Filling gaps between wings and fuselage

Mark if the gaps are not major trenches then you can simply do one of two things.

1. Take Elmers white glue and apply it from the bottle right into the gap. You can use a flat toothpick to work it in if neccessary or your finger. Then you can let it dry. After it is dry then take a water dampened cloth or sturdy paper towel and "sand" it down. You are actually just rewetting the top and leveling it with the sanding motion of the wet paper towel. Keep going until the gap is fully flush with the wings and fuselage fillet. Repeat if you remove too much or do not have enough glue in the gap. Once you topcoat the glue with your paint and gloss/flat it is pretty durable since this should have little contact with the area after the model is done.
2. This is exactly like #1 except substitute the Elmers for Testors contour putty. I have found Testors to only be a good filler for this area and not fuselage seams as I don't think it bites into the plastic very well. Anyway it is ideal again for wing root filler and simply wipe it level with the surrounding detail with a cloth/paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can wipe it level while it is still wet or with a little more effort after it dries.

These two techniques were taught to me from award winning modeler's and do work very well. You will not lose any detail on the kit as you are only rubbing down the filler with a moistened paper towel and not abrasive sandpaper.

I hope this helps.

Cheers, Max Bryant

I dont use anything special...just mask off the edges and find something with a blunt end to help push the putty down

1. Instead of trying to fill a gap, try to spread the fuselage and block it open with sprue or sheet (glued in) so its wide enough to fill the gap.
2. On some planes you can glue the bottom part of the wing to the fuselage first, then glue the tops so there is no gap.
3. Apply tape to each side of the gap (1/8 inch or so from each side). Apply filler, let set a while, then run a Q tip dipped in fingernail polish remover (which is a mild acetone) to smooth out the seam. Repeat until its right. No sanding required and the tape keeps you from messing with the surrounding surface detail.

Tom

I'm surprized too...my 1/48 one fit tighter than...

The single best tool I've found for smoothing putty in an area like this is a dentist's tool called a cavity file - an angled dental instrument with a file about the size of a pinhead on the end. Got mine at a gun how for about $2, as I recall. You may want to ask around about one...or ask your dentist.

I use Testors "Clear Parts Cement" (looks like white glue). The "bottle" has a long slender nozzle which allows you to get into the corner and you can squeeze as much or as little as you need into the gap. If you use too much, a wet Q-Tip can be used to smooth out the excess. Works really good!

Martin

Agreed but on this particular model I don't think I could get my finger in there. I checked and double checked because I thought maybe I wasn't fitting the parts correctly but I was, there was just a gap. Not huge and doesn't ruin the model but I don't want a repeat on the next one.

Once again thanks for all the constructive help and advice - I'm finding this a really friendly and helpful newsgroup.

Cheers, Mark.

I've used (and will still use) glazing putty for this chore but... I've found it difficult to sand without ruining nearby detail. If the seam along the joint line is small or narrow, I use white glue. I found this in Mike Ashey's book on building aircraft. You basically run the glue on the seam, wait for it to dry and then cut it down to the level of the surrounding plastic with a damp Q-tip, damp rag, etc. You may find the glue will creep away from some areas but re-application is easy. I've used this for final filling over glazing putty where I don't want to lose detail. Hope this helps.

Frank Kranick IPMS/USA 20352

Mark Warr>

Detail close to a gap or seam, that needs to be filled with putty, can be preserved by masking on both sides of the cravk. After masking apply the putty (Sqdn. green or white stuff or automotive glazing putty) and then sand it down to the level of the plastic. HTH Pete

You don't find white glue shrinking and re-exposing the seam? The only thing I've found (and heaven knows I haven't tried everything) that doesn't shrink at all is CA. When it comes to wing root seams, CA brings its own set of problems, but it doesn't shrink.

Mark Schynert

(snip)

Oh, I find it shrinks but (sorry - I should have mentioned this before) I just add more glue to the areas that creep away from the sides of the seam. It's far less likely to happen, not surprisingly, the narrower the gap is. Still, it's easy to add more and easy to remove the excess. I've had problems with CA glues in application to the joint. Whenever

- and I *do* mean whenever - I try to get it in the joint, when I'm bringing the tool close to or away from the plastic, the CA will always string away 90 degrees to the joint. I find myself wiping CA off the detail I'm trying to save, usually with mixed results. I attribute it to static as the CA takes the most circuitous route all over the model but I could be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time. ;-) So, I think I'll stick to my efforts with glazing putty and/or white glue. I'm not a big CA user to begin with...

Frank Kranick IPMS/USA 20352

Really? No risk of damage to the plastic as with acetone?

Master, thank you for your words of guidance. You've opened my eyes to a greater world. CA will not be looked at as the troublesome substance I've feared for so long. (I think I'll forego the painful branding of the forearms on the red-hot coal pot - I'm just a pup, I guess...)

Frank Kranick IPMS/USA 20352

Frank, we're modellers dude, no branding required.....I'm sure you've glued enough bodily parts to things to have left marks on

Thanks. Now to get some methanol........