Can I use Elmer’s School glue for my paper mache clay instead of Elmer’s Glue-All?
A. No – one of my readers already tried that, and it didn’t work. Rona Simon tells us that the school glue makes the clay an odd texture – like tuna fish. Q. Do I have to use Linseed Oil in the clay? Will some other oil work just as well? A. The boiled linseed oil will affect the texture slightly, but the clay still works just fine without it. Linseed oil is a drying oil, unlike most other types of oil. If you don’t want to use boiled linseed oil, or you can’t find it at your local hardware store, just leave it out. Q. Do I need powdered joint compound or the kind that’s already mixed? A. Buy the kind that’s already mixed. It usually comes in a plastic tub, and it will last for months if you keep the lid on tight. One gallon costs about $6 at my local hardware store, and that’s enough for many quarts of paper mache clay. Q. What is “joint compound” called in my country? A. Readers have sent in the following product names from different countries. If you can add to this list, please let
