Well... Ya'll were good with 'water.' Now... I'm doing a custom loco shell. It's the mix of a 50's Streamline(???) and a SD60 (Atlas-Soo Line). It's gonna be my Lines 'Show' power it will do freight and passenger. The question being: What's the best stuff to fill the gaps and imperfections? Of course, I will be doing the standard prime and sand. When all's just so, paint it proper colors. Soooo.... Await your wisdom all. I once again thank all in advance. I'm looking into a spot of space on my provider for my own web page. Than I can post pics of my plans and stuff.
Your local hobby shop (that carries scale model airplanes) has a modeling putty, and crack filler called something like "Regimental Green filler putty", they will know what it is. It is the finest grade of putty there is, that I know about. It will sand and paint better than the paint job you can apply I am told. It sticks well to plastic and wood. I'm not sure about metal. The only metal I tried to fill, was potmetal, and we used a product called "Bondo" that is no longer made because it is so toxic it killed us back then. That's why we look so pale these days! [ 27 April 2001: Message edited by: watash ]
Watash-Sure is amazing that we are still alive after using such products as Bondo for so many years. You may be pale but I lost all my teeth and hair. Good thing that big brother is watching out for us.
When working with plastic, I try to use plastic as a filler. I keep different sizes of Evergreen styrene strip and rod on hand for my modeling projects. If I have a sizable gap to fill, I find a piece of plasic that's slightly too big for the gap, coat it with some solvent-type cement, then force it into the hole. Let it dry, then file and sand it down. For smaller gaps and scratches, I like using the stuff that settles to the bottom of the jar of a product called Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 1000. I use a piece of wire or whatever to drag it up from the bottom of the jar, and apply it to the model like a putty. It dries quick and hard, and has a fine grain. Also, when Mr. Surfacer is thinned and sprayed from an airbrush, it's probably one of the best primers out there. Only downside is that many train shops don't carry it, since it's something that mostly military modelers use...but if you come across it, I highly recommend it. [ 27 April 2001: Message edited by: Mankind ]
I do alot of customizing and i've found one only one filler putty that works well on plastic, metal, and wood. It takes 2500 pounds per square inch of pressure to break it and this miracle stuff is a very simple thing. its called "epoxy" it files out and sands smooth, and sticks to anything even slippery machine plastic!!!! I don't know of any putty that will stick to machine plastic!!! It will also glue that plastic back together if needed. A very uniform material to use. Take your time with it and be carefull not to file to much off at once as it will pull the epoxy and distort, and you'll have to reaply more to the spot. So take your time and be cautious, and after it dries 24 hours later it will be as hard as a rock but as soft as regular putty. Take your time and do the job right the first time and you'll have a beautifull body to now paint!!! It also will fill gaps that are as much as 3/8th of an inch apart, (if your a good modeler you won't need to fill a gap that large) Take your time and do the best you can do and in the end you'll be amazed at the response you'll get from others who see your work. [ 27 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Jphn, after some epoxies have fully cured they are almost like glass, so wont sand well. Go to a drug store and buy a ladie's Diamond grit finger nail file. Most have a medium side, the other being a fine side. I use these for filing brass and steel when I need to get into a space only .040" wide. They are not expensive, but they are real industrial diamond.
Watash, I use "Elmer's PROBOND Super-Fast Epoxy Cement". It sets in 5 minutes and doesn't get hard like glass once cure (dry). And sands real smooth and its easily done. I use a regular old fingernail file thats made from emery and works well, if then I need a smoother surface i'll sand with a fine sand paper. I've used this for years and does a fine job every time so far and never gave me any trouble yet. Its 2 part so it has to be mixed in equal parts of the resin and the hardener. But I use it all the time and works great. It costs $2.50 a package. Give it a try and tell me if it works for you, like I said it hasn't gave me any reason to boycott it yet. And one thing forsure its easier to work with then some of the putties out their so...... I like it. [ 30 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
