Saving dry clay, food processors & storing Sculpey

[teh roxxors]

Last year, I had a few pounds of the cheap, plain Sculpey dry up on me at school. I bought a cheese grater, ground the stuff nearly into powder form, added lots of Sculpey clay softener, and kneaded the hell out of the stuff to bring it back to life. It was not even the slightest bit fun.

Now I've got a 25-lb box in the same shape. I can't imagine doing 25 lbs by hand with a cheese grater--I'd sooner buy another box with my own money.

But maybe a food processor can make this impossible task possible? Anyone know of a real tough food processor that can handle old, dry Sculpey without fail? I know a good one will cost more than a new box of Sculpey, but I'm sure I'll be needing it for years to come--if it works as well as I am hoping.

And, while we're on the subject of old, dry Sculpey, is there any way to preserve the stuff so it will last from one school year to the next? Should I freeze it, put it in Ziploc bags with some clay softener, or what?

Thanks for your help!!!!

[sloopster]

i have had sculpy part bake when i have left it in my shed over the summer, i just tend to go buy more.
you can get industrial food processors but i think they would cost so much you might as well buy a new box.
with regards to storeing the stuff i dont recomend freezing it as i find the freezing process can effects the sculpy when bakeing i keep mine in one of those mini drinks fridges in a sealed bag its cool but not so cold as to freez it.
sorry i couldnt be more help

[teh roxxors]

I'm wondering if the stuff gets damaged or ruined on a molecular level once the plasticizers leech out. Some of the stuff I reclaimed last summer is already hard and brittle--and I put a LOT of softener in it. Maybe the softener isn't the same stuff as what was in it originally?

The Super Sculpey from last school year seems to have survived well enough, but the cheap white stuff has had a very short shelf life.

[Niggle]

I have only been using Primo and Sculpey Firm so I can't help specifically to plain or original Scupley.
Mine all get Ziploc bags once I open them and they are put in a Tupperware under my bed. There is a cool draft but it's not cold. I have stuff 3 yrs old and it's in fine condition (every now and again I use a few drops of the softener on white, only white for some reason).

That makes me wonder if it's the bleaching process, or whatever it is that they do to get it white.

I don't think the softener is the original oil used, I have always found a difference afterward.

-n-

[Orcatraz]

Yeah, I think there is a limit to what you can do to bring sculpey back to life. Don't get a food processor through. A better option would be a pasta machine (http://www.google.com/products?q=AMACO+Pasta+Machine). Or for a larger scale you could try a clothes wringer (http://www.google.com/products?q=clothes+wringer). A hand meat grinder (http://www.google.com/products?q=hand+meat+grinder) would be a good option too for breaking it up.

good luck

[teh roxxors]

I might try the meat grinder, as I'm sure a food processor will be too expensive and ill-suited to the amount of clay I need to recycle.

Clay I re-softened last summer has again gone hard and brittle, despite being sealed in plastic bags. Clay I had mixed up too soft for actual use is now entirely workable, and it was left exposed all year.

Economics aside, I can't bring myself to throwing away 25 pounds of Sculpey. It's so wasteful and environmentally unfriendly.

I will plan my purchases better from now on, and try my best not to leave any unused.

[teh roxxors]

Hey, check this reply I just got from Polyform:

Thank you for contacting Polyform Products Company. We have been suggesting that our customers refrigerate or freeze their unused clay. Once it is brought back to room temperature the clay will be fine. I hope this answers your question.