Thanks for sharing your process. You've got a lot of potential as an artisan keycap maker. I've seen other artisans made through moulding a keycap and then extending it with the design. Any ideas on how the crafting clay approach will compare in terms of durability? Is there any risk the artisan extension slip or crumble?
Thank you for your feedback
In terms of the clay durability, I've had no issues so far with the finished model, as I generally work with the clay at different hardnesses. The process I use firstly is to use the clay after dipping it in water to generate the overall form I want the artisan to have. From there I let it dry for 10 minutes or so and begin to work in basic details as this is at the point where the clay wont crumble or move as much. After heating thoughtfully with a hair dryer, I'll begin to sand away and engrave details and then add or take away more clay if I feel its needed.
So in short, no issues of slip or crumble as I work with the clay at various stages to best avoid these.
I once experienced an issue with crumbling with an early prototype while casting it in silicone; however from there I learned to ensure that the clay has been heat treated and hardened thoroughly before casting. I also take an extra bit of precaution and apply a clear gloss to the finished model to ensure it does not get damaged in silicone as the current product I use has a 24 cure time.
I hope this answers your question, any more you may have I'll be happy to answer.
