Using epoxy for the slender things is a good idea. I don't remember doing a strength test on epoxy but I suspect it's pretty strong and durable.

The kind I use, Kneadadite Blue/Yellow (aka "green stuff") is a professional-quality sculpting epoxy (yet still affordable!). When it cures it's really flexible like plastic, rather than rigid. It can also be painted without any sort of primer coats, which I enjoy. It's a little challenging to work with, though. It's like sculpting with chewing gum. Impossible to break when cured, though!

Interesting, the epoxy has a working life of over an hour. I'm used to working with epoxy that begins hardning in just a few minutes. I'll order the Kneadatite and see how it works out. Thanks so much!

You've got good advise for us budding sculpturers. Hope you don't mind if I tap your brain again in the future! :D

Yeah, it's an epoxy for sculpting rather than for fixing stuff, so it's more like sculpting material than goo (like all other epoxies ever.) XD it supposedly has a working life of one or two hours, but it starts to get tricky before that. Like, if you press a nail into it, it's hard to get that mark out, even if it's still soft and pliable. You can adjust the curing time and hardness by mixing the two parts differently -- if you add more yellow than blue, it cures more slowly and is more flexible in the end. More blue and it hardens more quickly and more firmly. You can also speed up curing time by warming it up just a little. Not in the oven, but by shining warm lights on it.

BUT, as a disclaimer, I don't have a lot of experience with it! I just use it here and there but have yet to use it for a whole project. It's a really popular material for making miniatures, but seems like it would be such a pain to have to mix up enough epoxy for anything bigger (though you would get some epically strong fingers!)

I'm happy if any of my dumb advice helps you. XD I really like the work you do so I'm sure I'll be coming along to pick your brains sooner or later, too!

Ah, it sounds like I should probably stick with Sculpey Premo for some things I have concerns over chipping that need long sculpting time, although I did use epoxy for the rear tail feathers of my latest dinosaur sculpture since it sticks past the foundation.

I'd love to give advice; just hope I can answer it and not sound dumb in the process. :P