raising lvl of liquid cemtent

Jack,

Never done it.  Don't think it would work too well.  Unless you could get something in the bottle that exactly conformed to the bottom, there would be so many gaps between the items that the solvent would just fill the gaps.

Open a new bottle and pour the remains of the old into it.  Or, if you are concerned that you would overflow the new bottle, put some new into the old until the brush can reach again.  When it gets low, then pour into new bottle.

Paul

Certainly a piece of unpainted glass would serve that purpose- the marbles is a good idea as you'll be able to see them better than a shard of clear glass.

I usually pour off the dregs of one bottle into the new one ( I am assuming that you're using Testor's pink label?).

Some folks use the dregs mixed with finely chipped scrap sprue to make their own liquid styrene gap filler, although I have never done so myself.

Hope that helps.

Most metals are unaffected by organic solvents (in fact, a good way to clean metal surfaces).  Just clean it well to get any organic crud off.  Nuts, bolts, screws, or ball bearings should be okay.  No matter the odd shape, the piece will still displace some volume.

I never use the applicator brushes included with solvents. Instead I use a Touch N Flow and I can get every drop from the container.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPmlLmrYcOU&feature=player_embedded

Why not just use a different brush dedicated to being used as your solvent brush? One with a longer handle.

HawkeyeHobbies

I never use the applicator brushes included with solvents. Instead I use a Touch N Flow and I can get every drop from the container.

 

Why not just use a different brush dedicated to being used as your solvent brush? One with a longer handle.

You just have to make sure the brush you've picked up to use doesn't either have the bristles glued in with some solvent-based glue, or have the metal barrel that holds the bristles in place coated with some clear coating to make it look 'prettier'.  I've pretty much ruined a brush that was like that.  I now just use it for applying glue.  I first dip the tip in the solvent to 'loosen' up the bristles, because it seems that after I'm done, no matter how much I clean the brush, the glue or clear coat always wicks down to the end of the brush, making a nice pointed spear when I'm done. 

The Touch-N-Flow is in the mail as I type, though.  I hope to be able to retire the brush.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

I hear lots of good things about the touch n flow.

However, I'm such a dunce I just can't get the hang of using one.

The first one I bought I broke the glass getting it out of the tube.

The second one I bent the needle when I pushed the red cap on not seeing that the other end of the tool was hung up on the edge of the red cap at the opposite end.

My current one I keep tipping at such an angle the glue runs out the glass end. I also accidently jabbed the tip into the plastic where glue was already applied and got a nice styrene plug stuck in the needle. This did finally come out by allowing the neeedle to soak for a while in the glue bottle.

I guess it just aint meant to be for me!

Well, if you absolutely have to, I think a ball bearing ball (or more of them) would do the trick. But I guess adding some lacquer thinner would make a really good refill. As for myself, my standard operating procedure is to secure a bottle of nail lacquer that isn't used anymore (you can find them everywhere where the women are - if you can get to know some nice women by the way it's even better). Then I fush them clean, and I get a nice bottle with a cap that has a brush attached to it. The brush itself is usable, and is actually very good for the application of the molten sprue/liquid styrene DIY putty. For lacquer thinner, that I use as the standard styrene glue, I substitute the original brush for the so called Microbrush I got for free from my dentist. The Microbrushes are nice little applicators that are chemical agent resistant and also cheap to get. Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

I find the brushes that come inside the gaps far too imprecise. The Touch-n-Flow is my preferred means, as well, but if I'm working on a part where I can get to the join from the inside (say, armor) I'll use a fine microbrush. In my experience they work a lot better than a regular paintbrush-type-brush for playing with solvents.

I use the same brush Doogs pictured....just a heads up I got mine from my dentist. They have some of the coolest tools oh yah and he is my father inlaw.

Thad