Heating putty to dry

Jon_a_its

 

JMorgan

Does anyone know if heating tamiya putty will help it cure faster when it is applied thick? Thank you in advance. 

...The best way to apply straight-out-the tube filler is to:

Minimise the need for it, where possible, ie fill deep holes/seams with sprue or plasticard...

I'd go back one step before the point where there's a seam: test-fit as much as possible, and where possible, use the extrusion method.  Run liquid styrene cement along a seam and apply enough pressure to extrude a bead of melted plastic along the seam.  Band or clamp the piece till it sets.  When it has set, scrape away the bead with a hobby knife.  This reduces the amount of seam cleanup work as much as possible.

And generally, I like Jon's method.  I like to use styrene where possible, on seams, gaps, holes, sink marks, with liquid cement for styrene, on a styrene kit.  I like that the material is homogeneous throughout.

The speed of setting is one reason I like auto glazing/spot putty.  The solvent is a fast evaporating one- smells about like lacquer thinner.  I find it sets up in twenty to thirty minutes unless it is a very thick application.

Solvent putties such as Tamiya, Squadron, Bondo Red, etc harden by evaporation of the solvent.  Applying too large a lump may not harden, or may take a while to harden throughout because a skin of dry putty forms over the rest of the putty.  Heating the putty still needs a place for the solvent to go.   Perhaps piercing the skin multiple places/times may help.  Heating may also warp the surrounding plastic.   

Similarly, don't use solvent putties inside a sealed space such as a nose cone to hold weights.  The solvent has no place to go and can warp the plastic

JMorgan

Does anyone know if heating tamiya putty will help it cure faster when it is applied thick? Thank you in advance.

Um no... It it is a straight-out-the tube filler, applying too thick will cause it to: Shrink, heat up, & possibly ment/distort your kit, or all three.

Applying enough Heat to make it set quicker would cause damage to your model.

The best way to apply straight-out-the tube filler is to:

Minimise the need for it, where possible, ie fill deep holes/seams with sprue or plasticard.

Then apply in thin layers, allowing to thouroghly dry/gass out between layers.

Or use something else, such as:

Deluxe Materiels Perfect Plastic Putty or a two-part putty, like Milliput, Duro, etc.

They shrink considerably less, and can be shaped with water, q-tips, fingers, etc, TO MINIMISE the amount of sanding you will need to do.