The best kind of surface to work on is a silicone mat. Like our Aves® Clay Mat; XL Multi-purpose Silicone Table Mat; keeps your tools from rolling around, protects your under working surface, and you can let the pieces that you create cure directly on them because they peel right off and the mat is super easy to clean up with a sink of warm water a green scrubby and a little dish soap! https://avesstudio.com/shop/aves-clay-mat/

If you don’t have a silicone mat a Ziploc freezer bag is a great disposable alternative.

Allow the product to rest for 15 minutes after mixing A+B together (wearing gloves is significantly helpful for both clean up and recommend to ensure thorough mixing). During the first 30 minutes, the product is the most sticky/adhesive (which is great if you’re trying to just bond pieces together or use it for mosaic or pave type work) it gradually becomes less sticky as time passes. Putting the product in the refrigerator will also help tame the tackiness. Using cool water or Aves Safety Solvent to dip your tools in while working with the product will help a lot. Also the type of tools you use makes a difference – we prefer stainless steel. https://avesstudio.com/shop/safety-solvent/

The best tools we can recommend to use are made of stainless steel https://avesstudio.com/shop/stainless-steel-tools/

or hard silicone (Clay Shapers work great!) Wood and plastic tools are okay too. Aves® also manufactures a product called Aves® Safety Solvent that we recommend for tooling, smoothing, texturing, and cleaning Apoxie® & Fixit® products from tools, brushes and working surfaces. (Also aids in a very nice seamless feather.) It is fantastic for dipping your tools in to prevent sticking and working over highly detailed areas. Water, Vaseline, vegetable sprays, etc., can also be somewhat effective, you don’t need excessive amounts. https://avesstudio.com/shop/stainless-steel-tools/

In many cases, any of them can be used with the same great results. Yet, they all have their place and best uses. It generally comes down to a working preference.

Apoxie Sculpt is our most popular product for good reason, it’s cost effective and does the job well. Comes in 12 colors you can mix and match, has a nice putty-like feel to it and a semi-gloss finish. 2 – 3 hour working time depending on your application needs. Takes heat up to 325 degrees F. Perfect for indoor and outdoor and underwater projects. https://avesstudio.com/shop/apoxie-sculpt/

FIXIT also has a nice putty-like feel, comes in 4 colors, semi gloss finish once cured and a working time of 2 hours, it can take more heat up to 450 degrees F and is impervious to fuel which makes it great for RC hobbyists, Rocketry, tank repairs and industrial uses. Also great for indoor & outdoor projects!https://avesstudio.com/shop/fixit/

Super White Apoxie Sculpt is SUPER white, it has a shorter working time and is more firm than Apoxie Sculpt, if you are looking for WHITE than this is what you want, semi gloss finish. 1-2 hour working time. You can mix it with any of the Apoxie Sculpt colors you like.  https://avesstudio.com/shop/super-white-apoxie/

Apoxie Clay has a little more of a clay like feel to it, its details are slightly more defined, than these previously mentioned product’s. Its superior in making sharp crisp edges and is perfect for assemblage art and adhering found objects together. While it does not come in all the fun colors you can mix in a tiny bit of crafty oil paint and color it if you like! 2-3 hours working time and a semi-gloss finish. If you are sensitive to other brands of epoxies  you might want to give this one a try, as it seems to be favored by people with more sensitivities. If you were sculpting an elephant or detailing eyes or nose pads with wrinkles or making a totem pole of found objects, or replicated weaponry we would recommend trying Apoxie Clay. One tip with this product when smoothing it, the Aves Safety Solvent is really helpful in helping with clean crisp lines and tool drag vs using water. (water really makes a mucky mess).https://avesstudio.com/shop/apoxie-clay/

FIXIT Sculpt one of our favorite products! Has the longest working time of 2 – 4 hours and has a nice matte finish. This product has a more firm clay-like feel to it right out of the container in comparison to the other products listed here, it resists the sagging and drooping many people get with the other product’s. While it’s not as smooth as the Apoxie Sculpt it takes and holds details really well. This happens to be the strongest product we make, it’s perfect for indoors, outdoors and underwater applications! Also great for sensitive users. https://avesstudio.com/shop/fixit-sculpt/

