least healthy incense in the world.
@@Gawron.. Well, just saying its used for it. honestly it doesn't smell bad at all. i kinda like the smell. "though i don't burn it, i just melt it in the wax lol"
If you need to be told how to be safe, then continue to let mother make things for you….for cripes sake!
Does the full recipe (paid one) have specific measurements?
The free one I don't quite get what the measurements mean.
Is there a version that's simply in grams?