Getunderit Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Have been manipulating a few 1/72 plastic figurines. Example, I amputate an arm and then relocated it to make another gesture. However there are gaps at the point of fixture. What can I use as a gap filler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 A lot of the figure makers use Magic Sculp or Sculpey(sp?) putty, but you could also use Milliput, as all those can be tooled with a dampened sculpting tool or blade. I'd be wary of using solvent-based putties on such small and delicate things as figures, as you could end up with some melted plastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Are these hard or soft plastic? Mikes suggestions work for hard plastic but can be problematic for soft plastic as they set hard and don't stick to the plastic well. The traditional filler for soft plastic figures was plasticine hardened with banana oil. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 For a gap filler; mix some waste plastic into polystyrene glue. Use a small bottle, half fill with liquid glue and add pieces of plastic. Keep adding as the first pieces dissolve. Eventually you'll get a plastic goo. We call that 'plastic soup'. It can be used for gap filling, or painting onto a surface like glass to make thin sheets of plastic or shapes. You can make the 'soup' thin or thick. The more glue you have in it, ie; its thin and runny, the longer time it'll take to harden. Thicker soup sets quicker. I use it as a gap filler glue on old kit joints which aren't perfect. Being plastic and glue it melds with similar plastic 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getunderit Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Thank you @Mike, @Niall, and @Black Knight for all that very interesting information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 I don't know if it works with 1/72 figures, but some figure modellers I know use Sylmasta Putty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Kneadtite green is my material of choice. The trick isn't to fill and sand, but rather to add the filler then sculpt it to match folds in the cloth etc. This works well on hard plastic, resin or metal, with dressmaking pins as a source of pinning wire if the change is dramatic. Don't know about soft polyolefin figures, sorry. M 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LotusArenco Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 That ‘Perfect plastic putty’ by Deluxe Materials is handy for awkward gaps. You can use water to thin it down even further if needed and apply with a small brush, and a damp cotton but to clean up afterwards. If the gap is very small I’ve had some success just using acrylic matt varnish and allowing it to run into the gap, allow to dry and repeat if needed. Ordinary acrylic paint can be used in much the same way. Mart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 If you use Milliput, it can be worked soft with a little water - this means you can fill the gaps, and clean up BEFORE the resin sets - saving a lot of clean up after. Seeing Mart's description of 'Perfect Plastic Putty', that reads very like Milliput, use much as he describes for the other material. So far as I can tell, the main difference is that PPP is a one part material, while Milliput is a two part epoxy. Personally, I find plastelines (sic) like Sculpy (or Super Sculpy) and Monster Clay too hard, that is a matter of personal preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFoolio Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 On 22/01/2018 at 11:15 AM, Getunderit said: Have been manipulating a few 1/72 plastic figurines. Example, I amputate an arm and then relocated it to make another gesture. However there are gaps at the point of fixture. What can I use as a gap filler? I've seen some people shave slithers of plastic off the sprue to fit the gap. They then use ultra thin glue (or similar) to melt it, plug the gap then sand it. Not tried it myself, but they seem to get good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Super glue can be quite good for thin gaps in figures as capillary action draws it into the crack and surface tension tend to leave it a good shape afterwards. Don't use sculpey with plastics as that needs to be baked, but any of the two part epoxies are good. Milliput tapers very nicely with water which is good as it sets rock hard. No fun to sand! Sculpey is awesome for sculpting from scratch though - much nicer to work with than the epoxies. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Milliput is my first choice for modifying 1/72 figures.....I like to let it cure a little (to the point it becomes slightly stiff) before sculpting it with a selection of cocktail sticks cut and sanded into various shapes. I always wet these improvised tools before use. I do have a couple of sets of wax-carvers and so on, but I find my improvised tools easier to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary29 Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Another option is thick CA glue and baking powder sprinkled on helps it set quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oileanach Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 (edited) No votes for green stuff? 😃 Edit- just realised Mitch ninja'd me! Lots of options here, Getunderit, if you don't already have some. I like green stuff, I think it has a nicer texture than Milliput (they're very similar products). https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product-category/modelling-materials/modelling-materials-modelling-materials/page/2/ Vallejo sell a liquid gap filler which does the trick with Citadel and Airfix kit plastic. It shrinks a little as it hardens and I've never used it on soft plastic figures, so I'm not sure how well it'll work, but it's great for general use. Meaning you wouldn't be wasting money on it, even if it doesn't help with the little guys! https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product-category/vallejo-products/vallejo-products-vallejo-auxiliary-products/ (Gratuitous plug- Sean at SnM is a great bloke to buy from. Once held back on dispatching an expensive boxed set to me when he realised the packaging was damaged. How many on line retailers would even notice, much less care?) Edited July 30, 2018 by oileanach ninjas! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadman Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 14 hours ago, oileanach said: No votes for green stuff? 😃 Edit- just realised Mitch ninja'd me! Lots of options here, Getunderit, if you don't already have some. I like green stuff, I think it has a nicer texture than Milliput (they're very similar products). https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product-category/modelling-materials/modelling-materials-modelling-materials/page/2/ Vallejo sell a liquid gap filler which does the trick with Citadel and Airfix kit plastic. It shrinks a little as it hardens and I've never used it on soft plastic figures, so I'm not sure how well it'll work, but it's great for general use. Meaning you wouldn't be wasting money on it, even if it doesn't help with the little guys! https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product-category/vallejo-products/vallejo-products-vallejo-auxiliary-products/ (Gratuitous plug- Sean at SnM is a great bloke to buy from. Once held back on dispatching an expensive boxed set to me when he realised the packaging was damaged. How many on line retailers would even notice, much less care?) Totally agreed. Sean has gone over and above with the service he's provided to me. There's no if, but, maybe, perhaps, with him either. A pleasure to deal with. I've always had great service from Historex Agents and El Greco Miniatures as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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