Monday, June 15, 2015

DISCUSSION: Let's Talk About Crack(s)


Spot filling is something I really hate doing.  Just a pain in the ass when all you want to do is get back to modeling. Maybe it's just what I'm using.

I've used a variety of spot fillers over the years.

GW Has their Liquid Green Stuff, which worked OK for me (but not fantastic) for about a month when it dried up completely, despite being completely closed. I didn't particularly like how it worked when it was dry on the model (sanding, etc), but it went on pretty easily.


There's the classic Green Stuff, which I'm still not totally comfortable with and seems like total overkill for something basic like filling small cracks. Plus it's hard to mix in small quantities.


The totally hardcore model makers at work (who make toy prototypes for a living) turned me on to this Nitro-Stan stuff. Have had it for years and barely even dented the tube. It comes out rusty red and more liquid than toothpaste.  It kind of feels like a softer Bondo when it's dry.  Kind of a mess to apply, but sands really well. Probably better for smoothing larger areas than for filling cracks because it tends to shrink a lot when it dries and takes multiple applications for anything deep. 


My latest purchase is this Vallejo Plastic Putty. It goes on thicker than the Nitro-Stan. It's closer to the GW Liquid Green Stuff in consistency. I put it on with an old brush and it seemed to work pretty well. 


Haven't really tried sanding it yet, but it filled the cracks really nicely on this exhaust. This stuff I scraped clean with an Xacto knife and it seemed to work out pretty well. I'm encouraged by the results so far, but certainly open to other suggestions if anyone else has something they like.

Scraped left, and slopped on right

So whatcha got out there, Internets? Anything good?

~Deet


6 comments:

  1. I prefer liquid green stuff over Vallejo plastic putty.

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  2. Have you tried using plastic cements to fill small gaps? I use Tamiya Extra Thin, which is so strong it pulls plastic in from both sides and fuses it all together. One or two extra thin applications, letting it dry between, all but erases most narrow gaps. Sand it a little afterwards just to even out the finish (the melted bits will be a bit glossier) and you're good to go. It doesn't ALWAYS work, but it works pretty well. Besides that, I've also used LGS, some auto-body filler that sounds a lot like the one you're talking about, and Tamiya white putty (which is similar to a plastic glue, but in putty form) works pretty well for wider gaps. Doesn't seem to shrink much at all in my use, and can be sanded afterwards. It's also a mess to apply. Any tips out there for these putties?

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  3. I've heard many having really good success with water effects as well. It dries clear, and is designed to be painted on. The fact it's a thick gooey liquid when it starts, lends it well to filling gaps.

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    Replies
    1. http://www.amazon.com/Woodland-Scenics-WSC1212-Water-Effects/dp/B000B6OSWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434389196&sr=8-1&keywords=water+scenics

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    2. Here's an example of using it!
      http://santacruzwarhammer.blogspot.com/2014/11/hiding-seam-lines-on-organic-sculpts.html

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