Good filler recommendation

Rook

Active Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Hi all!

Just beginning to dip my toe into into prop fabrication by starting my budget R2-D2 build and I have in my possession a resin radar eye (one of the few pieces I am choosing not to build from scratch). The only problem is it has a pretty good scratch on it as shown here:
image.jpg

Now I was just gonna sand it out but despite appearances it is fairly deep and since the R2 eye is pretty much a focal point I don't want it looking uneven or wonky. Does anyone have any recommendations on a good type of durable filler, or a specific brand that would be helpful for this nick? Thanks!
 
Something that small you can use spot putty.

Yeah, thinking about getting some bondo just to have, I feel like my leg construction may use it quite a bit. A quick amazon search for spot putty yielded MANY results. Any brand or specific type you recommend or are they all pretty much the same? Bondo makes a few I see.
 
I see some small bubbles there also, but since resin is slightly translucent so it is difficult to see which ones have broken the surface.
First always wash resin-casts with dishwashing fluid. Then give it a light coat of primer - only to make the imperfections more visible before you start filling. Fillers will often also adhere better to primer than directly to resin.

I would fill larger gaps with Milliput or some other "epoxy putty". You could make the surface smooth with water so you wouldn't have to sand away so much.
Epoxy putty also does not smell sharply as Bondo, and has much longer working time.
 
For lite damage bondo is too heavy and course.

Use blade putty or spot putty. It's single pack as opposed to Bondo's two pack.

If the scratch/damage is very lite, score and/or key the surface to enable the putty to adhere better.

The radar eye is actually not that hard to scratch build, compared to other parts like the power couplers.
 
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I use the stuff , they repair wooden/resin stair steps with, works like a charm, two component tubes, I always test it first , use a hammer to test the durability.I'm always looking for alternative solutions.I don't like the normal Fiberglass filler, to weak.
 
for bondo i have been recommended NOT to use the generic 3m bondo

bondo-glass-fiberglass-reinforced-filler-272.jpg

these are at your local auto parts store, walmarts, home depo and lowes...

instead use a more professional filler, Ever coat has a brand called " rage pro gold" which everyone in the R2 club loves

ever coat also has another product called "glaze-it" that is more for small fill jobs and is a 2 part product
 
I would recommend

Polyester Glazing Putty.jpg

or

GlazeCoat.jpg

Or if you want to go the cheap route, you can always make your own filler with CA and baking soda.
Like halliwax says, I would recommend Evercoat over Bondo brand. Bondo will work, but Evercoat is a much better product.
 
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There's a filler called Sonus Matter.
Its marketed towards car audio installers.
I'm telling you, once you've used it, you'll never go back to anything else.
Yes, it's that great to work with.
I recommend all of you look into it.
 
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