Filling without sanding

i was worried about that, but using it on a qtip for seams hasn't hurt anything so far.

You can get the same effect by just applying a generous amount of liquid cement (I prefer Testors) and properly clamping the assembly. I prefer Berna Assemble clamps - they're simply the best holding and easiest to use clamps I've found to date.

Can you try the pure acetone on either an unused part, or else a hidden area?

I've never tried diluting acetone, nor do I know what to dilute it with, my suggestion is to go buy a small bottle of acetone based nail polish remover at a discount or dollar store, with tax you'll be out less than a buck, and won't have to worry.

Ken

---------------- Ken Lilly snipped-for-privacy@technologist.NOSPAM.com

I don't know what ARC is, hence I don't really know what this trick is (clarification would be appreciated). However, if it is about filling small gaps/seams without having to sand over the result afterwards, I find I can get very good results with milliput. Roll a very small amount of it between your fingers, until you have a kind of milliput wire. Press that into whatever gap is in your way, and don't worry about the relatively huge amounts of the material spilling over the rim. Then remove anything sticking its head above the surface with a wet, sharpened match (any spetula like object will do, but soggy wood is certain not do damage plastic), using the surface as a guide. Keep that match wet enough that the milliput won't stick to it, otherwise you'll drag out bits and pieces of the 'wire'. Once you've done all the damage you can with the match, switch over to your fingers. This will wash off any milliput remaining on the surface, but leave the material in the gap untouched. Use plenty of water at this stage.

In effect, the steps after pressing in the wire are the equivalent of sanding afterwards, but without using materials that might damage the surrounding areas.

This technique might work with other materials as well, but I've never tried any.

Rob

Aircraft Resource Center:

HTH,

Andre

That really looks like a nifty trick, except for the solvents. Perhaps a "friendlier" type of filler (acrylic gel perhaps?) could be used in combination with a less agressive solvent such as alcohol or water. I have also used the "thick stuff" from the bottom of Humbrol enamels as a filler - perhaps this could work well with this method, using thinner.

However, I just had a wonderful holiday of modelling, where I tried my newly obtained bottle of ethyl acetate. Hitherto, I had used Testor's or Revell's liquid cement, which has some viscosity. I know that some people use MEK, toluene, or other strong and thin solvents but I really don't want to use that stuff. I have a bottle of Humbrol liquid cement, but I tend to not use it, because I can't stand the smell.

I can only say: Wow! Ethyl acetate really works great. It's strong enough to weld parts very well, and yet it leaves no trace when it evaporates from the surface. I used it on three aircraft so far: Airfix' Lysander and Revell GER and Italeri's Spitfires (all 1/72), and any fit problems could be solved by just bending together the mating surfaces, apply EA with a brush, and wait 10 seconds for it to bind, leaving a tight, strong joint with no gap. This on an old Airfix kit, and on Italeri's Spitfire, which I had heard required quite a bit of filler.

And EA smell acceptable, especially when you feel assured that it is not a carcinogen, and actually a substance that is used (in small quantities though) in pharmaceuticals and synthetic fruit essences, not to mention wine: :

-Lasse

Thanks, it helps. I'd heard of the site, but failed to decode the abbreviation.

This is pretty much the same technique I use with milliput and water, but with nastier solvents involved.

Rob

I tried some qualities of wine from the cellar, even rich and sweet sorts, but none of them welded plastic (burp!). ;-)

Seriously speaking, and apart from trying wine fractioned distillation, where can I purchase ethyl acetate ?

-- Luca Beato -

Like I said, milliput and water.

Rob

That's because you tried Italian wine, right? I'm sure you can get French wine that works ;-)

Well I bought mine at a hobby shop specializing in railroads. The socalled "chemists" ("drug stores"?) here in Denmark have only the usual household chemistry and lots of perfume and herbal medicine these days. Perhaps you could ask at a chemistry department at a university - they must use stuff like this and know where to get it?

-Lasse