Filling in seam lines on crew figures using Vallejo putty

Hutch6390

... I find mixing very small amounts to the correct ratio a bit tricky, and mixing larger amounts for very small jobs is wasteful... 

I use leftover amounts of putty to make 54mm loaves of bread in various shapes for my toy soldiers

OK, folks- thanks for the tips about other putties that work better (and the detailed instructions about how to use some of them:). I appreciate the information from you all. It's just a matter of my buying one or more of these products and trying them out now. I suspect that like about everything else hobby-wise, it takes practice to get better at (to turn out more realistic looking finished figures. Fortunately, I have no shortage of unassembled 1/35th scale figures to experiement with (I have several left from relatively crude early tank models I have built). Again, thanks for pointing me in the right direction on this.

I generally use the Perfect Plastic Putty, and smooth it with a wet cotton bud or fingertip, or a dampened paintbrush.  I'm very careful about sanding it, for the same reason you have discovered!  Assuming the Vallejo stuff to be similar, use very fine grade sandpaper/sticks, and go gently. 

I also use Milliput - the very fine white stuff - but normally for larger jobs, as I find mixing very small amounts to the correct ratio a bit tricky, and mixing larger amounts for very small jobs is wasteful (and I'm a skinflint!)

Eaglecash mentioned Apoxie Clay, and I'll recommend another product from Aves, Apoxie Sculpt. It's also a 2-part epoxy.  It's easy to work with, mixes easily, can be smoothed with a wet fingertip, cures rock-hard but sands well enough.  I use it on figures metal, styrene, or resin.

Like Eaglecash, too, I used to use Miliput.  I have no complaints with it, I just tried Apoxie Sculpt because other figure painters and sculptors I know use it.  Apoxie Sculpt is a bit more finely grained than Miliput's regular formula, but Miliput does make a super-fine grade, too.

Here's Aves' website:  https://avesstudio.com/

You order online, though it's also available in many art supply stores (like Richard Biick's).

Another product that would work is Sculpey, but it has a challenge, in that it's heat-cured.  The instructions recommend a low heat setting, and many who use it, use an oven to cure it.  That makes it impractical for styrene, especially.  But a friend of mine uses it with styrene, resin, and metal, and he uses a hair dryer to cure it.  So it can be done.

Hope that helps!

Best regards,

Brad

Another two part product is Green Stuff, an epoxy putty you knead together and apply.   Working time is two hours, and fully cured 24 hours.  Easy to smooth out with a wet fingertip, such that very little or no sanding is required.

regards,

Jack

Apoxie Clay.  Mix up a little ball of that according to the instructions (a 50/50 ratio), work it into the seam, then gently smooth out the putty with a damp q-tip.  Wait 24 hours for it to harden, then primer and paint.  No sanding needed usually, since it is water soluble until it hardens.  Also, unlike some other water-soluble putties, this stuff forms a strong epoxy bond with the plastic and will absolutely not come loose from the part except in the places you deliberately remove it.  Milliput was my go-to before, but I like Apoxie Clay better because it comes in two wide-mouth plastic jars that make it much easier to work with and much easier to store.

I recently used the stuff to fill a 1/4" hole for a switch that is being permanently deleted from a 1:1 aircraft yoke switch housing.  Even filling a void that large was no problem for it.  No cracks, and the old switch hole is totally invisible.  I have also used it on model plane leading edges and model car chassis in situations where I had accidentally removed too much plastic while trimming away flash.  Even with such little surface area for it to hold onto...still stays put and doesn't come loose.