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Question: My son has been working on a BEAUTIFUL clay dragon but is having trouble attaching the wings and the feet!.!?
It's obvious that the places where they are attached are just too thin!. Is there any way to correct this other than the obvious making the attachments thicker!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Either wire or some other hidden armature - you could pass a wire (the thicker and more rigid, the better) through the back so the same wire supports both wings!. The legs would be the same; try and use just 2 wires for the 4 legs, and let the wire bend at the heels of the feet and extend to the most breakable digits on the feet!.

The other thing you could do, is turn the dragon upside down, and build a (fireproof) support so you can finish the dragon in clay, then fire it upside down, with the feet sticking up, and the wings resting on bricks!. Hopefully he'd survive the firing process and the increased rigidity should hold even the thin areas like the handle of a tea cup or mug!. Even if he breaks in the kiln, he can be expoxied back together!.

One final note: instead of making the connections thicker he could make triangular supports for these appendages that could look like skin webbing or tendons!.

Hope this helps! Www@QuestionHome@Com

The best answer would have been a wire armature inside with a core through the body and extensions for legs and wings!. It may not be possible to do the legs in clay - just too thin!. And some problems depend on the kind of clay!. At least for the wings, it should be possible to thicken the root of the wings for attachment but do it underneath and thin toward the front and back edges so the thickness is concealed Www@QuestionHome@Com

what kind of clay is it!? If it's water based clay and he wants to fire it in a kiln he can't really use any different material like wire!. The different thermal expansions are likely to make the sculpture crack!. Then supporting the wings with something (box, lump of clay) until they are dry and stiff enough to hold the weight will work!. Alternatively or in addition he can use wood like a tooth pick to stabilize the joint, but it has to stick out at some place, so it is not in an clay enclosed space!. The wood will burn off during firing which is OK as long as it is does not leave a sealed air space behind!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Depending on how it is to be displayed he may have some options!. One suggestion: If it were displayed as a mobile the wings and feet could be hung in appropriate position without actually attaching them!. If hung on the wall, same thing, each piece hung in appropriate location but separately!. Hope this gives food for thought!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If he is going to fire it in a kiln, you can use the glaze to stick it together!. I've seen that done with fragile things!. The glaze will oftentimes make them more sturdy!.

Otherwise, if it's not going into a kiln, the wire inside would be good, like a paperclip or something!. But you'll want to put that in when the clay is not completely soft and not completely hard!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would definately insert something to hold the feet on, do we stand on our legs with out bones!? Is he plannig of firering this!? I would just position the dragon so the wings can set on top!. us slip to connect them prior to firering!. Once it is fired, it will stay on!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Change the whole make-up of the sculpture!? Try some kind of wire framework with clay creating the actual visible part!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Use thin wire!. I did once a long time ago and it worked!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

toothpicksWww@QuestionHome@Com