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HELP - Filler Advice Please


BIG X

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Howdie Folks,

 

Having just bought my first airbrush - I have found that all my modelling faults are more apparent.  Now that I'm not whacking on a ton of paint I need to improve my filling & sanding skills.

Previously I used squadron filler from a tube - but it is very rough.  So I bought some Mr surfacer & Mr dissolved putty too - but they don't brush clean in water.

Is there such a thing as a liquid filler that can be brush applied & then clean the brush in water???

 

Any advice would be gratefully received - thanks in advance - Steve

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The one that was recommended to me a couple of months ago was 'Citadel Liquid Green Stuff'. It takes some getting used to, and requires several applications, but it can be blended in with a brush, rather than sanded. And of course, if I've bought it, you know it's quite cheap.

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Hey Hey - great news - I have just been googling & it seems to only be available at Games Workshop - none of my usual favourite suppliers...

Not a massive issue - but they always seem to be located in pedestrianised areas - beggar - means parking & walking (I'm so lazy ;)).

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stLzShlnrEk

Deluxe Perfect Plastic Putty.

 

It’s not ‘Perfect’ but not bad as a normal thick paste filler, and can be thinned down further with water to make it runnier.

It will shrink a bit on drying, so you’ll need a few coats. And mind out if using acrylic paints, they seem to react slightly with it.

On the good side, it can be smoothed out with water even after it’s fully dried.

 

Forgot to mention: being water based, it won’t stick that well to the bare plastic like solvent based fillers do. (One of the reasons I’ve gone back to using Humbrol/Revell/Squadron/Mr Surfacer fillers.)

 

Mart

Edited by LotusArenco
added caveat
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Oooh - the news that water based fillers don't stick to bare plastic is a worry - I normally do my filling before priming - should I be filling after priming?  If so - is the filler just stuck to the paint rather than the plastic though?

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That's the trouble with water based primers they don't bite into the plastic. Smoothing them out with a damp finger is the way to go with them, they don't take kindly to sanding.

Why are you limiting yourself to water based ones?

My number one choice of filler is super glue and Talc mixed to a consistency that the joint being filled requires. It dries quickly and Sands great.

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8 minutes ago, tank152 said:

That's the trouble with water based primers they don't bite into the plastic. Smoothing them out with a damp finger is the way to go with them, they don't take kindly to sanding.

Why are you limiting yourself to water based ones?

My number one choice of filler is super glue and Talc mixed to a consistency that the joint being filled requires. It dries quickly and Sands great.

 

The smell & the vapours - bad chest...

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...I guess if I moved away from having to clean brushes & went down a "disposable" root - maybe spatulas would work - but I'm guess not plastic ones?

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5 minutes ago, BIG X said:

 

The smell & the vapours - bad chest...

If CA doesn't affect you then give that method a try, apply it with a cocktail stick or the like, no need for cleaning anything then!

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1 hour ago, BIG X said:

water based fillers don't stick to bare plastic

They stick, just not as well. As tank152 said they don’t ‘bite’ into the plastic, which can be a problem if you intend to sand them down when dry. If you’re just wiping excess off with a cottonbud/brush you will get away with it (this is how I usually use water based fillers).

 

Another alternative is to use some of that new Stynlrez/Ultimate primer as a filler. Let it dry out a bit to thicken up, then apply multiple coats. The Stynlrez/Ultimate primer seems to ‘stick’ better to plastic and is sandable.

 

Mart

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4 minutes ago, LotusArenco said:

They stick, just not as well. As tank152 said they don’t ‘bite’ into the plastic, which can be a problem if you intend to sand them down when dry. If you’re just wiping excess off with a cottonbud/brush you will get away with it (this is how I usually use water based fillers).

 

Another alternative is to use some of that new Stynlrez/Ultimate primer as a filler. Let it dry out a bit to thicken up, then apply multiple coats. The Stynlrez/Ultimate primer seems to ‘stick’ better to plastic and is sandable.

 

Mart

Ha Ha - I have some stynlrez - I must give it go.  Prior to getting the airbrush my main method of filling seams was to just pile on more paint :lol:

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have you tried Milliput?,  no vapours, two part epoxy filler,  can be smoothed with water.   Takes a  few hours to set, but it's very good.

Doesn't shrink either,  so if tooled right will need no or minimal sanding.

the standard type is available here for £2.65 posted

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Milliput-Epoxy-Resin-Putty-Standard-Terracotta-Grey-Black-Superfine-White-/160899355188

 

and the finer grades are £4.29,  no connection,  just if you want the easy option... 

 

I'd back Ta152 suggestion of CA and talc, as it's really quick, just depends if CA vapours affect you.

HTH

T

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24 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

have you tried Milliput?,  no vapours, two part epoxy filler,  can be smoothed with water.   Takes a  few hours to set, but it's very good.

Doesn't shrink either,  so if tooled right will need no or minimal sanding.

the standard type is available here for £2.65 posted

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Milliput-Epoxy-Resin-Putty-Standard-Terracotta-Grey-Black-Superfine-White-/160899355188

 

and the finer grades are £4.29,  no connection,  just if you want the easy option... 

