Thinner filler, is it worth it?

[Dave1973]

ok, so i have some revell putty in a tube, which is quite thick, like toothpaste, and also some Vallejo putty in their little bottles, which is a little thinner.


But i keep seeing these Surfacer, dissolved putty and wonder if theyre worth the time to get?


I only ask because ive got a tamiya jar and i saw a video making thin putty with the revell putty and some nail polish remover mixed up, and its very thin.


Do you think it will work ok or is it just another cheapo way?


Im trying to fill some very small areas and indentations without having to sand forever.


Any thoughs appreciated.

 

[Netboy]

Not seen that. However I have seen one guy, can't remember his name but he's from International Scale Modeller, when he gets near the end of a bottle of Tamiya thin he chucks a bunch of cut up left over sprues in, lets it melt and uses that as filler.


Apparently no shrinkage but it takes a while to dry.

 

[Dave1973]

Tamiya acrylic thinner or cellulose thinner? Id have thought the acrylic thinner wouldnt melt the plastic, but i may be wrong.

 

[dubster72]

The dissolved putties are just that - normal putty that's been reduced by adding a solvent.


If the Revell stuff is the same as Humbrol (and I'd expect it is) , do what I do Dave. I mix a dollop of putty with cellulose thinner until it's the consistency I want & apply.


There is sometimes a bit of shrinkage though, so when I've got time I use Milliput. That doesn't shrink & can be smoothed out with a damp cotton bud.

 

[Dave Jay]

Dave, I've used the revell filler once and it melted the plastic, I thought it was Sierra Hotel 1 Tango!!, I used milliput which is a good filler and can be smoothed before it sets by smearing a wet finger over it and can be thinned slightly with water. For gap filling I use a few drops of MEK liquid glue/humbrol liquid poly in a old paint tinlet lid and add some plastic shavings from waste sprue/plasticard in the lid and wait for it to dissolve (doesn't take long) apply it to the gap, leave to cure (doesn't take long either) then just knock it back to the required finish with wet and dry paper.

 

[Dave Jay]

The dissolved putties are just that - normal putty that's been reduced by adding a solvent.
If the Revell stuff is the same as Humbrol (and I'd expect it is) , do what I do Dave. I mix a dollop of putty with cellulose thinner until it's the consistency I want & apply.


There is sometimes a bit of shrinkage though, so when I've got time I use Milliput. That doesn't shrink & can be smoothed out with a damp cotton bud.

Great minds think alike, you finished your post just as I was writing mine!

 

[Laurie]

For most of my filling I use Mr Surfacer 500.


I use a brush to place it on. Best I found is to (for instance a fuselage joint) to tape either side of the joint.


Let it dry then apply more where it has sunk into the joint. Carry on with this procedure with additional coats.


Each coat about 30 mins to dry(approx).


Careful as though areas look as though they have sunk, as you proceed with extra coats, they are level


with the surface and the adjacent bits are above the joint.


Sand down coarse to begin with then wet and dry as the surface approaches the fuselage surface. Anything


below the joint apply more.


A procedure yes. But Mr Surfacer is very similar to the hardness of the plastic. When wet and drying the


edges of Mr Surfacer feather away to the plastic but do not break away. The finished surface if patient will


not show the joint or the point where Surfacer and plastic meet.


For small little (double adjective tut) bits I use Vallejo putty which can be wiped with the wet finger into the


joint to get a smooth finish.


Please note. Mr Surfacer will disrupt Vallejo Paint. However the new Stynylrez primer is unaffected and


also allows that smooth feathered meeting of Surfacer to paint.


Laurie

 

[Laurie]

here is sometimes a bit of shrinkage though,

Patrick if you use Mr Surfacer there is no shrinkage. That is the beauty of the stuff. If there was shrinkage


you would never get a feather edge which does not flake away. Mr Surfacer just grabs the surface and


stays there.


A bottle of the stuff cost very little and I still have one, it has thickened, which is 4 years old and I use for


thicker joints then for the top coats use the newer bottle.


To thin, as it does dry out over time, I use Mr Hobby thinners (Mr Surfacer is Mr Hobby).


Laurie


I feel a pain coming on.

 

[Dave1973]

Thanks all, ive emailed vallejo and asked if their putty can be thinned as i find it much better than the Plasto from revell.


I may try patricks idea, as this plasto is a bit too much for my liking, so i can give it a go with some cellulose thinners i have, and see how it works for me.


