What do the great and the good gathered here find the best 'simple' filler for general use? That is to say, easy to work with, doesn't shrink too much, dries reasonably quickly, preferably single part, good adherence to metal & resin. Not too expensive, and lasts a good time if unused.
I've been using Milliput but it's about done (one part is almost rock solid...), so I need to buy something to replace it...
I use Elmer's white glue (PVA in Britain?). It could take a couple of coats but I have never had a problem with it coming off. After I glue and it is dry I then prime. Fills in small holes easily using the point of an Xacto knife.
It's how I build up FPW Prussian foot artillery to horse artillery with long pants.
I do use PVA (often with some fine sand for bulk), but I was thinking of something more structural, for sculpting detail or building up damaged bits.
For figures and models I use two part epoxy (one blue, one yellow strip) which is green but not officially Green Stuff or white Milliput and have liquid green stuff I haven't dared try yet.
For bases and scenery I use B&Qs fine surface filler ... and sometimes I use it on figures when I can't be ar ... bothered mixing putty and it's just a small fill.
So you regard 2-part putty as best?
Must say I don't like the feel of the stuff on my hands.
I use latex gloves when mixing putty , to protect my delicate little paws.
Green Stuff/ Milliput is definitely best if I'm sculpting stuff rather than just levelling the odd blemish in the casting. Just wish there was something ready mixed that I could use tiny amounts of at a time.
I have literally dreamed of using the UV setting filling materiel dentists use these days. Possibly says something about the state of my teeth that I've seen the stuff used often enough to dream about it!
Thanks for reminding me where I have to be in eight hours. Bastard!
Had an emergency appointment on Thursday and had tooth extracted as it had split in two. No pain at all but took around 5 hours to stop bleeding! No Easter eggs for me tomorrow :(.
Vallejo do a small bottle of liquid filler which is really useful for filling small gaps. I squirt a small amount out on to some scrap card and then apply with a small damp brush. Any excess can be filed away when dry.
For dental work?
Quote from: FierceKitty on 26 March 2016, 01:02:28 AM
Must say I don't like the feel of the stuff on my hands.
Not terribly keen on that either.....I never mix putty with my right hand, as I hate it sticking to the dental tools.
Like Mike, I'll use latex gloves if I'm mixing things like Milliput, or any of the coloured Sylmasta A+Bs.
Can't afford to do that with greenstuff......I'd get through a box of gloves in a few days. ;D
Cheers - Phil.
I see you now get Green Stuff in strips called 'Kneadatite' - I'm probably years out of date, never seen that before. Is that good stuff? How much of the length do you use - say, what length equates to the mass of a whole 10mm figure? I'm not about to sculpt a whole 10mm figure, but it's a handy measure. I see a lot of people selling 12" lengths on eBay, which doesn't sound like much.
Doesn't it start curing/hardening where the two substances meet in the middle of the 'tape'?
I fill small gaps and holes with Blu-Tac / White-Tac [poster adhesive].
Then I brush superglue over the top of it to make it set.
Cheap and quick method where there's no missing detail to try and recreate.
Fill me in is not a request one should make in the UK. It could result in hospitalisation.
At work I use fine car body filler, which is a cellulose based and air drying. At home either Blu-Tac or fine household wall filler. To be honest in 10mm all of these work, it really depends upon on what I have at hand when working.
You looking at my pint? You spill my bird?
Pretty sure this is how the Forum barfight started!
Quote from: Wulf on 26 March 2016, 10:10:38 AM
I see you now get Green Stuff in strips called 'Kneadatite' - I'm probably years out of date, never seen that before. Is that good stuff? How much of the length do you use - say, what length equates to the mass of a whole 10mm figure? I'm not about to sculpt a whole 10mm figure, but it's a handy measure. I see a lot of people selling 12" lengths on eBay, which doesn't sound like much.
Doesn't it start curing/hardening where the two substances meet in the middle of the 'tape'?
The stuff I use for the wee men (Which I get from Sylmasta) has a label "Green stuff...Origial Duro."
But I've heard of the same thing being 'classed' as Kneadatite.
As far as I'm aware, it's exactly the same stuff, Wulf.
The mass of a 10mm figure ?......Really probably less than 2mm.......BUT......You'd probably end up using 10mm or more, 'cos you have to keep mixing 'fresher' stuff, especially at this scale.
I reckon I chuck away anything up to 90% of putty I've mixed, as it's started to 'go off' enough to make it somewhat iffy to use....AT THIS SCALE.
Yes...where the blue and yellow do start hardening where they meet.
I simply 'nick' that tiny middle bit out, with a scalpel, and mix what's left.
Hope that helps.
Cheers - Phil
The fish ain't biting, Will.
Right, all good stuff, folks, I'll get me a 6" roll so it doesn't go off.
And the subject line? All my posts have a subject line contrived to draw attention... ;)
Quote from: Leman on 26 March 2016, 10:43:16 AM
Fill me in is not a request one should make in the UK. It could result in hospitalisation.
Indeed.
Having read some of the replies I shall go and put the cricket bat and knuckle dusters back in the car....... ;D
Quote from: Wulf on 26 March 2016, 11:10:11 AM
Right, all good stuff, folks, I'll get me a 6" roll so it doesn't go off.
Sadly, Wulf, it depends how long the putty has been 'on the shelf', before you buy it.
Cheers - Phil
Yes, I guess that's a bigger problem with this stuff than the sealed Milliput boxes.
What can happen, with a really old batch, is........
The yellow section gets a waxy (almost like a gloss varnish) layer on it.
This is almost impossible to mix in properly, soooooo.....when you have finished mixing it..there are a load of tiny, little yellow 'lumps' in the putty.
If you're using it simply to stick bits together...or do a one off conversion, there shouldn't be a problem....They shouldn't hurt. at all.
However, if (anyone) I make(s) a master that gets pressed in the mould, under a lot of pressure, using some old g/s.....It can really wreck the finished article, because the yellow 'bit's' are effectively still soft, and don't make a clean impression
Basically, a really 'spotty'/'pitted' master metal.
Hope that makes sense ! :)
Cheers - Phil
Perfectly - that's what's happening with my Milliput!
And my epoxy putty.
If my son ever catches sight of this thread he will read it out loud in a south east England, nasal, nerdy voice ......... and then piss himself laughing.
No respect....
Quote from: Leman on 26 March 2016, 04:26:52 PM
If my son ever catches sight of this thread he will read it out loud in a south east England, nasal, nerdy voice ......... and then piss himself laughing.
What! Sirrah, why do you impugn the most excellent dialect of the south-east in such a fashion? I'll have you know there are a great number of dialects in this neck of the woods and only the type that get on tv with that Mr Kyle or as an advert for all things Essex have the extremely dubious honour of being both nasal and nerdy in equal parts. (A lot of the others are just a variation of English as is spoken by our European brethren, while there are a few of us still flying the flag!)
On a more humorous note, I read the other day that Chris Eubanks is writing a book on Ethics and if it sells he is going to follow it with a book on Kent.
I know where me coat is, don't bother telling me.