Thinning filler.

[steve4536]

I happen to have a tube of (squadron Products...Green Putty). I personally find this too dry and too course to do the type of filling i want to do. Has anybody had any success in being able to thin this putty down so it can be applied with a paint brush? 

[Mitch K]

Yes. I've thinned it with cellulose thinners such that it brushes.

 

There are a few issues with this - first it make the filler very "hot", and it will eat into things if you're not careful. Second, the degree of shrinkage is greater than with the unthinned stuff, so the idea of many thin layers is even more critical. Third, even if kept in a closely-capped container, it tends to lose solvent very quickly and you need to be ready to either make it up freshly each time (I find an empty pill packet provides really good wells) or top up the solvent as you use it.

[steve4536]

Thanks Mitch, I'll give it a go today. I tried white spirit and that was a total no no, cellulose sounds promising. 

[krow113]

Liquid glue will work as well. Prime the plastic with some glue and mix up some putty and glue mix , apply that.

[modelmaker]

Take a paracetamol plastic pack (after you've broken them out and presumably used them) and use the little plastic bubbles therein to put a small drop of super glue in. Mix in a small quantity of talcum powder to make a paste, never use shrinking filter again. Ready to use, to work with, sands nicely and is nigh on perfect. After many years you will find it is still attached to the model, and still hadn't shrunk. Please give it a try, you'll never go back to the green stuff. Not quite the answer to your question but hope it helps in the future

PS talc works differently to bicarbonate of soda; bicarb sets as soon as it is in contact with super glue so you can add it to a drop of glue or seam and in effect replace missing pieces of plastic

Edited October 28, 2016 by modelmaker
spelling

[steve4536]

19 hours ago, modelmaker said:

Take a paracetamol plastic pack (after you've broken them out and presumably used them) and use the little plastic bubbles therein to put a small drop of super glue in. Mix in a small quantity of talcum powder to make a paste, never use shrinking filter again. Ready to use, to work with, sands nicely and is nigh on perfect. After many years you will find it is still attached to the model, and still hadn't shrunk. Please give it a try, you'll never go back to the green stuff. Not quite the answer to your question but hope it helps in the future

PS talc works differently to bicarbonate of soda; bicarb sets as soon as it is in contact with super glue so you can add it to a drop of glue or seam and in effect replace missing pieces of plastic

 

Thanks modelmaker, definitely will have a go at this. The green stuff is good for filling holes in walls!