For further details Click here to see comparison chart of these products: https://avesdemo.flywheelstaging.com/ComparisonChartApoxieFIXIT2017.pdf

If you have a product that is not setting up; Be sure to to check the containers that you have one ‘part A’ jar and one ‘part B’ jar (the part A and part B should respectively be different in color). If that checks out then most likely it is the kneading technique being used, or an insufficient amount of mixing time. We recommend thoroughly mixing the product for 2 minutes until thoroughly combined and a uniform color is achieved. The best way we can instruct you to mix is to “knead” the product; “kneading” is best described as motion between your index finger and thumb with the product in-between (example; knead almost as if you would be rubbing a ‘worry stone’, or snapping your fingers). – note that there are many other ways one can successfully mix the product.
Do a test; set a timer for 2 minutes and mix the two parts together until your timer goes off, make a ball and let it sit overnight to cure…in the morning the product should be hard. If not please contact us – we want to hear from you if you are having troubles with our products. Notes: Water nor our Aves® Safety Solvent does not affect the set-up of our 2- part products. It will harden under water.
Mixing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRR0yg9AW2E

I have a tendency to sculpt fragile fingers and such. I’ve heard that the Aves products are super strong and almost unbreakable. True?
TRUE! Apoxie® and FIXIT® products are very strong. For example, people into radio controlled subs, ships, and planes will roll a very small rod shape out, then let it harden, and then turn it on a lathe to make an “antenna” for their model. When done, it is thinner than a paperclip! Another artist sculpted an 18 mm skull, and after curing it had a very hard time crushing it with pliers! (he was also a bodybuilder!) When needed, putting Apoxie® or FIXIT® over an armature (wire mesh or rod, wood, or other substructure) works great. It also gives the model support while setting up and curing. As an added bonus you can use our products to repair themselves at any time.

FIXIT® is UV resistant, waterproof, weather proof, and incredibly durable. FIXIT® is also resistant to fuels. We soaked fully cured cubes of FIXIT® in nitro-methane (radio control car fuel), and after several days the FIXIT® appeared unaffected, and was still impossible to scratch with a fingernail. We have used these products outdoors, and they still look beautiful after years of sun exposure. It has been used in aquariums, both in homes and large, public settings.

The best surface prep is to wash the cured Apoxie® Sculpt surface with a light detergent or other cleansing agent. This will remove any oils from your hands or other residues that may have come in contact while working and helps the paint to adhere evenly, avoiding spidering, etc. Primers are helpful to make the final show color more uniform and for best paint adhesion. However, other users find that using a whiter base (e.g., Apoxie® Sculpt White color), when cleaned and top coated, is easier than using a primer, and shows the top coat color the best. If you choose to not use a primer, we recommend using a sealer to protect your paint work. (Note: Painting is optional, you do not need to paint over Apoxie® Sculpt or any of our products unless desired. *Follow the paint manufacturers directions, if it says to prime, then you should follow that suggestion to get the best results)

When drilling or sanding anything that may produce excessive dust, it is ALWAYS a good idea to wear a protective mask of some sort. Use common sense.

Yes! Apoxie® Sculpt is designed to withstand temperatures up to 350 degrees F. for best results we recommend allowing our product to cure before baking with Polymer clays. ‘Pebeo Porcelaine’ 150 is a bakeable glaze (comes in 47 different colors and it’s dishwasher safe, too) It worked on both Apoxie® Sculpt and on FIXIT® Of course, you can paint or otherwise finish Aves® products with nearly any coatings.

It’s a non-critical mix – just get it close – no need to weigh it out) the product will set up as long as it is thoroughly mixed. Wearing gloves; mix and knead for at least 2 minutes until a uniform color is achieved, the most important thing is to ensure proper mixing, check out our video for tips!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRR0yg9AW2E

In a closed container on your workbench is just fine. If you won’t be using them for a while like a few months and you’re worried about it – All of our 2-part Apoxie® and FIXIT®  products have 2 – 3 year shelf life. The best way to keep it fresh in-between months of use is to store the products away from heat sources and sunlight, in a cool dry location, be sure the tops of the containers are on properly, alternatively you can freeze or refrigerate any of our products in the containers. All of Aves products are “freeze-thaw-stable”.

