Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I ended up using Permatex Silicone RTV from CrappyTire.

This is the stuff with a strong vinegar smell intended to seal along windshields and so on.

It stuck very well to the pink mold rubber after I roughed it a little with ScotchBrite and seems to adhere relatively well to the masonite as well.

Anyone have any thoughts what sticks to silicone molds? I need to reinforce a mold with masonite and need a way to adhere the two.

Thanks.

My problem with Envirotex is that it always seems to dry a little rubbery.

Well, the 3M guys said it's being phased out in the US as well, just taking longer. Apparently all the body shops are using the two-part putties that are more compatible with the water-based paint for current cars. So they consolidated the putties into a single "classic" putty, which is wh...

Indeed. The text changes based on country. Go figure.

Yeah, the blurb also says it's obsolete.

Yes, it's true. But this stuff I got has the same number as the blue (05964), but it's pink. I was wondering if it's the same. It seems much better than the crappy Bondo (and Squadron) stuff, but I have no basis of comparison to the old product.

Hi guys, I've finally gone to NAPA and tried getting a tube of the wonderful 3M blue acrylic putty... only to find out it's been discontinued. It seems product the 1lb tube of 05964 blue putty has been discontinued and replaced with a 3lb can of red putty. Anyone know if it's the same stuff? I came ...

All excellent advice. I'm surprised they don't list this in any of the FAQs out there. Thanks a bunch, guys.

Thanks for the advice. I actually did bake them at 175 for about an hour before that last casting and that helped a little. I always use Stoner. I noticed that the colour of the rubber is starting to fade in places. I assume this means it's stabilizing. I guess when the fresh rubber smell goes away ...

Hi guys, I have a question that maybe one of you more experienced folks can help answer. I recently finished new molds for my parts (used Alumilite QuickSet). The molds turned out really well, and the opaque SmoothOn comes out really nicely. However, when I used my water-clear Alumilite, I got a goo...

I'm using SmoothCast 305. But do casters out there really just add dye? Why on earth would DLM, for example, do that? It would only add time and expense to the casting. My only guess would be colour uniformity; but otherwise, no real advantage...

Hi guys, I've always wondered about what kind of resin or additive is used to make the standard gray-and-gritty resin like we've all purchased at one point or another. Is it just the same same old white/yellowish resin with the readily available aluminum powder? I ask because the SmoothOn stuff I'm ...

Excellent, thanks for the suggestions. That pump is decently priced and looks very good for what you get. I'll look for something just like that.

Wicked response. Actually, I want to vacuum degass, and then not presure cast. My understanding is that once the bubbles are gone, the pressure casting is quite optional. Also, I live in an apartment, so extended periods of noise are generally frowned upon. So, I guess I'll need to get a pump that w...

Hi guys, I've been getting to clear casting, and I'm getting lots of little air bubbles. This video: http://www.freemansupply.com/video/preparing/vacdegas.htm Shows exactly the kind of bubbles I'm talking about in their clear urethane, and that vacuum degassing gets rid of them nicely. In this walkt...

I usually apply a tiny amount of CA to the hole before I put the fiber in. That holds it. When all the fibers are in place and it's all dry, I apply a nice amount of epoxy. The idea is that the epoxy grasps areas of the fiber that have not been exposed to CA.

I took some time to write up what I know about white LEDs vs. incandescents. There is some good stuff out there, and now is a good time to buy Christmas lights and whatnot on sale.

Here's what I wrote:

http://pat.suwalski.net/log/index.cgi/2 ... 1198529158

Merry Christmas.

That won't work at all. Fluorescent bulbs need a low-voltage AC transformer or ballast. Do NOT hook it up directly to AC.

The key here is heat: make certain that it isn't enclosed and on for any significant period of time. I believe you're suggesting just wiring the light bulb like a standard lamp, with a lead on one end of the bulb and the other on the other side. This should work fine. 22 gauge wire seems a little th...

Hello, I'm slowly getting to the dullcote stage, and I would like to clarify a few things. 1) Is Testor's dullcote the way to go, or is there something better? 2) Do you apply a thick coat, or just mist it on? Regarding point 2, in the past, when I did it thick, it yellowed in some areas, and when I...

redfinger wrote:Additionally, when I decal covers a panel line, how do you handle the weathering of said panel line?

If use use a decal setting solution, the decal will follow the panel line perfectly and you should not have any difficulty weathering it.

You might want to Try Mr. Hobby's Mr. Surfacer 500 or 1000. It should fill them in nicely and give you a good finish.

Krylon is great stuff. Truly fantastic paint. I use it all the time, but I have a few tips for you. The primer needs a week to really dry properly. Once it does, it is one of the best primers ever. But it does take its time on plastics. Secondly, as of last year, Krylon has its new line of H2O paint...

Seeping is really easy to solve. When applying the tape, just use your fingernail to really make it stick around the edges of the window.

The Scotch matte stuff makes it really easy to see if something is stuck down well.

Well, my replacement finally came in today. I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but I can definitely feel that the trigger is much, much less loose. There is always some spring action in it, which was missing in the old one.

On the bright, it is probably not a very big deal to drybrush with, say, enamels. The minute quantities that you will apply should not react with the acrylic paint.

I am still waiting for mine. Hopefully it will be soon. I do not actually need it in the near future, but I don't like having my possessions out there too long.

Assuming you don't mind the expense and haven't done it, you can use casting mold-rubber. The stuff from Alumilite is delicate enough that I can't see it doing damage. Just fill the well right up, embed a wire to ease pulling it out.

Well, you shouldn't really need to disassemble the pin part of the nozzle. I find that just running Windex through the brush for about a minute after I finish painting cleans it out sufficiently. I then just clean off any dried paint off the exterior.