Alternatives to Squadron putty

I was recently in the same situation, looking for a good putty to fill some gaps in my model warship. I read some great reviews on the tamiya white putty. I tested it out one of the gaps in my model and i was impressed. Very little, if any shrinkage once dried, and was very easy to sand and paint.

If it can stand up to the weather in these parts Jon I would be very impressed! Midlands have gone from buckets of rain to heat waves.

Primings always a good idea but the small putty joins tend to get the least primer. I'm still waiting on my tube but I'm curious if a wash would be enough to damage it. If it's the same as Vallejo's plastic putty then once it's dry it becomes water resistant. My usualy concern was more about it's slight shrinkage if you applied it to larger gaps. I'll have to do some experimenting.

Hi !  I agree with everyone: PPP, Bondo glazing, and once in a while JB Weld.  I always prime the filler with sandable auto primer (decanted and brushed on) after filler has dried.  Sometimes I add talc to the primer to get thicker paint to fill in better. I've also used multiple heavy coats of primer mixed with talc to fill in small seams and ejector pin marks.  I thin bondo once in a while with lacquer thinner, just a drop or two.  I also find that just after applying JB Weld it can be smoothed with a wet qtip.  I've used super glue as a filler but don't like the harder sanding that result.  Hint, store fillers "cap side" down to inhibit evaporation.

Have fun !

Greg

This discussion also has me wondering if PPP, left to cure for a longer time, might stand up to wet sanding? Could anyone opine on that?

 

If PPP is overthinned with water, it tends to loose its cohesiveness & will loosen from any shallow gap, so no, probably.

Method:
Apply putty in gap.
Smooth as much as possible damp/wet.
Wipe excess/slurry/dust off with damp cloth.
Allow to dry.
This minimises/removes the need to sand, a usefull property when working seams next to detail you don't want to loose details.

This dries rock-hard, and can tolerate a little damp, if not wet, sanding.

PPP tends to thicken in the tube and can be thinned a litle or a lot if required.

Then you fill your gaps.

You can use a dampened finger, shaping tool, q-tip to shape, eg., a finger nail width gap to shape it.
Tip, do as much shaping, seam filling as needed when wet, to minimise sanding, etc. You can always add more later then wet reshape & sand.

WHEN DRY it is ROCK-HARD. This FM Horsa (the 'worst' kit i've ever Finished!) has survived 3 seasons of shows without damage.

I would tend to say that in brush painting over PPP, that you aren't getting it wet enough to loosen it up, as you are painting.  As the paint dries, it will add another layer to block if you need to apply more coats for coverage.

Have not tried it though.

Greg

 

I always prime over putty jobs, so though I routinely use Vallejo, I don't recall painting it directly over putty, PPP or otherwise...

Excellent advice, Greg!

Robotism

Using water to thin Vallejo paints is really common, that's where my concern comes in. I don't want to be hand painting a small detail and have the putty seam around it fall out. I'll have to do some testing.

I havent' reponded because beyond Brad's comment, I've not come up with a good response.....it's an interesting question I had never considered.

I always prime over putty jobs, so though I routinely use Vallejo, I don't recall painting it directly over putty, PPP or otherwise. One might argue that Stynylrez contains water, never had a problem with it over PPP. As Brad mentioned, lots of stuff contains water but I'm no chemist.

This discussion also has me wondering if PPP, left to cure for a longer time, might stand up to wet sanding? Could anyone opine on that?

the Baron

 

 

Robotism

 

Greg

Chiming in with another vote for PPP. I really like everything about it, except one. You can't wet sand it, the water will dissolve the putty. Other than that it's still my go-to.

My second choice is what Stik recommended, Tamiya. Hint: you can smooth it out with a q-tip slightly moistened with acetone.

I tried the Squadron putty a few years back. I can't qualify why, but I never cared for it.

Hope you like the PPP. 

 

If water disolves it why doesn't paint?

 

 

 

 

Paint and water are both liquids, but paint isn't water.

 

Using water to thin Vallejo paints is really common, that's where my concern comes in. I don't want to be hand painting a small detail and have the putty seam around it fall out. I'll have to do some testing.

Robotism

 

Greg

Chiming in with another vote for PPP. I really like everything about it, except one. You can't wet sand it, the water will dissolve the putty. Other than that it's still my go-to.

My second choice is what Stik recommended, Tamiya. Hint: you can smooth it out with a q-tip slightly moistened with acetone.

I tried the Squadron putty a few years back. I can't qualify why, but I never cared for it.

Hope you like the PPP. 

 

If water disolves it why doesn't paint?

 

Paint and water are both liquids, but paint isn't water.

Greg

Chiming in with another vote for PPP. I really like everything about it, except one. You can't wet sand it, the water will dissolve the putty. Other than that it's still my go-to.

My second choice is what Stik recommended, Tamiya. Hint: you can smooth it out with a q-tip slightly moistened with acetone.

I tried the Squadron putty a few years back. I can't qualify why, but I never cared for it.

Hope you like the PPP.

 

Chiming in with another vote for PPP. I really like everything about it, except one. You can't wet sand it, the water will dissolve the putty. Other than that it's still my go-to.

My second choice is what Stik recommended, Tamiya. Hint: you can smooth it out with a q-tip slightly moistened with acetone.

I tried the Squadron putty a few years back. I can't qualify why, but I never cared for it.

Hope you like the PPP.

I'm struggling to get a lot of these recommendations in the UK. Heard so much good stuff about the perfect plastic putty I've ordered a tube. Even if it's just vallejo putty that stuffs useful for quick filling.

I used Tamiya White and Gray putties on my last project. I was happy with how they worked. 

I'm new to perfect plastic putty and I'm a big fan.  I also use tamiya white filler.  Both sand well.  

You can try Tamiya white or the bondo spot glazing putty. Both have a minimal odor though.

Perfect putty sounds similar to Vallejo's putty. I'm looking for something a bit beefier . I have miliput for really heavy joins and vallejo for light ones but I need a good tube based medium

For small gaps and seams I like Perfect Plastic Putty.  Can remove excess with damp qtip even when dry and sands easy.

Couple of others here like the old bondo laquer glazing putty that can be found at most auto parts or paint stores.