A couple of questions about Mr surfacer 1200

[Guest]

Not sure if these have been asked before but I will ask anyway.

Is this product enamel based? can it be used as an undercoat with acrylics?

I have not used it before as I tend to stick to what I know but thought I would give it a go.

While I am on about using other products has anyone or does anyone use the flory range of weathering products if so what are they like. I ask because as above I want to try new ways of doing kits. While at Telford I splurged out on a set of weathering pots from flory's.

[Guest]

Terry. Mr Surfacer is lacquer based. When dry it will take enamels & acrylics.

For me it is a very fine filler. Tried as small test piece as a primer but did not like it. It goes off so quickly & getting a smooth finish seemed difficult. But others must use it. I prefer using an airbrushed acrylic primer.

On the thickness of Mr Surfacer I mostly use the 500 as a filler building up in layers. Sometimes use the 1000 for finer bits. Great thing I have found with Mr Surfacer it sands at the same rate of hardness/softness as the model plastic & you do not get a ridge between the two. Found it is not good with acrylics ie a filler over acrylic primer (Vallejo) unless the acrylics are really cured. Also Mr Surfacer is harder than the acrylic paint. I use an old stubby brush to apply the stuff. APA I use for cleaning & smoothing the surface of Mr Surfacer. Great product I find as a filler. Brilliant on seams.

Flory stuff is OK. But went to Vallejo washes which I found much better. I found FLory being water bound had to much surface tension. Vallejo washes do not. But this is personal preference I tried a sample before investing.

Laurie

[Guest]

Thanks Laurie I will give it a go and see what happens.

[Guest]

Terry. Mr Surfacer is lacquer based. When dry it will take enamels & acrylics.For me it is a very fine filler. Tried as small test piece as a primer but did not like it. It goes off so quickly & getting a smooth finish seemed difficult. But others must use it. I prefer using an airbrushed acrylic primer.

On the thickness of Mr Surfacer I mostly use the 500 as a filler building up in layers. Sometimes use the 1000 for finer bits. Great thing I have found with Mr Surfacer it sands at the same rate of hardness/softness as the model plastic & you do not get a ridge between the two. Found it is not good with acrylics ie a filler over acrylic primer (Vallejo) unless the acrylics are really cured. Also Mr Surfacer is harder than the acrylic paint. I use an old stubby brush to apply the stuff. APA I use for cleaning & smoothing the surface of Mr Surfacer. Great product I find as a filler. Brilliant on seams.

Flory stuff is OK. But went to Vallejo washes which I found much better. I found FLory being water bound had to much surface tension. Vallejo washes do not. But this is personal preference I tried a sample before investing.

Laurie

How long would you recomend leaving it for once applied and does it affect clear parts?

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I use Mr Surfacer 500 and 1200, I tend to use it for wing to body gaps, I apply it and leave it 5 mins the use a cotton bud soaked in Iso to wipe any excess away. Never used it near clear parts so cant comment as to how it reacts with it.

Adrian

[Guest]

Cheers Adrian

[Dave W]

I use Mr Surfacer 500 and 1200, I tend to use it for wing to body gaps, I apply it and leave it 5 mins the use a cotton bud soaked in Iso to wipe any excess away. Never used it near clear parts so cant comment as to how it reacts with it.Adrian

Good tip about the isopropanol.I will have to try that as Ive got a couple of litres in the shed

[stona]

I'd keep something lacquer based away from clear parts....but I suffer from a paranoia about fogging or otherwise b*ggering up clear bits

Laurie is correct about surface tension in Flory's washes but a couple of drops of washing up liquid, added to the bottle, will sort that.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I'd keep something lacquer based away from clear parts....but I suffer from a paranoia about fogging or otherwise b*ggering up clear bits Laurie is correct about surface tension in Flory's washes but a couple of drops of washing up liquid, added to the bottle, will sort that.

Cheers

Steve

Cheers steve I will try the washing liquid tip. I have tried dipping a piece of clear sprue in the surfacer and it hasn't affected it so I am going IN and trying it fingers crossed it stays that way

[Guest]

Good tip about the isopropanol.I will have to try that as Ive got a couple of litres in the shed

I read somewhere that the wiping of anything using Isopropanol (with a cotton bud for instance) needs to stop before the iso evaporates, otherwise the filler or whatever will drag and a rough surface will result. I found that to be true. You can always repeat the procedure.

[Guest]

How long would you recomend leaving it for once applied and does it affect clear parts?

On fuselage joints which I would not want to be more than the width of the back of a Morton blade I put a thinnish coat on. This will then wick a bit into the joint. Then probably after 10 minutes another coat building up until I have just more than covered the top of the joint. before sanding I would probably leave for 12 hours. This is using 500. Hardly used the 1000 & 1200. One thing you do get is a very smooth transition between plastic & filler best I have achieved with all the fillers I have used.

Laurie

[aaron]

Great thread im interested in getting some mr surfacer too...i love mr putty but i want some texture.

[Guest]

I do exactly as Laurie says, and have achieved joins that are totally invisible (there is nothing like a visible join to shriek "its a model". A join can look perfect after sanding but a coat of primer often shows it, needing another fill of Mr. S and sanding.

[Guest]

ditto, great as a very fine filler and sands easily, been using flory washes for a few years and love them, i tend to put it on over a semi gloss surface and then wipe most of it off when dry, leaving the paint looking old and faded as well as worn and weathered,love the finish it gives and if you dont like it you can wash it away.

[Guest]

Yhanks for all the input guys much appreciated