Model Filler reccomendations?

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I never even thought of PVA what a great idea. Your all right it seems each to there own, I do have the Milliput as well but found it annoying to have to mix it together each time I wanted anything filled.

So it looks like the Humbrol and Perfect Plastic putty are most popular.

Adrian

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Adrian

I personally use a variety of fillers and putty and the choice boils down to their application on the model. Humbrol, Squadron, Mr Surfacer, Milliput, Magic Sculp, CA etc, etc all have their uses.

If you're after a good all-round filler 'paste' as opposed to 'putty' then Humbrol is pretty darn good. If it's putty you're after then Fine milliput is good too.

It's worth getting to know the properties of a variety of fillers though, they all have their plus points depending on purpose.

Hope this helps

P

[The Migrant]

Some interesting posts. I've tried just about every filler there is, but personally I keep coming back to CA glue. Zapped with an accelerator it dries instantly and doesn't shrink, polishes up to a smooth hard finish much like styrene, and is completely non-porous when it comes to painting. It's not good for rescribing over, and if left to dry too long it's a beggar to sand, but other than that it's great for gap-filling.

I tried the Perfect Plastic Putty and wasn't too impressed, but reading this thread I may be using it wrongly, so I'll have another go. I did like its consistency (almost like toothpaste).

[stona]

I do like CA as a filler. The point above about sanding is very important. If you allow the glue to cure for too long it will become harder than the surrounding plastic and therefore almost impossible to sand to a flush finish with the surrounding area.

I usually sand my glue or homemade CA filler mixture very soon after it has solidified. We're talking seconds, not minutes in most cases.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

To expand on 500 Surfacer.

The very nice thing I have found is that it bonds so well with the plastic. Sanding dry until nearing level with the plastic then wet and drying to level and finish.

The best of its many advantages is that it does not break away a the fine edges as a lot of other fillers do. Neither does it form a ridge at the meeting of the filler and plastic. It does have a very similar texture and compatible hardness.

Also a great advantage. Rescribing panel lines. Having a compatible similar hardness it is so easy to replace panel lines as the join between plastic and filler does no crumble as I have found other fillers have a great tendency to do just that.

One point with Surfacer 500 do your filling before priming.

Laurie

[PaulTRose]

i use whatever i can pick up cheaply............normally ends up being squadron

did once have some Revell stuff which was really nice.....very smooth and easy to apply...not seen any of that for a long time

ca with talc in makes a super hard filler

for tiny gaps ive been known to use tippex

[BarryW]

I needed to fill the cannon holes in the wing of my Ki61 Tony and just used the Vallejo filler. I applied it in layers, squeezing it into the rather large holes. It sticks hard to the plastic and when I built up the layers slightly proud of the wing edge I used a Flory sanding stick to bring it back down to the wing.

It worked well and after applying some localised primer I identified some flaws and was able to use Mr Dissolved Putty to fill them to just sand back a bit more making a good surface that should take another black primer coat and a natural metal finish later.

I also have some of that DeLux Putty mentioned earlier and it looks and behaves exactly like the Vallejo but I find the tube nozzle a lot more convenient.

Incidentally, in my case I find that if I keep the nozzle clean and put the cap back on as soon as I have squeezed some out it does not block at all.