Filling seams

[czaralko]

Hello Everyone

I am currently building a 1/48 Spitfire Mk.VIII from Eduard, the kit has amazing detail, but I am having problems filling the seams on the wing root, fuselage and some other areas. Usually I just apply Mr. surfacer 500 and get rid of the excess with CA debonder or Mr surfacer thinner. This model however has a lot of fine detail, and seems like when putting/removing the Mr surfacer I cover some of the rivet detail. I don't want to sand because I feel like I would lose detail. Is there any other way to fill the seams and remove the excess without losing the detail?

[Darby]

You could try using filler thinned with acetone (nail varnish remover) and rub this in the gaps. Any that goes into the rivet detail may be able to be picked out with a cocktail stick or needle with aforementioned acetone on it. Don't allow the filler to dry in the rivet though

[rmcclure]

I always put masking tape about 1mm either side of critical joins like that where I don't want to lose detail. You can use the thinned filler as per Darby's advice and then also run a cotton bud soaked in acetone gently along the filled joint as well, in order to smooth it out as much as possible to reduce any sanding required. I remove the tape soon afterwards as well as I don't want any chipping that might be caused by removal when the filler is dry.

Hope that helps - it usually works for me.

Cheers,

Roger