Has anyone used silly putty as a painting mask and can it be re used after getting paint on it?

Yes I have used it that way and it can be reused.

I've used it quite a few times. It will be heard to make it settle around some details, like shovel handles, smoke launchers, etc. You may need. A tiny bit of touch up.

I use Theraputty Black Firm, you can buy in big containers and cost about the same as silly putty, is what Ammo and other brands like Panzer Putty, Masking Putty etc ... rebox and resell at 10 times the original price (same propriety,same color,same everything), being more firm than SP is easier to work, keeps shape a little longer, reusable and leaves no residue, it is also found on Amazon depending on the brand can change color and is found in many different consistences , For me the firm is the best for what we do ....and when things get nasty work also as a antistress putty!...

i buy from here...
https://www.betterbraces.com.au/cando-theraputty

That thread from way back - http://armorama.com/forums/254114&page=1

Any of those putties are silicone-based and their residues prevent the adhesion of paints and cements and are particularly hard to remove, even with solvents:

"The inertness and stability of silicones, properties that give many silicones their desirable characteristics, also make them difficult to remove when they have been deposited inadvertently. Many different approaches have been used to resolve incidents such as those described above. Solvents have been tried, including acetone, methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Simple Green®, citrus cleaners, steam, and vacuum baking have been used. Expensive "designer solvents" such as AK225® and Bmlin® have been applied. These approaches usually achieve some amount of silicone removal, but uncertainties in obtainable cleanliness level have led to major hardware disassembly, followed by meticulous hand wiping, immersion in baths, and extensive rinsing. Painted surfaces have been partially or totally stripped and repainted. In some cases, the hardware has been declared a total loss and was replaced."

- The Removal of Silicone Contaminants from Spacecraft Hardware, K. LUEY and D. J. COLEMAN, Space Materials Laboratory, Laboratory Operations, The Aerospace Corporation

So, I would make sure that any gob you are intending to use is first checked for residues, say, by putting it on a piece of glass and seeing what remains.

I used Silly Putty once and it was OK and appeared reusable. Experiment with it over an old kit. On one hand it sometimes doesn't snuggle down well at all, but elsewhere it may flow like water. Weird stuff.

KL

Silly Putty will remove any small PE bits. Best to apply these after de-masking and touch up by brush.

I have used it, have to watch where it wraps around as will sag into small areas pretty quick.

Theraputty firm let you a lot more time to play with before start to loose the shape and I tried it on a glass and did not leave any residue the first time, the second one yes but then i realized that it was my hands that left residues on the putty then the putty left on the glass....

so you use kneebraces for masking ?

Those are for when I have to look for the pieces lost between the carpet monster teeth....

I read on another forum (don't remember which one) that another modeler had moved away from silly putty because of it being somewhat unpredictable and was using play-dough. He claimed it was easier to work with and wouldn't pull parts off, while leaving no residue. Haven't tried it myself. The theraputty sounds good, and dual purpose would be helpful for the hands.

Theraputty

First, many thanks for the tip.

You say use the Black/Firm stuff.

In the UK I have the choice of

Peachy Pink - Extra Soft
Yellow - Soft
Red - Medium
Green - Strong
Blue - Extra Strong

Also just seen the product sold as

Tan - XX Soft
Yellow X-Soft
Red - Soft
Green - Medium
Blue - Firm
Black - X-Firm

Any idea which would be the best one to use?

Cheers,

Nigel

P.S. Never mind - ordered the black stuff

Mmmmmm

Don't think so ,
I've used it in the past since it was the only thing on hand .
Works well enough but I'd say the silly putty is far superior for the application , especially in the repeat-use category .
I've used toothpaste successfully lol

I moved away from Silly Putty....

I use cheap generic "art tacky" gum from the Hobby Lobby. It leaves no residue, does NOT flow or self-mold or self-level, takes many re-uses well, and is super-controllable as to where you put it and how strongly / weakly it adheres to stuff.

I knead a small ball to warm it slightly and increase pliability, and pull a "ribbon" out and form it along my desired pattern-edges as I go. You can easily form thin sheets and ribbons of the stuff like it was pulled taffy. You lay your ribbons down and finger-press or tool edges as you desire - a hobby knife tip will tightly stick the edges down to ensure crisp, "hard-edge" masking - or conversely lift the edges of the ribbons a little to allow limited "under-spray to soften edges a bit.

Removal is easy - pick and pull it up. A wooden stick is great for removing fragments and cleaning tiny details. You can also easily collect stray bits by sticking them with a little ball of the stuff. I've never had any problems molding around complex features and even down behind stuff to keep the patterns "complete", and I've never had any problems with pulling off detail bits. That, of course, will depend on how abrupt and forceful you are in "de-masking".

Easy tooling, easy application, reusable, easy adhesion control, no residues, safe for all paints, cheap. What more can I ask for?

Bob

The stuff that looks like this ? :



I tossed the packaging , keep it in zip-lock bag

The color is not important, that is at the discretion of the producer, the important is the consistency, the black X-firm I took is equal to PP,
I personally buy the Blue Firm and Black X-Firm, the green Medium I gave it to my kids to play, at first it seems to be too hard but after you play a bit and understand how to use it works very well

There are several tutorials around that can help
http://www.mxpression.com/tips-and-tricks-eng.html

Keith:

Yep! That looks to be the stuff! Mine came as a sort of weak yellow-green, but... Little square "logs". I keep mine in one of those little plastic condiment cups with the snap-on lid.

Bob