Filler for cavities

Digger1 · Post by **Digger1** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:08 pm

No, not for the human tooth model

What should someone use to fill the hollow cavity in models when construction is about to be completed so that it gives a little weight to the model, provdes rigidity and makes it sound less hollow when handled?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:19 pm

i use either Hobbico's Hobbylite Filler or Westco's Magic-Smooth depending. The Hobbylite is extremely light filler, great for lightweight work. The Magic-Smooth is a 2 part epoxy, gets really hard and lends some weight.

Digger1 · Post by **Digger1** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:45 pm

Is that for something small? I was thinking of filling a large cavity like the insides of a runabout or the Enterprise-D or PL refit.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:48 pm

Hmmm, sounds like you need something that'll pour. Not sure, other than resin, what to use.

TrekFX · Post by **TrekFX** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:24 pm

Craft stores have a two-part "foaming" material. Hardware stores have canned foam sealants like Great Stuff et al.

woozle · Post by **woozle** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:27 pm

Make sure that the area your going to fill is completely clean. For that, you'll want to do a cavity search....

Digger1 · Post by **Digger1** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:36 pm

d'oh!

What'd I do with my rubber gloves and KY?

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:54 pm

Repeat after me:
Epoxy putty is your freind.

Apply as little or as much as you need.

Digger1 · Post by **Digger1** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:15 pm

Enough to fill the interior of a runabout???

Are you serious?

Would be kinda heavy...

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:58 pm

Some of those hardware expanding foams can do ugly things to styrene from deforming/damaging the plastic to splitting seams.

The foam is not easy to remove once expanded, either.

Pat Amaral · Post by **Pat Amaral** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:07 am

TER-OR wrote:Repeat after me:
Epoxy putty is your freind.

Apply as little or as much as you need.

Babaganoosh wrote:Enough to fill the interior of a runabout???

Are you serious?

Would be kinda heavy... Think

You won't have to fill it.

I would use the Aves Apoxy Sculpt for this.

Combine the two components to make a good sized wad of the stuff - say the size of your fist maybe. Roll it out with a rolling pin or similar instrument of destruction until it's about 1/8" or maybe a little thicker. Pancake the resulting putty pie into the inside surface of your model and let cure.

Make sure you have enough material to cover what you want covered on the inside of the kit to a depth of about 1/8". You shouldn't have to go any thicker and you may be able to make it even thinner but if you want rigidity AND weight, add enough material until satisfied.

Shinnentai · Post by **Shinnentai** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 3:24 am

macfrank wrote:Some of those hardware expanding foams can do ugly things to styrene from deforming/damaging the plastic to splitting seams.

The foam is not easy to remove once expanded, either.

That hardware stuff in the aerosol can is crap to use. Check out your local RC oriented hobby place for the two part liquid expanding foam. All your worries about voids, split seams, and deformation will melt away. Cheaper too.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:57 am

What about plaster?

Kenny

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 1:00 pm

There are also two part epoxies that foam up nicely. Can be carved, but only used a little bit at a time--it'd split a seam without thinking about it.

I know one source is at www.publicmissiles.com

Dan

Macdaddy4738 · Post by **Macdaddy4738** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 1:34 pm

try clay? Playdough might work lol

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:07 pm

One thing about clay, especially the oil-based ones is that after time, they weep out the oil. Could cause problems, unless you are modeling an old Chrysler...

Dan

Post by **TER-OR** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:13 pm

I can say there are clays out there which will destroy styrene.

Digger1 · Post by **Digger1** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:20 pm

So far, my best bet seems to be the expandable foam, the two-part stuff. Just mix and pour into the body halves, I guess. Once cured, trim so that the halves will fit.

Or some kind of light polyester resin to just fill the halves part way and let cure.