I need help with seam filling putty.

I'm using Tamiya gray putty and the tube I have is about 3 years old.  I just keep the cap tight after I squeeze out a little onto a piece of glossy paper.  I have also used both red and green auto body glazing putty with very good results.  I found keeping the tubes of putty in a large glass jar with some  lacquer thinner would keep the putty fresh a lot longer...

Best of luck,

Ray

I also use Testors liquid cement to dilute it while covering a seam.

Ditto, but I use Bondo Red... I also put a blob of putty into a small cup and add cement to it too.. Note: Thinned this way, the putty will shrink as it dries, so be ready to cover the cracks again... Plus side, it dries much faster...

Like Don, I've noticed that Walmart doesn't carry the smaller sized tubes any longer. I tend to use it or Squadron Green Stuff. Likewise it hardens in the tube after use and I have to dig out a bit of hardened putty to get to the good stuff.

I also use Testors liquid cement to dilute it while covering a seam.

I recently cracked open an already-open tube of Squadron Green that is at least 3-4 years old. Still works fine for me. I also have a tube of Tamiya white that hasn't suffered any drying yet. Maybe the maritime humidity helps me?

B-17 Guy

I stopped using hobby specific stuff a while ago. I tried the same stuff you use and hated it. I started using bondo glazing and spot putty not too long ago and havent looked back. Goes on easy, sands easy, doesnt shrink and it bonds to the plastic. I recomend wet sanding it though, the dust smells bad. A tube is $8 or so at the local auto parts store but last a long time. I recomend!

I have used auto body putty for a long time.  However, lately I am having a hard time buying smaller tubes.  Latest buy was a huge tube at over twenty bucks.  And, it dries out in tube even faster than the model putty.  However, so much in those big tubes I think I spend less on putty than when using the model putty.

You say that like the squadron putty doesn't stink as well.

Does that bondo stuff mix with thinner?  I love using the technique of putting the putty in thinner till it dissolves and liquifies or whatnot and then using a brush or a sponge to apply it to a kit to get a really nice texturing.

I stopped using hobby specific stuff a while ago. I tried the same stuff you use and hated it. I started using bondo glazing and spot putty not too long ago and havent looked back. Goes on easy, sands easy, doesnt shrink and it bonds to the plastic. I recomend wet sanding it though, the dust smells bad. A tube is $8 or so at the local auto parts store but last a long time. I recomend!