Seams

I used to see Mr Surfacer here in CA, but only at very select locations like Brookhurst. Dunno if they'd still have it or not.

My fav putty is Tamiya putty - also hard to find in CA, but still around and also available mail order. Best for filling sink holes...and just plain the best all around. Squadron green used to be really good, but the formulation was changed back in the 80s and I haven't been able to make it work since.

As for seams - liquid glue and clamps, followed up with a Flexi-File on things like wing edges and fuselage seams; use enough liquid glue to let a bit of "molten" plastic flow out of the clamped seam. My favorite clamps are Berna Assemblers - next best thing to the human hand...whenever I see them I buy them, can't have enough of them! Using this method you'll find you'll use very little putty. If any. I like to use an artist's brush to apply liquid glue - a #1. I prefer Testors...I like its working time.

If you really want a great tool for getting into tight spots and corner seams like fillets and nacelle joins, get yourself a dental cavity file

- it's an angled instrument like a dental pick, but with a small knob of a file on the end about twice the size of the head of a pin. I found mine at a gun show for about $2-3 as I recall. One of *the* most useful tools on my bench.

...and I'm waiting in earnest for the big 1/32 He 219 from Revell of Germany - it was supposed to be in stores for Christmas, now they're saying January...the teases!

Tom wrote: : OK, I'll start. Just finishing up the assembly of a Revell 70's vintage : : could. Then comes the assembly. Generally the kit pieces fit pretty well : with the exception of several sink-holes and a couple of seams. Following : : fairly well hidden when the engines were attached to the fuselage, those : pesky seams still show up in several places and parts of the sink holes : still need some work. : I like Tamiya thin cement - the green topped bottle. I use a lot of tamiya cement to close the gaps - the glue capillaries very well, and it tends to draw the plastic into the seam.

Mr. Surfacer 500 is still my favorite filler. I apply with a toothpick (wooden), and let it sit for around 24 hours. If an additional application is required, I add it.

A lot of elbow grease and rubbing alcohol will remove Mr. Surfacer if you have detail you don't want to risk. Add some favorite brew (alcohol) to the mix as required. Otherwise, I use x-acto blades to cut off excess filler, x-acto blades to scrap the filler off (works best on convex or flat surfaces. Avoid on concave surfaces), files and sandpaper if I don't want to invest the time rubbing the surface down with alcohol.

As for Squadron Green - I find I swear at it much more than I have ever sworn by it - it never stops shrinking.

Bruce

"Tom" wrote in news:kblgkp$vtb$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

If you can't find Mr Surfacer, try White Out. It's about the same thickness, sands roughly the same and costs way less : )

White out, huh? I'll have try that. Off to Office depot I go...

T2

"Tom" wrote in news:kblgkp$vtb$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

If you can't find Mr Surfacer, try White Out. It's about the same thickness, sands roughly the same and costs way less : )

I too use Testor's glue, Rufus. Nice and thick and stays well til the parts are mated. Used to do everything with cyano, but that tended to make a mess of any detail as well as the lack of set time. Harbor freight seems to have a lot of cheap, useful tools like that. Found some nice small diamond files there as well.

T2

Tom wrote:

I used to see Mr Surfacer here in CA, but only at very select locations like Brookhurst. Dunno if they'd still have it or not.

My fav putty is Tamiya putty - also hard to find in CA, but still around and also available mail order. Best for filling sink holes...and just plain the best all around. Squadron green used to be really good, but the formulation was changed back in the 80s and I haven't been able to make it work since.

As for seams - liquid glue and clamps, followed up with a Flexi-File on things like wing edges and fuselage seams; use enough liquid glue to let a bit of "molten" plastic flow out of the clamped seam. My favorite clamps are Berna Assemblers - next best thing to the human hand...whenever I see them I buy them, can't have enough of them! Using this method you'll find you'll use very little putty. If any. I like to use an artist's brush to apply liquid glue - a #1. I prefer Testors...I like its working time.

If you really want a great tool for getting into tight spots and corner seams like fillets and nacelle joins, get yourself a dental cavity file

- it's an angled instrument like a dental pick, but with a small knob of a file on the end about twice the size of the head of a pin. I found mine at a gun show for about $2-3 as I recall. One of *the* most useful tools on my bench.

...and I'm waiting in earnest for the big 1/32 He 219 from Revell of Germany - it was supposed to be in stores for Christmas, now they're saying January...the teases!

How about the Squadron White, Bruce? That supposedly claims to be a little smoother/finer. I don't see much difference and have stuck with the Green just cause its a little easier to see when applied in the seam or divot.

T2

Tom wrote: : OK, I'll start. Just finishing up the assembly of a Revell 70's vintage : : could. Then comes the assembly. Generally the kit pieces fit pretty well : with the exception of several sink-holes and a couple of seams. Following : : fairly well hidden when the engines were attached to the fuselage, those : pesky seams still show up in several places and parts of the sink holes : still need some work. : I like Tamiya thin cement - the green topped bottle. I use a lot of tamiya cement to close the gaps - the glue capillaries very well, and it tends to draw the plastic into the seam.