Apoxie® Sculpt comes in 12 colors that you can mix and match to create just about any color you desire, it additionally can be mixed with Super White Apoxie® to more coloring options check out our color mixing chart: https://avesstudio.com/12_color_chart_pantone.pdf

For our other 2 part products; Apoxie® & FIXIT® modeling compounds: Always mix A+B first wearing disposable gloves and then add the pigment of your choice. Different pigments will give different results, examples of commonly used pigments; We find that Acrylic paints give the product a gum-like consistency – which some prefer, but others dislike….it does take quite a bit of acrylic paint to create a rich tone. Oil paints work exceptionally well and are the preferred colorant method – it take a VERY tiny amount to color a whole lot of product (toothpicks are helpful in swiping color onto the clay)…a little oil paint goes a LONG ways, if you mix too much paint it product will become very gooey. Powder Pigments work well – but they are messy. They give our product a bit more firm feel to it. note that glitters are best for surface pressing only with these products.

Apoxie® Paste and FIXIT® Paste take powder pigments very well (again please mix A+B first then add your pigment) and you can use super fine glitter mixed in them and get nice results.

Our Mache products color well with paints mixing them in the wet mache, or powder pigments. (again glitter doesn’t work with these mixed in.)

Yes! Aves® products work wonderfully in flexible molds, and also for impressions with rubber stamps etc ”Knead-A-mold” or “Smooth-on” products work fabulous! The general
principles of mold casting apply here “one part Must be flexible” or its not coming out of there! Consider using a mold release agent.

It’s not mandatory when using flexible molds or stamps (like silicone or rubber) but it would certainly help especially if the mold has groves, or you want to press and pull the clay right away. You can use a general mold release agent such as coconut oil spray, olive oil, silicone spray, etc.
*Water, Aves Safety Solvent, or coconut oil spray work well for texture stamps.

Can I use Apoxie® Sculpt safely in a fish tank to make a custom castle?
Yes – once it is cured, wash/treat the Apoxie® as you would any other object you would put in your tank.

I want to use Apoxie® Sculpt to lay over a bowl just for the shape of it, how do I keep Apoxie® Sculpt from sticking to the bowl? Is there a product or technique to prevent the Apoxie sculpt from permanently bonding?
YES with great success I would recommend a Universal Mold Release by Smooth-on to keep your Apoxie® Sculpt from sticking to itself, and anything else. This technique is excellent for making parts that mate perfectly. If you don’t want to purchase additional products you might also try using either a Zip-Loc Freezer bag as a barrier, Coconut oil spray, talc powder or silicone spray.

Apoxie® Sculpt, Super White Apoxie®, FIXIT®, FIXIT® Sculpt and Apoxie® Clay have a shelf life of 2 – 3 years, additionally all of Aves products are freeze-thaw-stable so you can store them in your refrigerator or freezer for extended shelf life. The date on the jar is no indication of the shelf life – it is just the copyright date that label was printed. Our Mache products when stored properly (dry location) and sealed will last more than 10 years. Critter Clay has a shelf life of about 12 months – please follow package recommendation for storing this product.

Yes, the longer and more vigorously you mix A+B together will reduce the set-up time, additionally you can gently heat part A before mixing. You can add more part B up to 20% for a 60/40 mix. This will reduce your set-up time. You can also set your finished project in direct sunlight or under a heat lamp (be careful not to get it to close).

I used the Apoxie® Sculpt and now there is a hard crust on the top of the product, did it go bad?
Sounds like you have what we call – cross contamination; you have to use separate tools/fingers to retrieve parts A and B and keep the components separate (very important) or you will contaminate the product.

1. If the majority of the product is still soft/pliable, Simply scrape off and discard the hard part, and go about using the product (avoid crossing A and B unless you want it to set up).

2. If the product appears to be hard throughout – you can try to rejuvenate it by placing the container in hot water for 20 minutes (allowing the product to cool before handling or mixing it with part B).

