What Putty or Fillers to Use

[Chevy II]

What putty/fillers are some of you using? I see some pictures showing a redish putty that's being used. I have been using Tamiya putty, but if you sand it to thin it flakes off.

[yh70]

i been using Bondo Glazing & Spot putty since back in the 80's . apply in thin coats. dries fast and easy to sand..you can get at Walmart or any auto parts..im sure any big outlets that sells paint will have it also..try it i think you will like it..

[Ace-Garageguy]

46 minutes ago, Chevy II said:

... I have been using Tamiya putty, but if you sand it to thin it flakes off.

If you're using it right, that should not happen.

The surface you're applying it over has to be CLEAN, DRY, and well sanded...no gloss.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Bondo product shown above is just another one-part lacquer putty, pretty similar to the Tamiya stuff, but not as fine-grained.

It is ONLY good for relatively thin surfacing and pinhole work.

EDIT: Can you use the one-part stuff for heavy fills and major restyling? Yes, people have been using it forever. BUT...it can only be used successfully in heavy work if you apply thin coats, let each one dry thoroughly, sand smooth, and repeat until you have the shape you want. Obsolete tech, slow, prone to cracking if you rush it, and in my opinion, a royal PITA.

For anything heavy, you really need a TWO-PART catalyzed product that cures chemically instead of drying by evaporation of solvents.

One good choice is Bondo PROFESSIONAL Glazing and Spot Putty, #801

It comes with its own little tube of catalyst, and is available at most car-parts stores in modeler-friendly small packages.

There is a short learning curve, but the possible results are worth the effort (see the reference thread below).

EDIT: To see what you can do with it, start at page two of this thread:

 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

[cobraman]

I use the Tamiya for my projects. Used to use Squadron but found the Tamiya better for the limited amount I normally use. I think I may have to try the spot putty Bill mentioned .

[espo]

I have used the Tamiya putty for years and never experienced the problems you mention. In addition to Bill's information could it be the putty wasn't fully dried before you started sanding. One of the reasons I have stayed with the Tamiya product is that some of the other Bondo type products tend to be harder and require more aggrieve sanding at the expense of the surrounding plastic. 

[Dpate]

I use sprue goo, Tamiya white putty, and Mr hobby putty in a jar.  

[R. Thorne]

If you don’t want shrinkage, the 801 Bondo (or similar 2 part filler), is the answer.  Yes, it has a drawback of harder sanding, but you don’t have to apply it over and over again as you do with almost everything else.

[NOBLNG]

This is Milliput Fine. You can put it on as thick as you want to, and it sands very nicely! It is a two part putty, and depending on how thick you want to go it may work better. There is also Tamiya Epoxy which is similar, or JB Weld. I believe the regular JB stuff cures harder than the 5 minute variety, but I have not used it personally.

Edited January 4, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Ace-Garageguy]

14 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

This is Milliput Fine, and it sands very nicely! It is a two part putty, and depending on how thick you want to go it may work better. There is also Tamiya Epoxy which is similar, or JB Weld. I believe the JB slow cure stuff sets better than the 5 minute variety, but I have not used it personally.

Yes, the epoxies are generally excellent if used correctly, and will definitely adhere to diecast better than the polyester 2-part materials.

For something a little more exotic, people can consider epoxy mixed with microballoon. We use it for light and strong filler on real airplanes.

I prefer the West 105 epoxy, but any decent slow-curing epoxy should work (I'd advise against the 5-minute stuff, unless you experiment first and test its adhesion in thin sections).

I used a West 105/microballoon mix on this build, and was VERY happy with the results:

EDIT: Scroll to page 6 of the thread below for the final result, one of the very few models I've actually finished (at least to the curbside stage )

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[NOBLNG]

44 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

……..one of the very few models I've actually finished (at least to the curbside stage )

Hey Bill, this would be a good candidate for showing us how that filler works!? There are a few of your old threads I’ve dug up while researching stuff that I would really enjoy seeing finished….or at least to primer stage.?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by NOBLNG

[cobraman]

Bill has a lot of cool stuff in progress in one stage or another. I would love to see some cross the finish line.

[Painted Black]

I use this, 2 part stuff.

[1972coronet]

I used Tamiya putty --white and grey-- and have had zero issues with it. Now , when I first used it , I found it would 'lift' or 'flake' around the edges regardless of setup time. Then I tried it over a coat of different non filler-type ('Sandable' et al.) primers, and the lifting / flaking ceased to materialise. 

All of the problems I'd encountered with Tamiya's putties were when I applied them over bare plastic (at least in broader / wider applications... a little bit of bare plastic's not going to be affected -- at least in my experiences) .

May be worth a try. Experiment on scrap styrene.

[Mr. Metallic]

I use 2 different items depending on the application.

Tamiya for fine finish work right before paint, and very minor imperfections caused by sanding. i always wait at least overnight before sanding Tamiya filler to allow for any shrinking and a full cure.

