Filling very narrow join?
- Thread starter Birdie
- Start date
Two ideas,
1) A user a while ago suggested elmer's wood putty. It sands very easily and is water soluble while wet so excess could easily be wiped away with a damp rag
2) Much, if not all, of the sanding can be avoided by placing masking tape on either side of the gap as close to the edge of your plastic plates as possible. Use the minimum amount of whatever putty you choose, then wipe away any excess gently with the appropriate lightly solvent-dampened rag.
This is especially appropriate for filling between already painted surfaces, because the tape will protect the surface. If any putty remains on the tape, gently remove it before the putty cures, then remask the adjoining area after the putty has dried and gently sand if needed. I was just doing this myself a day or two ago.
RGP
1) A user a while ago suggested elmer's wood putty. It sands very easily and is water soluble while wet so excess could easily be wiped away with a damp rag
2) Much, if not all, of the sanding can be avoided by placing masking tape on either side of the gap as close to the edge of your plastic plates as possible. Use the minimum amount of whatever putty you choose, then wipe away any excess gently with the appropriate lightly solvent-dampened rag.
This is especially appropriate for filling between already painted surfaces, because the tape will protect the surface. If any putty remains on the tape, gently remove it before the putty cures, then remask the adjoining area after the putty has dried and gently sand if needed. I was just doing this myself a day or two ago.
RGP
Gigatron
Sr Member
Hey Simon,
How big of narrow gap are we talking and what type of plastic are the two surrounding plates made from?
You could make a bit of plastic slurry from scrap styrene and liquid cement (styrene solvent). Take some scrap styrene and disolve it with the solvent, then work it into the gap (you should put tape on either side of the gap, regardless of which method you use). Since the styrene is plastic, it will have the same characteristics as the surrounding plastic and can be carved, shaped or sanded the exact same way. Plus, there's no shrinkage.
Next, I would try autobody spot glazing putty (basically, bondo in the tube). It dries fast and sands easily. There'll be very minor shrinkage, but work in thin layers and you'll be fine.
You can still use superglue (cyanoacrylate), but it has to be sanded within an hour. After that, it sets up like diamond.
-Fred
Darth Lars
Master Member
That's excellent. I have used mostly scrap styrene dissolved in acetone. That shrinks.
If you pour superglue into the gap and then add baking soda, the glue will crystallize fast and expand. I think the biggest downside with superglue is that it is too hard and therefore brittle, when combined with materials that are somewhat flexible, like sheet metal and plastics.
In any case, use glazing putty over the seams, because just your result with slurry or superglue will be far from perfect.
People who have fixed up their "UK Exclusive" Stormtrooper helmets from Master Replicas have often used clear silicone instead of a filler. It just hides the gap, somewhat.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Is this a repair? If so,
Get some liquid latex and make a texture stamp using a plate. Then fill the joint with some putty and while it is still wet, press the stamp into it to replicate the texture.
I use magic sculp which is a 2-part epoxy putty that smooths like glass with a swipe of a wet finger.
Get some liquid latex and make a texture stamp using a plate. Then fill the joint with some putty and while it is still wet, press the stamp into it to replicate the texture.
I use magic sculp which is a 2-part epoxy putty that smooths like glass with a swipe of a wet finger.
and I just used it...An excellent tip!
Similar threads