3. We do sell just the part A or part B in every size upon request directly from our factory.

I mixed up too much product, how can I keep it from getting hard?
Once you mix A+B the product will set up and get hard. It is inevitable. The best thing we can tell you to do with it is look around your house and see if there is anything broken that needs to be repaired and use any left over to do with it such as cracks in the wall, cement, chips in tiles, broken chair legs, a coffee mug handle etc. – OR, another idea is to build onto a hard journal/book cover with all of the left over Apoxie® you have from each of your projects. – the result will be a unique story in itself. Some other suggestions would be to make props that you will use with your art work such as acorns, mushrooms…custom dice sets ; ) 

How Much product will I need for my project?
Approximate Product Coverage at a ¼” inch thickness, when in doubt Always Calculate High.:
1 pound kit = 0.5 sq ft (1/2 sq. foot)
4 pound Kit = 2 sq ft
20 pound kit = 10 sq ft

You can build onto our Apoxie® or Fixit® in any stage of set up, even years after it has been cured. Some artists work in stages, adding small amounts of product as they go. Our Apoxie® and Fixit® products are very hard & durable once cured and will be an excellent replacement for the current product you are using.You can use an E6000 Glue or another epoxy glue to bond pieces together if desired.

It is generally best to work in stages, all of our 2 part products are designed to work with each other in ANY stage of set up – therefore, you can mix as you go, or leave something for days and then come back to it at any time to add on. If you need a little more working time you can give our FIXIT® Sculpt a try; this product offers 3 – 4 hours to play before it sets up…AND it works with Apoxie® Sculpt in any stage of set up so transitioning from one product to the next is easy.

Sure, you can do anything you want at your own risk. Here are some tips we find to be very helpful if you choose to utilize this method:
After you mix A+B together, allow the product to rest and or chill for 20 minutes. (some of the tackiness will wear off if you allow it to rest) We advise the pasta machine be stored at a cold temperature to ensure an easier release. The use of a release agent like coconut oil spray, olive oil spray or pure talc powder is found to be very helpful. Scrape any chunks of clay that are left on the pasta machine right away, & or use Aves® Safety Solvent with a paper towel to remove product quickly. Wash your pasta machine with warm soapy water & a bristled brush (if necessary) as soon as possible. (*Note Apoxie Sculpt will cure underwater)

I have a large project that I plan to use Apoxie® Sculpt on – what is the best way to mix large batches?
When mixing large batches it is important to know that the product will set up a bit quicker then the normal 2 hour working time, so you need to be ready to work to be able to make full use of a large batch. We suggest you find some high school students to help you mix in manageable size batches.

Apoxie® and Fixit® products are designed to be permanent, self-hardening and water proof. That said – it’s a lot like concrete. You literally have to break through it by sanding, grinding, lifting with a pry and or chipping it away, same for if you get some on a tile or wood floor, table or stuck on your tools. Prevention is key! Using a proper working surface and color your work zone, floor included, (I use an old yoga mat under my feet as I work, and an Aves® Clay Mat on my working surface, I have been able to pry fully cured Apoxie® Sculpt off of granite counters, wood floors, tile and stainless tools – simply with a butter knife, or razor blade). Unfortunately we have been unsuccessful in finding anything that will dissolve our cured products. Our Aves® Safety Solvent works to only a very small degree. It might soften it up a tad – but that is it. Aves® Safety Solvent is specifically for use with uncured Apoxie® and Fixit® to remove product from tools, brushes and working surfaces before it gets hard. (It’s also fantastic to eliminate tool drag and create crisp detail lines as you work).

As thick or thin as desired. There are no restrictions. Some material suggestions to bulk out your sculptures with; tinfoil, foam or wood – all make a good solid core to build over top of but are not necessary unless desired.

All Aves Clay products are free from Animal ingredients and free from animal by products and can be listed as VEGAN. For transparency purposes 30+ years ago our products were tested for skin sensitivity using lab rats & rabbits. – no animals were harmed. This testing is listed on our Safety Data sheets showing results of the test, please note, this was the only method of testing at that time, they didn’t use humans or other ways. We do not do testing like this anymore, and do not have future plans to repeat this unless it becomes necessary. Hope this helps.

Yes, all of our 2-part products (Apoxie® Clay, Apoxie® Sculpt, Super White Apoxie®, Apoxie® Paste, Fixit®, Fixit® Sculpt, Fixit® Paste) are all sold with both components; you will receive one
part A and one part B. EXAMPLE: 4 pound kit = 2 lb part A & 2 lb. part B. 

