I am working on my first set of Gen 2 Dragon figures. Due to the fact that there are more parts involved in constructing the figures, i have been left with a few gaps to infill. These are mostly in the areas below the waist belt to the lower jacket joints. What is the best putty to use for joint filler?

Cookie

Hi Paul. I built a few Gen II figures yesterday ... and Id say it depends on the size of your gap. I streched some sprue and made it soft with cement and pushed it in. I´ll carve/sand it down today to tidy it up ... and even use Mr. Sufacer 500 if necessary (a must have for figures IMO). This works for me, and for small gaps ... but any larger, I´d use magic sculpt.

Paul- Gaps! The bane of making figures I use Tamyia Putty, Mr Surfacer, Squadron White or the thinnest (.025) plastic strips available to close the gap. I usually police up the overage with a scaple like putty knife before it dries. If it hardens before I remove it all I use non acetone nail polish remover. If there is a an easier way to correct those gaps....I would like to know. One other point, I am now a firm believer in Gator Glue to put them together...beautiful stuff.
DJ

Thanks guys some of the gaps are noticable whilst others are hairline. liquid glue would fill them but for the wider ones i was'nt sure what would work best. i will have a go with your methods.
Frank you say Mr Surfacer 500 is a must have for figures obviously for filling but is there other uses.
DJ why Gator Gap to put them together with ,not sure we can get it at this side of the pond.

Cookie

I've used Aves Apoxie Sculpt and their Apoxie Safety Solvent for blending and smoothing and it's great! Apoxie Sculpt is a two-part putty mixed in small equal amounts and remains workable for a few hours. If you want to speed up the drying time, putting the figure in a warm crock-pot or slow cooker on a block of wood will make it harden up enough to paint in about 15 minutes (not too hot, mind you...you'll melt your figure!!). It's quite similar to Sculpy in that way when you bake it a little to make it harden up more quickly.

This is a great product that was demonstrated to me by a friend recently and I'll never go back to anything else. It will fill gaps, take blending and working with brushes and tools (that's what the solvent is for), can be used as a sculpting medium for an entire figure or in the making of new parts and pieces, and it will harden just like the plastic with no visible seams or cracks. It paints up without any notice to dissimilar materials.

Aves' website and the Apoxie Sculpt page is HERE

Most good hobby shops will carry it and there's more than a few webstores where you can order it online.

cheers!

Bob

Hi
I use Revell Contacta glue to put my figures together. I tend to test dry fitting and sanding/filing down as much as required before applying any glue. I found with most figures I rarely have to do much in the way of sanding, usually the joint between the upper and lower torso.

When I do apply glue I put a fair amount on each half and them postion them together. I leave it for a short while, till the glue has started to soften the plastic. I then give the two joining halves a bit of a wiggle returning it back to the original location, pushing firmly as I do so. This tends to spread the melted plastic and fill up the gaps, and I find very little, if any, gaps to fill.

Sometimes I even break the joint after a minute or so, apply a tiny bit more glue and rejoin the parts. It's using the figures plastic, melted by the glue as a natural gap filler.

If I do want to filler I use Vallejo's Plastic Putty which comes in a bottle like their paint. Get it in the joint, leave a little while and then wipe away the excess with a wet finger or damp tissue.

Alan

Very cool techniques...Alan , do you have a item # for the Vallejo Plastic Putty ? Thanks, milvehfan

Cookie-- do a google search "Gator Glue" I am sure they ship overseas. I discovered it thorugh a post on this site. It is like tacky glue, dries clear and holds like steel...amazing stuff.
DJ

Milliputt White epoxy putty has a very fine texture, doesn't shrink, and can be smoothed out with a wet fingertip, so you can preserve the details and avoid sanding.

Hi

Sorry I posted then had to go out. The item number is 400 and for that all important location number ....position 199 in the rack. It's down the bottom along with the thinner, retarder etc.

I've also used as other suggested Milliput, the finer white type smoothing away excess either with a damp tissue, paper towel or a wet brush (water) shaping it into the contours.

With all of these suggestions the worst possible scenario is to have to do too much sanding down of excess filler after it's dry. Invariably it's in a awkward position and can lead to you destroying finer detail around it, so anything that can have the excess removed easily before final hardening is always better in my opinion.

The Vallejo Plastic Putty dries quite quickly (and has the added piece of mind that if using Vallejo paint you know its compatible.) Milliput, and the other epoxy putties give you more "working" time but as Gerald rightly says can be smoothed and shaped to avoid sanding after finally drying.

Alan

Hi

as regards Gator Glue, I've no experience of this but it does come well recommended and it's main function or popularity is for sticking PE, rather than using Superglue etc.

For a UK supplier I know of this retailer who sells it mail order

http://www.a2zeemodels.co.uk/gators-grip-glue-231-c.asp

Just one word of caution with this product. I've read it does not like very cold conditions. The chemicals, as I understand it, separate under these conditions and render the glue useless and cannot return to their original state even when warmed up.

Alan