The equivalent of WED clay, HB2 Clay is a versatile fine grain moist natural air dry clay ready to use in handbuilding, sculpting, mold making. Knead before use especially in throwing. Add water into the plastic bag if clay is hard and dry in storage. Its high green strength is good for extrusion, sculpting as below sample and hand prints. In model making and prototyping, molds can be cast with Plaster of Paris, polyester fiberglass, epoxy and Multifilla premix mortar. Like all natural clay shrinkages upon drying is expected. Also in shrinking, cracks will occur if a core is inserted inside the large structure as it restricts natural drying compressive pressure. Patch cracks with HB2 clay kneaded with grog or perlite powder with pre wetting cracks with water misting. The Einstein sculpture is a air dried unfired HB2 greenware.
In hand printing, HB2 clay is laid within a wooden frame, hand imprinted on to this fine clay copies all details. Plaster of Paris or Premix mortar is then cast into the print for a protruding cast model.
Dried HB2 clay can be sculpt as it is fine grain. Carve with sharp wood carving tool, riffler files and smooth with flexible scrapper or sand paper. Should painting be required ensure HB2 clay is leatherhard dried, properly sealed with Matt sealer and only then acrylic or Epsilon epoxy painted.
Fires white to cone 03 – cone 5 ( 1060°C to 1200°C) as earthernware. With addition of grog or coarse mullite, it can be fired to stoneware cone 5.
HB2 clay store well in cool damp condition. For prolong storage add water and keep plastic bag closed. Check periodically as all natural clay dry eventually even in its packing.