 

I'd back Ta152 suggestion of CA and talc, as it's really quick, just depends if CA vapours affect you.

HTH

T

Hi Troy - I have made a model base with milliput - but never used it for filler.  The finer stuff might work - but I think I bought the coarser stuff yellow / ?

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The superfine is finer... but the 'coarse' is still smooth, having re-read the original request, I don't think you could apply Milliput with a brush, a fine spatula would be the best,  but you could certainly shape it off with a wet brush, and wash the brush out in water.  

wet Q-tip and even your finger will work, say for a wing root where you don't want to destroy the detail.

If you still have some Milliput, give it a go,  if not, it always worth having in stock.

 

The last time i used some was the superfine, which was the first time I tried it,  and I used to too make a tongue for an Airfix Bullfinch, and it worked really well, I was very impressed.

I used a load in my first flush of modelling, and found it excellent, my only 'complaint' was I found mixing it a chore....

 

it's curing is affected by heat, one tip I read, here IIRC, was warm up the unmixed parts, as this would not affect the workability,  but speed up the curing time.

Have a google.  

 

The other option, and maybe worth considering if you have a bad chest and are airbrushing is a proper face mask,  the cartridge types can be fitted with filters which will extract organic solvent vapours,  which is what will the irritant part of Mr. Surfacer.

 

HTH

T

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8 hours ago, tank152 said:

That's the trouble with water based primers they don't bite into the plastic. Smoothing them out with a damp finger is the way to go with them, they don't take kindly to sanding.

Why are you limiting yourself to water based ones?

My number one choice of filler is super glue and Talc mixed to a consistency that the joint being filled requires. It dries quickly and Sands great.

Wholeheartedly endorse the super glue and talc. A blob of glue, mix a little talc to make a slightly thickened mix, apply where required, it dries quickly and doesn't shrink. You can sand in seconds especially if you use accelerator, and when totally hardened it can be filed and scribed just like plastic. If you need to MAKE a plastic like material (say a badly moulded wing tip) you can apply glue then dip it in bicarbonate of soda, which will dry immediately, add a bit more glue then and it down. 

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On ‎01‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 9:40 AM, BIG X said:

Howdie Folks,

 

Having just bought my first airbrush - I have found that all my modelling faults are more apparent.  Now that I'm not whacking on a ton of paint I need to improve my filling & sanding skills.

Previously I used squadron filler from a tube - but it is very rough.  So I bought some Mr surfacer & Mr dissolved putty too - but they don't brush clean in water.

Is there such a thing as a liquid filler that can be brush applied & then clean the brush in water???

 

Any advice would be gratefully received - thanks in advance - Steve

Hello Steve,

         I am using AK interctive White putty, it is water based and is very good for filling  small gaps.

I apply it using a thootpick; fingers and wet cotton buds work well to remove putty in excess before sanding.

It sticks quite well to bare plastic.

Cheers,

Paolo

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

UPDATE - I've spent the best part of a week playing with Mr Surfacer 500 / Mr Dissolved Putty / Perfect Plastic Putty - all seem to sand or wash off to revel the seams again on bare plastic - even after 24 hours drying time.  The good news is - I've bit the bullet and used the CA / talc method recommended above and it's drying now...

 

QUESTION - how long do I leave it to dry and when sanding - do I go along or across the seams - more help would be appreciated.

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I just came across this

As a fine surface filler I use Liquid Green Stuff from Citadel

As it comes it cannot be wet sanded, but I thinned it with Astonish floor polish [like Klear/Future] which makes it water resistant when dry.

I apply with a paint brush, which can then be washed out in water immediately. I usually use my regular paint brush cleaner though, as its handy.

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5 hours ago, BIG X said:

UPDATE - I've spent the best part of a week playing with Mr Surfacer 500 / Mr Dissolved Putty / Perfect Plastic Putty - all seem to sand or wash off to revel the seams again on bare plastic - even after 24 hours drying time.  The good news is - I've bit the bullet and used the CA / talc method recommended above and it's drying now...

 

QUESTION - how long do I leave it to dry and when sanding - do I go along or across the seams - more help would be appreciated.

You can sand it after around 5-10 minutes of applying it. This is the beauty of using CA and Talc. It Sands pretty much the same as miliput without the hanging around waiting for it to go off. Also unlike all those other fillers mentioned CA and Talc doesn't shrink after drying. 

Another trick trick when using it, is to add a dab of pigment to give it some colour so it is more visible.

 

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Just now, tank152 said:

You can sand it after around 5-10 minutes of applying it. This is the beauty of using CA and Talc. It Sands pretty much the same as miliput without the hanging around waiting for it to go off. Also unlike all those other fillers mentioned CA and Talc doesn't shrink after drying. 

Another trick trick when using it, is to add a dab of pigment to give it some colour so it is more visible.

 

Thanks Tank - I love the tip about the colour - BRILLIANT tip!!!

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