Cheers everyone,

 

[Laurie]

Thanks all, ive emailed vallejo and asked if their putty can be thinned

Dave it is water based. You can use water or Vallejo Model Thinners. I squeeze the stuff on and then with


a wet finger press it in re-apply and repeat. You can get a very good smooth finish. Got to say I have never


had to thin Vallejo thinners as it always squeezes out the tube like very soft tooth paste.


But it does not have much physical strength and is easily cracked if pressure is put on a joint. Mr Surfacer


is much stronger.


laurie

 

[stona]

If you want a thin filler to run into gaps you might consider one of the thicker versions of CA glue (superglue). I often make my own filler from CA/talc or CA/baking powder. No shrinkage, but it will cure harder than the plastic so needs sanding fairly quickly!


Cheers


Steve

 

[dubster72]

Patrick if you use Mr Surfacer there is no shrinkage. That is the beauty of the stuff. If there was shrinkage
you would never get a feather edge which does not flake away. Mr Surfacer just grabs the surface and


stays there.


A bottle of the stuff cost very little and I still have one, it has thickened, which is 4 years old and I use for


thicker joints then for the top coats use the newer bottle.


To thin, as it does dry out over time, I use Mr Hobby thinners (Mr Surfacer is Mr Hobby).


Laurie


I feel a pain coming on.

You must have a magic pot then Laurie! All solvent based putties will shrink as they cure, some a little, some alot. A quick Google search is enlightening


https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&source=hp&ei=ygdBVqPwFoXTPJL8rzA&q=mr+dissolved+putty+shrinkage+&oq=mr+dissolved+putty+shrinkage+&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.12...1591.24020.0.24640.30.27.3.1.1.0.398.4949.0j19j5j2.26.0....0...1c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..8.22.3938.3.J93Fw8kTT9M


Other types of putty, like Milliput don't shrink due to their chemical composition - a bit like DAS modelling clay which air cures.

 

[Netboy]

Tamiya acrylic thinner or cellulose thinner? Id have thought the acrylic thinner wouldnt melt the plastic, but i may be wrong.

Tamiya extra thin glue or similar. Not tried it myself just saw it on you tube. The more sprue you add the thicker the mixture gets. Allegedly, once dried there is no shrinkage as it is just basically the same plastic as the model you are building.

 

[takeslousyphotos]

Mix up a bit of the filler with some paint ........ I use some Tamiya paint thinned down with IPA and mixed with Squadron Green, and you've got a surface filler. makes a great filler for seams, imperfections and small gaps. Much like I remember using (paint and filler) when I did my apprenticeship as a painter and decorator.

 

[noble]

Hi all probably a little late here but here is my 2ps worth, I use a product called perfect putty for larger joints and mr surface just to brush over the top of these filled joints after they have been sanded flat... just to make sure but I will on occasion use Humbrol putty which I add some poly glue to, to thin out if I need to.


scott

 

[phikoleoputra]

I use the Mr. Hobby dissolved putty, Mr. surfacer 500,1000,1200 and it works very good indeed!!

 

[Dave1973]

Ok, update here.


I read through the ingredients on the plasto and it seems its a mix of acetate and cellulose.


So i mixed up a batch of plasto with nail polish remover, and it thins put brilliantly.


It ends up like dulux gloss and paints on quite well. Sinks into the small cracks and marks, and paints on, once you first add it to the model, leave it about 20 seconds, then use the brush to spread it, this is so the acetone dries a bit, and the filler becomes sticky.


Used it on the blackhawk and really chuffed! Sanded excellently, and works great! Money saving expert is brought to you by the letters F and U and the number 4.

 

[BarryW]

I use three types, job dependant:


Vallejo Plastic Putty - I have used this to build up layers where I need to get rid of a step. It is also a good all round general filler.


Mr Surfacer 500 - my main joint and seam filler, used as described by Laurie pretty much. In awkward corners you can remove the surplus with a cotton bud, soaked in ipa and rubbed. It takes a bit of elbow grease but once the ipa softens the process gradually wipes away the surplus and does not affect the detail.


Mr Dissolved Putty. This is very self-levelling and is good for any job where those qualities are useful. On my Swordfish I boobed and ended up with a gluey finger print on the wing surface. A bit of sanding, an appication of this, a bit more sanding and job done fingerprint gone. I also use it sometimes on seams instead of the thicker Mr Surfacer. This can also be removed with the ipa method where necessary (as can Vallejo PP to be fair).