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Originally Posted by Pram Maven
Clay is made of petroleum. Which comes from the ground. When heated, petroleum wax becomes toxic (double boiling it releases fumes). When it is BURNT, it becomes C A R C I N O G E N I C.
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You of course are referring to Artist's Clay, which is separate and distinct from industrial clays (kaolin, bentonite) which are largely nontoxic.
The MSDS for artist's clay, which I hope you've read, shows virtually no information on the specific content of the material, outside of the binder being made from "organic materials". Looking at the paperwork, I'd suspect the exact formulation is a trade secret.
If it
is petroleum wax, then, for all intents and purposes you are correct in at least one aspect of your proclamation above - burning petroleum-based products and inhaling the fumes is bad for you. So is smoking. Here's a tip - don't do either. As far as the fumes from heating go, the general recommendation is to work in a ventilated area with some kind of breathing mask. As the volatiles will condense fairly quickly, breathing through a tortuous path membrane will prevent them from condensing inside your personal space. And keep you healthier.
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Originally Posted by Pram Maven
Worse, some pigments in plastalina contain cyanide (cyan is not just the name of the color, dumbass).
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Very good. *gold star* Handled properly this should not pose too much risk. However, other pigments contain heavy metal compounds (Barium, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, etc.) which can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes. Best you be wearing chemically-resistant nitrile gloves, son. Another tip - "nitrile" is chemistry-talk for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) which is an organic polymer of cyanoethylene - that's right, it contains cyanide!
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Originally Posted by Pram Maven
Don't tell me the chemicals I am around are not harmful. I have been trying to make non-toxic clay for as long as I can remember and once the ingredients are hot enough, ANYTHING you put in the double boiler becomes a carcinogen when it reaches gas form.
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What are you using as the heating medium for your double boiler? I'm guessing from the information below that you're using some kind of mineral oil (PDMS) - if so, then cancer is the least of your problems - in addition to wearing a breathing mask, you should be wearing heat-proof gloves. And not oven mitts, either, full on lab safety handwear.
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Originally Posted by Pram Maven
On the other hand, please do melt some clay in a saucepan at 450 degrees and inhale deeply.
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Do you cook your dinner in that same saucepan, son?