How to use plastic putty or any other Fillers

I use Gorilla Super Glue with the light blue cap for most gaps.  After that cures for 24 hours, I scribble along the hardened super glue with an Ultra Fine Sharpie, and then carefully wet sand just that part, following the contours of the joint I'm filling, until just after all of the black sharpie is gone.  Its about 98% effective on the first application.  Very rarely do I have to "sand and repeat" using that method.  Super glue basically turns into plastic and stays where you put it.  You don't have to worry about it cracking or breaking loose.  It can be dabbed right over the top of primer in cases where primer reveals little spots that didn't quite get filled the first time around.  Just as long as you dab it on and leave it alone until it cures, it and the primer will become one.

For larger gaps, and places I want to fill seams but create nice, sharp panel lines, I'm using Apoxie Clay.  Mix it, push it into the places you want it to fill (usually just with your finger), smooth it down and remove the excess with a damp q-tip, gently cut an even groove in it with a moistened toothpick (in cases where you want to create a panel line), wait 24 hours for a full cure...and Bob's your uncle.  No sanding.  I used to use Milliput Fine White for this same purpose, but I have found Apoxie Clay to be MUCH easier to work with.

For tiny pinholes that you just can't work either of the above things into, I just use a tiny dab of Mr. Surfacer 1200, right on top of the primer.  Give that a couple of hours to harden, then wet sand, starting with Micromesh 2400 grit, just until its level with the primer coat

But, before any of that, you can eliminate a lot of seams before they even start by using the method in this YouTube video.  I started using this method a couple of years ago, and have even gotten poorly-fitting parts to come together nearly seam free in a lot of cases.  Didn't realize I had been doing it all wrong for so many years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXTK9KdRQN4&ab_channel=spruecutters

So far, I haven't found any plastic putty/filler that's markedly better than any of the others, but I have found a technique that helps reduce the amount of work in removing excess putty/filler.

For the most part, I use it to fill "gappy" seams, but sinkholes from the moulding process with older kits need to be filled. Don't use too much putty, or get too much outside the area to be filled. You especially need to protect rivets and panel lines, which can easily be damaged or removed completely with filing and sanding away excess filler.

For either type of job, I place strips of Tamiya medium-width Masking Tape for Curves (3mm - 5mm) along both sides and close to the gaps I want to fill. Then I fill the gaps and sinkholes, using a small paint brush and the smallest possible amount of putty. Before it dries, I moisten a Q-tip and gently smooth the putty, removing any obvious excess amounts.

I usually wait a day before removing the tape. The thin lines of putty and small circles or smears of putty that remain can easily be removed with a combination of fine files, medium and then fine sandpaper. My last step is to polish the area with each of the three increasingly fine grain Novus plastic abbrasives, using microfibre applicators.

Bob

 

 

THANKS guys this is just the advice I am looking for

Eaglecash867

I use Gorilla Super Glue with the light blue cap for most gaps.  After that cures for 24 hours, I scribble along the hardened super glue with an Ultra Fine Sharpie, and then carefully wet sand just that part, following the contours of the joint I'm filling, until just after all of the black sharpie is gone.  Its about 98% effective on the first application.  Very rarely do I have to "sand and repeat" using that method.  Super glue basically turns into plastic and stays where you put it.  You don't have to worry about it cracking or breaking loose.  It can be dabbed right over the top of primer in cases where primer reveals little spots that didn't quite get filled the first time around.  Just as long as you dab it on and leave it alone until it cures, it and the primer will become one.

For larger gaps, and places I want to fill seams but create nice, sharp panel lines, I'm using Apoxie Clay.  Mix it, push it into the places you want it to fill (usually just with your finger), smooth it down and remove the excess with a damp q-tip, gently cut an even groove in it with a moistened toothpick (in cases where you want to create a panel line), wait 24 hours for a full cure...and Bob's your uncle.  No sanding.  I used to use Milliput Fine White for this same purpose, but I have found Apoxie Clay to be MUCH easier to work with.

For tiny pinholes that you just can't work either of the above things into, I just use a tiny dab of Mr. Surfacer 1200, right on top of the primer.  Give that a couple of hours to harden, then wet sand, starting with Micromesh 2400 grit, just until its level with the primer coat

But, before any of that, you can eliminate a lot of seams before they even start by using the method in this YouTube video.  I started using this method a couple of years ago, and have even gotten poorly-fitting parts to come together nearly seam free in a lot of cases.  Didn't realize I had been doing it all wrong for so many years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXTK9KdRQN4&ab_channel=spruecutters

 

 

Just got done watching several of their vids.....Very good advice and techniques.

Thuntboss

Just got done watching several of their vids.....Very good advice and techniques.

Yup.  The one that I tried that didn't work so well for me was their sprinkling baking soda onto the super glue they were filling gaps with.  I found that it made the super glue too hard and jagged, which made it shred my sanding sticks.  Other than that though, those guys have some really good techniques.

I’ve had great success with Perfect Plastic Putty. I just apply it with a small spatula or the flattened end of an old paintbrush handle, give it a minute or so and then remove the excess with a damp Q-tip. It may require a second application if the gap is on the large side but it’s not too bad since there is little if any sanding.

Personally I use automotive glazing putty.  Comes in larger tubes- as long as you are faithfull about putting cap on immediately after squeezing some out of tube, it is cheaper than model putty per ounce, but it is basically the same stuff as several brands of model putty.