Good seam filling material?

Matt1982 · Post by **Matt1982** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:01 pm

Can anyone recommend a good (inexpensive) seam filling material?

Yes, I normally like to spring for the best but Im trying to make my $20 models not cost $850

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:52 pm

Automotive Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty. It's cheap, and you get WAY more than you will need. (at least at the rate I build these days).

Now, this stuff is best on small areas, as it will shrink. Best for seams, injector sink marks and the like. Also, it is "hot". It will mare the surface of the plastic almost as soon as it touches it. So, put it ONLY where you want/need it.

It will sand to a very smooth surface, and is covered well by most paints.

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:56 pm

There are lots of things, but I keep coming back to super glue or super glue and baking soda. And I also keep coming back to these super glues because they just work better than the dollar store stuff:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Glues,_adhe ... _Glue.html

I use the thick or medium by itself or I sprinkle baking soda first and then hit it with the thin stuff. It soaks in like water and sets like concrete but is very sandable.

I have some of the black as well, which works great on resin or light-colored kits because you can see where it is (and where it isn't).

I've used cheap super glue with baking soda and it works okay, but you have to do the glue first and sprinkle the soda. It's definitely not as strong that way, but it works.

-Rog

Matt1982 · Post by **Matt1982** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:14 pm

Thanks all!

Post by **TER-OR** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:21 pm

There's a whole thread about this. It really depends on what I'm trying to fill. I use 3-4 different materials, including Liquid Paper.

Glorfindel · Post by **Glorfindel** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:27 pm

TER-OR wrote:There's a whole thread about this. It really depends on what I'm trying to fill. I use 3-4 different materials, including Liquid Paper.

No sh&t, Liquid Paper? What kind of seams/gaps can you fill with that? Is it self leveling, sandable?
Man I tell you I learn something new everyday in this world.
When will the madness end?

BERT aka MODEL MAKER · Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:43 am

Great tips. Rogviler, when you use the thin stuff, how much baking soda do you put in the seam & how much super glue thin ? I have 2 seams on the new dragon saturn V that dragon left on all of the saturns second stage. the seams are thin and long say 12 inches long. the rocket is white. I also have a bottle of tamiya Liquid surface primer, I heard that stuff also can be used for some seams, I have never used the stuff before.

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:53 am

I put as much baking soda as is needed to fill the seam, and then drip on the thin super glue until it no longer soaks in. I find that with this particular brand of super glue it takes a couple seconds to cure (usually there's a small "puff" as it suddenly hardens). That gives enough time to get enough glue in there.

I've also taken their medium viscosity and mixed fine wood dust in it (usually ebony as it's what I have on hand) to create a paste. With this method it has a long open time before it sets, more like an epoxy.

-Rog

homyakchik · Post by **homyakchik** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:29 pm

If it's any comfort, I've been using the same tube of Red Auto Body Putty for years now (Johnnycrash wasn't kidding when he said you get way more than you need), and to date I have yet to have it mar any styrene or plastic that I apply it to, whether I put it down 'raw' or thin it to nearly-paintlike consistency. That includes 'painting' a brick-surfaced sub hull with the stuff just to sand away the bricky pattern. Dunno. I may've just gotten a better tube of the stuff. And it is great stuff; for my money better than the other hobby putties.

I wonder if this superglue-and-baking-soda trick may not be what I need for my own problem child, though. Hmmm.

Davey

Go Flight · Post by **Go Flight** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:56 pm

Aves .

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:05 pm

Glorfindel wrote:
TER-OR wrote:There's a whole thread about this. It really depends on what I'm trying to fill. I use 3-4 different materials, including Liquid Paper.
No sh&t, Liquid Paper? What kind of seams/gaps can you fill with that? Is it self leveling, sandable?
Man I tell you I learn something new everyday in this world.
When will the madness end?

Mostly I use it for light scratches and gouges. It works surprisingly well.

TimeScape · Post by **TimeScape** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:20 pm

Like Ter-or I use a number of techniques. Bondo spot & glaze, CA+, Aves, Liquid Paper, Mr. Surfacer and for really bad gaps, plastic strip doused in liquid cement. Of course the last one is usually on really badly fitted models requiring redoing of surface details.