Your average putty & liquid cement..

[breadneck]

So are there many out there who use your average putty as a single component, or do you mix it with something of your own desire? I have used the tamiya putty (orange cap) for a decade or more and i think all the tubed putties in general are to quick drying. I ususally apply the putty and negociate some thin cement onto it to make it more fluid and to make it flow in to all the crevases/nooks and crannies(not bad vocabulary for a norwegian;-) I think this works great. worked just as fine with the squadron white putty wich i just recently acquired a tube of. What are your experiences?

Just got my first ever "samestuff" & touch and flow applicator. Very interesting procedure, and may just be worth the money!

Edited December 31, 2011 by breadneck

[Triarius]

As long as the solvent you use is compatible with the polymer in the putty, and not too aggressive to styrene, this works, although with some fillers, it can be a labor intensive process to get the solvent and putty mixed. I have a small bottle of Acryl Blue diluted with a blend of compatible solvents to the consistency of paint, and I often slightly thin the stuff straight from the tube for application.

[Netz]

One side affect of adding in the extra solvents will be shrinkage, you need to pay attention to it, and might have to apply an additional cote of putty once the 1st layer has dried and been sanded.

If you don't catch it, it will be noticeable once the model is completed.

Curt

[eharrold44]

Yep.

Thinning the putty allows you to smooth it into tighter spaces. I pretty much always go that route. It will shrink big time, though, so let it fully cure and then go back over it with further applications if necessary.

[Triarius]

Using incompatible or marginally compatible solvents will drastically increase shrinkage. The problem for the average modeler is that it can be very hard to tell what solvents are compatible, and further, in what proportion. For putties, unlike paints, there is no easy test the average person can do at home.

If the label does not identify specific solvents used in the putty, find an MSDS (manufacturer's web site is usually a good place to look). That should tell you what common solvents are used in the putty, and will give you some idea of the proportion.

If the manufacturer has a proprietary thinner for the putty, get the MSDS for that, and buy your own solvents. This is likely to be significantly less expensive than the proprietary thinner.

Finally, but most importantly:

DO THIS IN A SPRAY BOOTH OR DON'T DO IT AT ALL. (Yes, I'm shouting. Some of us are a little deef…)

[breadneck]

I use Tamiya thin cement and that`s the only stuff i have tried for this purpose. Mostly on the tamiya "basic" putty. But as i just recently acquired a tube of the white squadron putty, it seems to be working equally fine. Weather or not a shrinkage will develop, i just repeat the process until it is acceptable:-) I have one concern when doing this. I have no way of knowing if the finished/dried putty has a higher (microscopic) more porous consistency. if you catch my drift..but i guess thats just being picky. Say that squadron stuff, is it the green type one has to have some nail polish remover to go with?

[SoarinSukhoi]

Another option would be to use Mr. Surfacer or Tamiya Liquid Primer. They shrink quite a bit, but can be used in layers to fill small imperfections. They can both be thinned with Mr. Color Lacquer Thinner, Mr. Color Self-Leveling Thinner or Tamiya Lacquer Thinner, but it's usually unnecessary unless you want to airbrush it onto the entire model.

Make sure to apply them in thin layers. Thick layers won't dry.

Edited December 31, 2011 by SoarinSukhoi

[DutyCat]

Squadron Green/White thinned with acetone (nail polish remover) works for me.

[Mike C]

I always thin Tamiya Basic Putty with acetone-free nail polish remover ($2 for a huge 200ml bottle!). Fantastic result!