Mr. Surfacer 500 is still my favorite filler. I apply with a toothpick (wooden), and let it sit for around 24 hours. If an additional application is required, I add it.

A lot of elbow grease and rubbing alcohol will remove Mr. Surfacer if you have detail you don't want to risk. Add some favorite brew (alcohol) to the mix as required. Otherwise, I use x-acto blades to cut off excess filler, x-acto blades to scrap the filler off (works best on convex or flat surfaces. Avoid on concave surfaces), files and sandpaper if I don't want to invest the time rubbing the surface down with alcohol.

As for Squadron Green - I find I swear at it much more than I have ever sworn by it - it never stops shrinking.

Bruce

Squadron white is finer grained, but cracks and falls out...very easily.

I don't use the thick Testors stuff anymore...ahhh - the old red tube! I use the thin, liquid stuff. Apply it with a brush. And clamp - it's really the proper use of clamps that eliminates seams.

I also like to use the black cyano meant for tires. It's easier to see where you're putting it, it's more flexible, and has a longer working time. For smaller flat etched parts I'll also use watch crystal cement.

Tom wrote the following on 12/28/2012 11:38 PM (ET):

Testors also makes what they call 'Contour Putty'. It is also white and seems to dry faster than Squadron Green Putty.

I actually went out and bought a red tube of that stuff some time ago for a particular application, but no, I mean the Testor's allegedly liquid in the black, square container with the angular spout. I got a couple of them a couple of years ago on close out special and they still work, though I think they have thickened. I put out a little dollop of it and apply with a pin or tooth pick or some such. Doesn't get "strings" like the tube glue.

Black cyano?? Never heard of that. Sounds messy. Auto parts store? What do you use it on?

For 1/700 ship PE parts, I still use a little white glue to get them into position and then cyano carefully to finish them.

T2

I don't use the thick Testors stuff anymore...ahhh - the old red tube! I use the thin, liquid stuff. Apply it with a brush. And clamp - it's really the proper use of clamps that eliminates seams.

I also like to use the black cyano meant for tires. It's easier to see where you're putting it, it's more flexible, and has a longer working time. For smaller flat etched parts I'll also use watch crystal cement.

I've never tried it, but I wonder if the White might benefit from the Swannys acetone/fingernail polish remover method? Would let it get more "bite" on the surface.

T2

Squadron white is finer grained, but cracks and falls out...very easily.

Some hobby store sell cyano under a "store brand", but I think it all comes from same place. Look for it as "tire cement". It's just slightly thicker than thick clear cyano, but because it's black it's far more easy to see and apply for small parts. It has a bit longer working time, and is fairly easy to clean/scrape off when partially set. It tends to gel in the bottle though...seems like I'm always buying a new bottle of it...

I generally apply cyano (even the black stuff) using a needle in a pin vise, or a sharpened toothpick. Watch crystal cement works about like white glue, except it's far stronger and tougher - put down a dot and then you can poke the part around with a needle to nudge it into place. Once set, it's *stuck*.

I bought two tubes of this stuff over a decade ago and haven't gone through it yet - I'm still using the first tube; small amount goes a long way. I also use it for installing canopies...won't use anything else. And I always apply glues metal to plastic, or plastic to plastic

- never over/through paint.

I was using both black cyano and watch crystal cement just last night to put the etched hinges on the deck plates of my 1/72 Revell Type VII u-boat. There's 48 of them little suckers, about the size of a pin head. Found it far easier to work with the watch crystal cement...got eight more of them to lay down today, then I'm done with that eye-crosser.

I've had some luck mixing Testors liquid glue (from the bottle) with putties, but only in small amounts...and have never been able to find anything that works with Squadron putties.

I tried filling in bubbles in Squadron green with the white stuff...it sanded down nice, then cracked and flaked off. Then I went to Dr. Microtools red putty, and that stuff was fantastic. And of course they stopped making it. Testors red putty is similar, but the tube I got wasn't mixed right and became gummy. So I don't buy it anymore.

Since I found Tamiya putty I never use anything else now. That stuff is the best!

I've been using this stuff for a few years.

I've known people that also use this - a long time ago I used to use a grey bondo putty that worked really well. And I've been told that one tube is big enough to pretty much last a lifetime...given that it's shelf life is that long!

Good choice, based on what the folks I've known that use it say.

Looks like that one is obsolete. How about the 937?

T2

I've been using this stuff for a few years.

"Tom" wrote in news:kbntj5$951$1@dont- email.me:

Smaller tube for higher price. Bloody typical : (

Probably just enough top maybe use before it turns into a hockey puck...

T2

"Tom" wrote in news:kbntj5$951$1@dont- email.me:

Smaller tube for higher price. Bloody typical : (

"Tom" wrote in news:kbt5us$o5e$1@dont- email.me:

Haven't run into that problem yet, although my last tube was heading that way by the time I finished it.