Can I purchase extra PART A or PART B

Yes, you can. Separate Apoxie Sculpt components are available for purchase on our website, we list them in our Outlet to avoid confusion: https://avesstudio.com/product-category/aves-supersale/

All Aves Clay products can be disposed of as nonhazardous waste. Our product SDS’s State “DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS: Product is not a U.S. EPA RCRA hazardous waste based on components. Dispose of in accordance with local, state, federal regulations. Not a hazardous waste unless combined with hazardous materials.”

Yes, with the exception of orders shipped to Wisconsin (5.5% sale tax is automatically applied to WI orders).

We have many ways you can place your order;
Order online: www.avesclay.com
Call: (715) 386-9097 payment needs to be made with a visa, master or Discover credit card.

If you wish to purchase locally, please see our ‘Store Locator’ or call and ask us if we have a vendor in your area; we are happy to redirect you.

Purchases must be returned within 30 days and must be new (unused). You will need your original receipt in order to return items. Please note that Aves® Studio, LLC. merchandise purchased from other retailers, or specialty stores must be returned to the store from which it was originally purchased and is subject to the return policy of the originating retailer. Returns and exchanges will only be accepted from orders placed directly through Aves® Studio, LLC by phone or our official website, www.avesclay.com
If your item meets the above return/exchange policy requirements, you may proceed to acquiring Return Authorization, contact us at 715-386-9097 or aves@avesstudio.com; if you send us your order back without return authorization we will not accept the package.

To cancel an order you recently completed, please contact customer service (aves@avesstudio.com or 715-386-9097) as soon as possible. If your order has not yet shipped we will make every effort to accommodate your request; however, keep in mind that our system is designed to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. We cannot cancel or change an order once it has been shipped and you and the customer are liable for all shipping expenses.

Yes. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption is used for every transaction to ensure that your order is secure. All transactions are securely run through paypal and that no credit card data is ever stored on our website. NOTE: We do not store your credit card information, and we DO NOT and WILL NOT sell ANY of your information to a third party EVER.

Yes. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption is used for every transaction to ensure that your order is secure. All transactions are securely run through paypal and that no credit card data is ever stored on our website. NOTE: We do not store your credit card information, and we DO NOT and WILL NOT sell ANY of your information to a third party EVER.

Yes! We ship to P.O. boxes and APO/FPO addresses.

All orders are processed and shipped the following business day from when your order is placed. Example: if you place your order on Monday, it will be processed and shipped on Tuesday. (Note that Orders placed on Friday, Saturday & Sunday will be processed on the following business day… Monday.) We DO NOT ship on weekends or holidays. Shipping transit time varies based on where you are located in relation to us (we are located in Wisconsin, USA)
UPS Ground takes 2-6 business days.
US Priority mail takes 2-3 business days. (but not guaranteed)
Internationally: US Postal service priority service takes 4-10 business days
Internationally: US Postal service letter post service takes 7-14 business days

What’s the status of my order? How do I track my order?
You will receive a UPS or USPS confirmation via email regarding your tracking information the same day your order is shipped. From there you can visit www.ups.com or www.usps.com to check the updates regarding your order and when it is estimated to arrive.

Currently we ship to all countries via DHL and United States Postal Service; International shipping is more costly than shipping in the United States due to the import duties and taxes required of international shipping (Aves® does not calculate or include import duties & tax fees with our shipping costs, these costs are separate on your end, you should contact your local postal service or customs office if you have concerns about these fees prior to placing your order with us).

Aves® Studio, LLC ships via UPS and USPS Priority mail (United States Postal Service) rates are determined by product weight, and your postal zip code. The shipping cost is calculated on the shipping page in the shopping cart. Additionally we offer UPS Ground, 2nd Day, 3 day express and Next Day Air, USPS Priority or USPS Ground Advantage; DHL and Speedee Delivery in certain neighboring states. Shipping fees are not included in the product cost, it is an additional fee on every order.

No, none of our products include shipping cost.

Shipping costs are determined by your address (state, zip code, & country) and the total weight of items you wish to order. (size and quantity). The best way to determine shipping of your order is to ask – call or email us.