For everything else, especially heavy customization I use Dolphin Glaze (I know, weird name) It is also an automotive grade 2 part filler, and sands at the same rate as the surrounding plastic. I've been using it for quite a few years now, with no apparent issues showing up on long completed projects. It comes in a pouch, instead of a can like many other auto grade catalyzed fillers, so it lasts a long time because it's not exposed to air within the can.

[Ace-Garageguy]

^^^   Good stuff...both the advice and the Dolphin Glaze.

Edited February 23, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Red96]

This product is very finely ground, stable, and sands quite nicely.  

 

Shown is the 30 oz. "Pump-tainer".  They also sell in a 16oz pouch.  Available online.  3M makes a simular product, but Evercoat's sands more easily IMO.

 

Sorry about the pic size - still figuring out pics here.

 

[ACR-E Doug]

Ever Coat works great for larger areas

[Ace-Garageguy]

24 minutes ago, ACR-E Doug said:

Ever Coat works great for larger areas

It's good stuff, but as we've discussed here at length previously, unless you do a LOT of model building, or are in the real-car body business and have access to small amounts as necessary (like me), it will dry out in the container and get hard to use long before it's used up.

[EngineerBob]

Evercoat does have a small 3oz tube of two-part glazing putty which works great on models and lasts a long time. Inexpensive and easy to get at most autoparts stores, too.

[Mark]

Is the Evercoat catalyst blue?  I just cracked open another tube of the Bondo two-part filler, otherwise I'd be all over the Evercoat product...

[rightrudder]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:18 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yes, the epoxies are generally excellent if used correctly, and will definitely adhere to diecast better than the polyester 2-part materials.

For something a little more exotic, people can consider epoxy mixed with microballoon. We use it for light and strong filler on real airplanes.

I prefer the West 105 epoxy, but any decent slow-curing epoxy should work (I'd advise against the 5-minute stuff, unless you experiment first and test its adhesion in thin sections).

I used a West 105/microballoon mix on this build, and was VERY happy with the results:

EDIT: Scroll to page 6 of the thread below for the final result, one of the very few models I've actually finished (at least to the curbside stage )

 

Bill, I'm a big fan of both microballoons and West Systems epoxy. I used quite a bit building an Experimental aircraft (Van's RV-9A) but have yet to use it on a model. It sands so easily, like chalk. Hard at first to get the right consistency for "dry micro" and those tiny spheres blow all over the place before you mix in the epoxy, but it's another great arrow in the quiver.

OT, but do you work with composite aircraft? My use of the stuff was limited to the cowling and wheel pant intersection fairings, stuff like that.

Beautiful Challenger One!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, rightrudder said:

...OT, but do you work with composite aircraft?              Yes (not lately); I'd been doing automotive composites for many years previously, started repairing sailplanes with a shop here a few decades back, moved into general aviation...mostly Cirrus heavy structural stuff; did a lot of work on a racing Lancair build (getting the airfoils symmetrical and matching the blueprints, general fairing), other custom work on some other kitplanes. Learned one helluva lot working on aircraft, bring a lot of it back to the hot-rod biz now (and models).

Beautiful Challenger One!!            Thank you, sir.   

EDIT: I spent a some time with a gram scale developing just the right repeatable mix of West and micro; don't know where the notes are, but they're sure to surface during packing to finish moving.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Pete J.]

14 hours ago, Red96 said:

This product is very finely ground, stable, and sands quite nicely.  

 

Shown is the 30 oz. "Pump-tainer".  They also sell in a 16oz pouch.  Available online.  3M makes a simular product, but Evercoat's sands more easily IMO.

 

Sorry about the pic size - still figuring out pics here.

 

 

9 hours ago, EngineerBob said:

Evercoat does have a small 3oz tube of two-part glazing putty which works great on models and lasts a long time. Inexpensive and easy to get at most autoparts stores, too.

Yup, the big container is the stuff I use.  All of the tube type modeling putties seem to dry out pretty quick once the tube is opened.  I wasn't aware of the small tube but I will have to find one.  I buy the pint size and it literally lasts me for years.  Bill, not sure how you have a problem with it drying out.  The worst problem I have had is that the container will get brittle and crack several years after you get it.  I like it because I can thin it with acetone and that makes it lay down very thin and it sticks like ugly on a gorilla. 

I also like the fact that you can sand it within an hour of application.  I have had occasionally turn out a little porous.  When that happens I just soak it with a little superthin CA and it seals it nicely.  

[EngineerBob]

22 hours ago, Mark said:

Is the Evercoat catalyst blue?  I just cracked open another tube of the Bondo two-part filler, otherwise I'd be all over the Evercoat product...

Yes, the Evercoat catalyst is blue (and the putty is a cream color) that results in a pale blue hardened filler. For what it's worth if you have leftover Bondo, I haven't specifically tried Evercoat putty with Bondo catalyst but in years past I successfully mixed other brands.