Putty body filler

[James Maynard]

What is something good to use for a body filler. I need something that can make all of the fifth wheels on my semi trucks smooth and get rid of all of the dips and ridges in them. I want them to look smooth like they do on real semi trucks.

[youpey]

i like vallejo putty 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PHCNLC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Kromolly]

I'm happy with this 2-part I got at NAPA.   It sands nicely and I haven't noticed any shrinkage.  I don't have a painted, finished product yet though to monitor for long term shrinkage.  I've used Evercoat Eurosoft in the past and was very happy with that product.

[Mark]

Any two part filler should not shrink, as it cures by the chemical action of the two parts being combined. 

Many other putties are at their essence extremely unthinned primer.  Those cure by the evaporation of the small amount of solvent in them (compared to primers) so naturally those will shrink as they cure.

[Rick L]

I also like Evercoat ultra smooth glazing putty. It’s not cheap but it works well and doesn’t shrink.

[Plowboy]

I like Tamiya Gray Putty. It works well for filling.  

[Jon Cole]

On 3/20/2021 at 3:50 PM, Mark said:

Any two part filler should not shrink, as it cures by the chemical action of the two parts being combined. 

Many other putties are at their essence extremely unthinned primer.  Those cure by the evaporation of the small amount of solvent in them (compared to primers) so naturally those will shrink as they cure.

X2. A 2-part putty is the best way to go. One part filler, one part hardener. Use equal parts, NOT equal amounts. The tube of hardener is smaller then the tube of putty, so your equal parts won't look equal. 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Jon Cole

[JohnU]

4 hours ago, Jon Cole said:

X2. A 2-part putty is the best way to go. One part filler, one part hardener. Use equal parts, NOT equal amounts. The tube of hardener is smaller then the tube of putty, so your equal parts won't look equal. 

Wow! I would have gotten that confused pretty quick! Would not have expected equal parts not to be equal amounts! Thanks for the heads up! What kind of a mess would that have made?

[peteski]

It is really not that complicated.  You can clearly see that the hardener comes in a smaller size tube, so it would make no sense to dispense a full (smaller) tube of hardener, to a partial tube of putty (to get equal amounts of each).    What Jon meant was to dispense equal percentage of each tube.  So 1/3 tube of hardener and 1/3 tube of putty.

If you read the actual instructions, it gives you more info about the mixing ratio.  It is really not difficult.

[Kromolly]

For the small amount of filler I mix at a time I'm using about a dime-size dollop of putty and a pencil lead size helping of hardener.  It doesn't take much.  Like Peteski said, the hardener is in a smaller tube so you get an idea of the proportion.

[JohnU]

10 hours ago, peteski said:

It is really not that complicated.  You can clearly see that the hardener comes in a smaller size tube, so it would make no sense to dispense a full (smaller) tube of hardener, to a partial tube of putty (to get equal amounts of each).    What Jon meant was to dispense equal percentage of each tube.  So 1/3 tube of hardener and 1/3 tube of putty.

If you read the actual instructions, it gives you more info about the mixing ratio.  It is really not difficult.

Well now, percentage makes more sense and clears the confusion for me! 

[Painted Black]

On 3/20/2021 at 2:47 PM, James Maynard said:

What is something good to use for a body filler. I need something that can make all of the fifth wheels on my semi trucks smooth and get rid of all of the dips and ridges in them. I want them to look smooth like they do on real semi trucks.

Instead of putty, why not glue a piece of thin styrene to the part and then shape to match?

[Mark]

26 minutes ago, Painted Black said:

Instead of putty, why not glue a piece of thin styrene to the part and then shape to match?

I don't think anyone is promoting the use of putty to fill whopping huge holes or gaps, just smoothing the transitions from the as-manufactured part into the modified area.  

It's just the way I do things (not speaking for anyone else) but I do use styrene to fill the huge voids, then rout out slightly the area between, then use epoxy putty to smooth out the transition.  Two-part filler is used to finish the area to a greater degree.  I generally only use one-part putty for final finishing, filling ejector pin marks, and other minute flaws.

[Painted Black]

Sorry, my bad!! Didn't say anyone was "promoting putty" just offering a different solution...

Edited March 23, 2021 by Painted Black

[Painted Black]

On 3/20/2021 at 2:47 PM, James Maynard said:

. I want them to look smooth like they do on real semi trucks.

I've not seen a smooth one on real semi's, can you post an image of one? I searched and could not find any, I did see covers made for them.

[James Maynard]

They look smooth after they have the grease on them. I know they have the ridges and grooves in them under the grease. But some really old ones are worn smooth over time. I'm going to make some of my older trucks look worn and rusty.

[Mark]

43 minutes ago, Painted Black said:

Sorry, my bad!! Didn't say anyone was "promoting putty" just offering a different solution...

No problem...with me anyway, I've seldom been able to just join two parts together without having issues with the seam.  I've sometimes joined panels together at the panel line itself, but more often than not the join is somewhere that shouldn't look like there is one...for that, there is the filler.

[Painted Black]

Sounds good..