discussion What do YOU apply filler with,??

[BattleshipBob]

Silly question time, StuG"s never needed filler. But Nachi does!

So as the title says, what's best to apply filler!

I use Deluxe materials and a cocktail stick at the moment, but need to apply it better??

 

[Jim R]

If that Deluxe Material filler is the white stuff which cleans up with water I use a damp brush. Rinse it off in a pot of water and take the excess water off on a paper towel. You can apply the filler and do a fair bit of clean up in one go.

 

[BattleshipBob]

If that Deluxe Material filler is the white stuff which cleans up with water I use a damp brush. Rinse it off in a pot of water and take the excess water off on a paper towel. You can apply the filler and do a fair bit of clean up in one go.

That's the stuff Jim, will try that tomorrow. Ta very much

 

[Guest]

I have a bunch of dental/sculpting tools, of which there are a few I use a lot to apply filler with. I don’t have exactly these (because I bought them all separately over many years), but they will serve to illustrate:

Most of the time, I use ones similar to the SB, SJ and SL types.

 

[BattleshipBob]

I have a bunch of dental/sculpting tools, of which there are a few I use a lot to apply filler with. I don’t have exactly these (because I bought them all separately over many years), but they will serve to illustrate:

Most of the time, I use ones similar to the SB, SJ and SL types.

Thanks Jakko, appreciated

 

[PaulTRose]

I bought a long handle trowl thingy that is for painting with oils..the trowl bit is diamond shaped like a brick laying trowl but its only about an inch long.....got it in hobby craft for about 3 quid

 

[BattleshipBob]

I bought a long handle trowl thingy that is for painting with oils..the trowl bit is diamond shaped like a brick laying trowl but its only about an inch long.....got it in hobby craft for about 3 quid

Thanks Paul!

 

[Andy T]

I generally use offcuts of plasticard. If I haven't got one exactly the right size or shape it's easy enough to trim to suit.

 

[Guest]

I have a bunch of dental/sculpting tools, of which there are a few I use a lot to apply filler with. I don’t have exactly these (because I bought them all separately over many years), but they will serve to illustrate:

Most of the time, I use ones similar to the SB, SJ and SL types.

Do you offer dental work as well ?

 

[Guest]

I use a tooth pick , and a metal one as Jakko's post SF. With the deluxe filler a damp cotton swab to clean the surrounding area is helpful Bob.

 

[boatman]

WELL I USE a lolly pop stick if a lot of filler but then a small flat screw driver if in a tight space

 

[minitnkr]

Xacto chisel blade or wet finger.

 

[Tim Marlow]

For ninety odd percent of my filling work I use an old Xacto knife with number ten curved blade. This type of handle……

With this blade…….


I’ve sanded the sharp bit smooth so it’s unable to cut into the model.


I also use a small spatula like this for filler where needed. It’s also great for mixing paint in the cup of my airbrush, for ladling out weathering pigments and powders, and many odds and sods tasks.
Lastly, for larger application on groundwork and such I use a small artists palette knife like this. I picked it up for a pound at a boot sale….


Anything bigger I have a bricklayers trowel LOL….

 

[PaulinKendal]

Use my finger, mainly, especially for initial application. I also use other tools already mentioned above, especially those dentists tools and cocktail sticks, of course - where would we be without them?

But I also use silicone rubber shaping 'brushes', like these:

which are great for applying filler, pushing it into cracks, and smoothing over. I've just discovered, but not yet tried, a trick to improve their performance by smearing them with Nivea (I guessing any similar lotion would work - I'll be trying it with E45).

 

[Guest]

If that Deluxe Material filler is the white stuff which cleans up with water I use a damp brush. Rinse it off in a pot of water and take the excess water off on a paper towel. You can apply the filler and do a fair bit of clean up in one go.

What Jim said...

 

[Guest]

All of the above Bob, I usually grab what is at hand and use that.

 

[Guest]

All of the above Bob, I usually grab what is at hand and use that.

Wibble using a Basset dog for filling is not recommended .

 

[zuludog]

A # 15 scalpel blade mounted in an old paintbrush handle or a few assorted dentist's tools

 

[Guest]

Sitting in my hobby room just now, I thought I’d take a picture of the sculpting/dental tools I actually use:

View attachment 516283

In rough order of how much I use them, from top to bottom.

The top one has one rounded and one pointed “blade”, and because they’re at an angle to the shaft, it’s easy to apply filler in small or tight areas with it. Of the second one, I mostly use the blade on the right, for smearing putty into or over larger areas. The third one is useful for spots that the angled blades of the top one are hard to get into, but I rarely use the wide end (which is flat on the visible side but slightly convex on the other, BTW). The bottom one is handy for getting filler into corners and other angled joints, because the blades come to a sharp point but their edges are straight.

And all of the ones I own:

View attachment 516284

Sixth from top looks very similar to the one at the very top, but it has two rounded blades rather than one rounded and one pointed, and one of the blades is at 90° to the other one. I don’t find it as easy to use as the top one, though, so I hardly ever do.

All of these cost me at most a few euros each, and many come in handy for all kinds of things, especially the pointed and hooked ones. I would recommend buying a few with shapes you think you might use if you come across them somewhere.

 

[Dave Ward]

Wooden lolly stick - trimmed to size & shape - Poundland special - big bag for a £1 - useful for all manner of things ( trim to shape, CA emery paper - bespoke file )
Dave