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'No Sand' Filling w/ Mr. Surfacer


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I have for years used the trick of dipping a q-tip/cotton bud in acetone based nail polish remover to wipe away Bondo spot glazzing putty. From what I understand you can use this trick with Mr. Surfacer also. What solvent should I use to wipe away the excess. I'm finding that I like Mr. Surfacer as an alternative to Bondo in some situations.

Thanks!

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alcohol works just fine. I think I use either the 91% or 99% without much difference between the two. I've also heard that Mr. Thinner does the same thing, but why pay more for something that you can get for about $1 a bottle (alcohol)?

*edited for percentages used*

Edited by blunce
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So, just plain old isopropyl alcohol. Thanks, I will give it a try!

I love this trick using bondo & acetone. It increases the putt's drying time dramatically and eliminates a lot of the sanding work.

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So, just plain old isopropyl alcohol. Thanks, I will give it a try!

I love this trick using bondo & acetone. It increases the putt's drying time dramatically and eliminates a lot of the sanding work.

So just to confirm, you are able to use a Q-tip with Iso Alcohol to smooth out Mr Surfacer? I've been using lacquer thinner, and I have to work fast as it attacks the plastic a a bit. It is a lacquer based product, so I am just asking as I did not think Iso would work.

Edited by DutyCat
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So just to confirm, you are able to use a Q-tip with Iso Alcohol to smooth out Mr Surfacer? I've been using lacquer thinner, and I have to work fast as it attacks the plastic a a bit. It is a lacquer based product, so I am just asking as I did not think Iso would work.

Yep, both work, but alcohol stinks much less and won't attack your plastic. I even use it to clean my airbrush of Mr. Surfacer from time to time.

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I've used drugstore brand fingernail polish remover (weak acetone, as far as I can tell ) but it's a bit of a crap shoot for timing.

Too soon and it smears badly, too late and it's already set, too much and it attacks the plastic.

I'll be interested in hearing what other folks use with success.

Mike

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Hi,

during my last build, i tried "magic sculp" witch is a 2 component resin plasticine , and you can clean/ smooth it out with water, it´s ready to color over night and is working well.

And no smell, no dirt, nothing.

Edited by Flight 666
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Yep, both work, but alcohol stinks much less and won't attack your plastic. I even use it to clean my airbrush of Mr. Surfacer from time to time.

I don't know how you are getting ISO Alcohol to work, because it isn't working for me. I just put some Mr Surfacer 1000 in a deep trench engraved panel line and tried to smooth it out with a Q-Tip dipped in ISO Alcohol. It didn't even touch it. I then tried mineral spirits....NADA. Finally, I did it with lacquer thinner. It cuts the Mr Surfacer just fine, but attacks the plastic at the same time. It damaged the surface and wiped out some slightly raised panel lines. I had to go back and repair the surface damage as best I could with a fine sanding stick. The raised panel lines are gone forever, I am afraid.

*edit* Been doing some online research. There are others that claim to use alcohol successfully. I think 90% is what they are using. I was using 71% and either that was too weak, or I wasn't leaving it on long enough, or both.

Edited by DutyCat
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I use Tamiya's Lacquer Thinner, and have never had issues. I tried some Home Despot lacquer thinner, and that stuff did attack the plastic, though not badly. I'm sticking with Tamiya - it's not cheap, but it's certain not to make a disaster out of a model.

Edited by RotorheadTX
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If your looking for a good way to remove Mr Surfacer (and even Tamiya Putty)...get a can of denatured alcohol (Methylated Spirits if your across the pond) from your fav local hardware or big box store. Doesn't attack the plastic, but it will take paint off plastic if your not careful. Another warning is wear gloves since it will dry the hell out of your finger tips.

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here on my country ( Brazil ) , i use a eco alternative to the acetone... i dont know if it is out there for you guys...

called "oleo de banana" ( banana oil ) ( nail polish and moisture )... doesnt attack plastic and smells ok...

smooth putty, mr dissolved putty etc.... reduce all the sanding and filling time....

Shep

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here on my country ( Brazil ) , i use a eco alternative to the acetone... i dont know if it is out there for you guys...

called "oleo de banana" ( banana oil ) ( nail polish and moisture )... doesnt attack plastic and smells ok...

Uh-huh... Nay in Brazil, but I stole a bottle of this stuff from my cute Brazilian mate, Maria da Graça Mello, last time she came visitin' me in the summer. :wub: Didn't know it worked fine on Mr Surfacer, but stuff indeed smells awesome, by the way. ;)

Cheers there, Shep!

Unc²

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I use Iso alcohol on dried Mr Surfacer. You need to use some elbow grease and patience but it will slowly remove the Mr Surfacer. It doesn't dissolve the dried Mr S right away.

Mark Storin

Edited by Mstor
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Best stuff I've ever used was nitromethane-based CA-debonder. Flash brand (Flash Back). Fantastic stuff that would melt dried surfacer almost instantly, and cut through old CA like a chainsaw. Unfortunately Flash brother I started diddling Flash brother II's wife, and the company folded. Pretty much every other CA brand on the market seems to use acetone as a base for their debonder, which a.) doesn't work as well and b.) attacks the plastic. :(

Buuuut, if you can find a source of nitromethane... it's awesome stuff for putty work.

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90% ISO does work. You just have to give a few seconds, and don't let the Mr. Surfacer cure.

You might try bumping it up to 99% then, as I've never had much trouble at all using ISO

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