Mr. Surfacer and filling gaps

I have the 500, 1000 and the 1200 and I love the stuff for gap filling and defects in resin or plastic.

TIP;  instead of "painting" it on, dabbing with a paint brush seems to work better for me.

Good tip using alchol instead of sanding.  Thank you Tojo.

I've tried that too but then the scoop I take out dries or gets very gummy before I can use most of it.

BTW, I'm talking about the "500".

Duh, I do have a bottle of the "1200" that I've never used. Maybe it would work better since its thinner to begin with.

mitsdude

I really love this stuff but I do have a major complaint.

After less than a minute after the bottle is opened this stuff starts drying out. The surface of the liquid in the bottle develops a film on the surface. Over time the contents get thicker and thicker. I recommend buying a bottle of Mr Color thinner and occasionally  adding some to the Mr Surfacer bottle to thin it out.

Be sure to keep the rim of the bottle and the threads on the cap totally clean. Ditto for the plastic insert.

I really love this stuff but I do have a major complaint.

After less than a minute after the bottle is opened this stuff starts drying out. The surface of the liquid in the bottle develops a film on the surface. Over time the contents get thicker and thicker. I recommend buying a bottle of Mr Color thinner and occasionally  adding some to the Mr Surfacer bottle to thin it out.

Be sure to keep the rim of the bottle and the threads on the cap totally clean. Ditto for the plastic insert.

Nathan T

No. Don't do that. Thats what liquid solvent cement is for, to melt the plastic together and to fill the seam with oozed out plastic. You then sand that down and there should be no gap. If there is still, then use the Surfacer. Apply it with a toothpick or small paint brush and then sand when dry. Or, after the sufacer has dried about 45 min, take a cotton bud damp with Mr. Color thinner, and swipe away the excess surfacer. This basically eliminates the need to sand. Just swipe carefully and at 90 degrees to the seam.

My thought precisely. I love using Plast I Weld or Tenax in the touch n flow applicator which takes care of most gaps. If you do end up with a gap, use Jonathan's method.

I bought a set of miniature screwdrivers quite a while ago.  They are junk as far as using them with screws- they are not well hardened or else they are made of a very poor steel. But, I keep them as the conventional end ones (chisel-shaped) make a great tool for applying small amounts of putty or filler along a narrow seam.  Just remember to wipe them off with a solvent- wet rag or paper towel.

Thanks, Tojo 72 and Nathan T. I think I have been too sparing with the glue. Maybe I'm still remembering back when glue was really glue and the last thing you wanted was to have any of it ooze out anywhere. I was thinking I could apply the glue in a few spots along the pieces to be joined and then use the Mr. Surfacer for everything in between. But it is true that these new glues are not nearly as destructive to plastic. I suppose if I squeezed the seam together and let the glue squeeze out a little, that I could sand that down. I appreciate the advice to sand at a 90 degree angle as well.

No. Don't do that. Thats what liquid solvent cement is for, to melt the plastic together and to fill the seam with oozed out plastic. You then sand that down and there should be no gap. If there is still, then use the Surfacer. Apply it with a toothpick or small paint brush and then sand when dry. Or, after the sufacer has dried about 45 min, take a cotton bud damp with Mr. Color thinner, and swipe away the excess surfacer. This basically eliminates the need to sand. Just swipe carefully and at 90 degrees to the seam.

If I have a gap after cementing two pieces,I will just apply it to the gap,let it dry,and rub off the excess with alcohol and a q tip