Salt Dough

[adsl1981]

Hello,

 

I have some salt dough that i made and i am wondering if there is any way of preserving it permanently. If it was sealed away from any air would it be preserved until exposed to air ? Or is there anything else with the same sort of consistency of salt dough that does last forever ? What gel do they use in Gel mouse pads ? Any ideas ?

 

Thanks !

[gcol]

Do you mean preseving it in its pliable state, or hard state? When playing with starch compounds, small amounts of glycerine result in a pliable rubbery material after the water content has evaporated, Some examples of which are still stable and mould-free after three years exposure to normal environment. Not sure how relatively big a part gluten and starch play in salt dough, having read that it is the salt that strengthens the gluten "strands". Perhaps the starch is merely bulk and filler, like the sand in a mortar mix.

[adsl1981]

Im not really sure. Im not saying i have to use salt dough. Yes i do want it to stay pliable for as long as possible. Do you know of a recipe were it would have the same consistency as like salt dough but never goes of ?I know this will need to use starch ? Can you help

 

Thanks

[YT2095]

I`m not sure if you want it edible or not? but PIB (polyisobutylene) is a good plasticiser.

[adsl1981]

no I don’t want it to be edible. Just need a summing that i can mix with like water or something and i can make it thicker and thinner. And it can't go off after any period of time. Would corn flour mixed with water ever go off ? Even if it was sealed from air ?

 

Thanks

[gcol]

Im not saying i have to use salt dough. Yes i do want it to stay pliable for as long as possible.

Thanks

 

So you want something as quick, easy and cheap as salt dough that has similar or better properties? Sounds like a holy grail wish list. Common or garden clay has some similar properties. Your reasons for not considering it are....?

[YT2095]

more than likely yes, you`de need to add Iodine or something

 

PolyAmides are good, And water based.

[adsl1981]

i need something that i can easily make in and i need to be able to buy it in like bags or something ! i know i may be asking for a lot and it may not be possible but im just wondering if there is something i can do.

 

Thanks

[YT2095]

it May help if you tell us the application for it, from there we can nail it down to something that will suit your requirements, at the moment it`s all a little to Vague.

[adsl1981]

i want to make like a comfort grip for a tool that i commonly use in the trade that i am in . Basically I want to cover this thing in like a latex rubber sort of thing and then put use it as a grip for the tool. So i want to be able to mould it into the hand when using it and then basically just either return to the original shape when i stop using it or just put my hand in another position and then it moulds into it again . Its really a simple idea i just need a cheap way of doing it.

 

Thanks i hope this helps

[gcol]

Cornflour/water.

 

From my own try it and see experiments, cornflour and water will remain either as a semi-solid hard to stir when the water content is too low to lubricate the starch grains, or a "batter" mix with more water. It only solidifies (like custard or pancakes) when heated and the grains swell to absorb water. N.B. do not heat above 100C, or the solidly swollen grains will break down again. 80C is a useful practical temp, which also sterilises. It will take a high proportion of sugar too, which acts as a fungicide. If you freeze the finished product, It will break up a bit as the starch can hold less water at lower temperatures.

 

PS I posted this before your post #10, so it appears irrelevant. Sorry.

[YT2095]

well if it`s going to be Sealed, then polyacrylamide will work nicely, a little Iodine to it also (stops any possibility if bacteria), starch will eventualy breakdown even if stored airtight (it afterall it is a Poly sugar).

how about something like Off the shelf Blu-Tak?

even something like ordinary silver sand would do the job you require also

[gcol]

starch will eventualy breakdown even if stored airtight (it afterall it is a Poly sugar).

 

Starch on its own, yes, but with additional right proportions of two other common household ingredients, I have made firm rubbery mats that, as I said before, are stable after 3 years.

[adsl1981]

So basically anything that invlolves like starch will eventually change . This includes cornflour aswell i suppose .

[gcol]

So basically anything that invlolves like starch will eventually change . This includes cornflour aswell i suppose .

 

Not necessarily. Perspex, the plastic developed I believe during the war for aircraft windows used starch as a basic raw material. Starch is extremely versatile. The secret lies in the adjuncts and processing. At least one company makes plastic pellets suitable for moulding and extruding that use potato starch as a base. The plastic is biodegradeable, but only when buried, as in landfill sites, (by bacterial action) or prolonged exposure to water, but not in a normal domestic environment.

[gcol]

You might also investigate "potty putty" made by acidifying milk curds. Has some interesting properties. Buy and carry home your own milk, though!

[YT2095]

Hmmm. Perspex is an Acrylic based polymer and totaly synthetic.

 

I think you`re probably thinking of Nitroellulose, probably the 1`st TECHNICAL Plastic (kinda).

 

as for casien the milk protein, that`s not ideal either.

[adsl1981]

what could you think of ?

[adsl1981]

ok so how would i turn starch into something that would be suitable for me ? I

think that is the question . I didnt think this would be so hard ! Or is it be asking for too much ! ? lol

[YT2095]

same as I said in post #12

off the shelf blue-tack (blu-tak) or polyacryamide (the same stuff gel contact lenses are made from or the crystals you add to the compost in hanging baskets for flowers).

[adsl1981]

polyacryamide , so i just mix that with water ?

 

Thanks

[YT2095]

yup, and will absorb up to 400x it`s own mass in Water also! so a little will go a LONG WAY!

[adsl1981]

wow thats really good ! Thanks a lot for your help i think i may have finally found something that i can use. Do you know were you can buy this stuff ? At a decent price and a reasonable quantity ?

 

Thanks a lot again !

[YT2095]

any good garden Center will sell it, you can even buy it from some Florist shops.

and remember you DON`T need a lot, 2.5 grams will absorb a LITRE of water!

[adsl1981]

Ok cheers. What do they call it in the gardening world ? They woudlnt name it by its proper name ?

 

Thanks