filling small gaps on small models

[PeterW]

Greetings all, I am building the 1/350 Kuznetsov and was wondering what is the best way to fill some of the very small gaps associated with putting the airwing together.

All the best,

Peter.

[hawkeye3d]

CA seems to work for me, in my limited experience. WEM has a product called Zap-A-Gap which comes with a neat adapter for hitting those small places. It�s pretty free flowing so squeeze lightly.

[VinceMcCullough]

You an also use white glue like "Elmer's". I sometimes use the end of a toothpick, dipped in the glue so that there is just a small bead on the end, and draw it along the gap. It is thick enough, and has enough surface tension, to fill the gap. When it hardens, it is clear. Then you can paint over it.

Vince

[wefalck]

I would use cellulose fast-drying car-body putty from a tube. This putty can be 'diluted' using acetone, if needed. It is very smooth and can be applied to thin gaps and small holes with the tip of a scalpell. Residuals (even when dry) at the wrong place can be wiped-off with a piece of e.g. toiletpaper dampened in acetone.

wefalck

[Cliffy B]

You an also use white glue like "Elmer's". I sometimes use the end of a toothpick, dipped in the glue so that there is just a small bead on the end, and draw it along the gap. It is thick enough, and has enough surface tension, to fill the gap. When it hardens, it is clear. Then you can paint over it.

Vince

I've used Elmer's before as well and while it does fill in the gap and take paint (acrylics) well, do not, I repeat DO NOT try and sand it after it has dried!!!!! It will flake off and have a high chance of pulling the entire glue plug out leaving you to do it all over again.

I've switched to Elmer's water based wood putty and haven't looked back since. It comes in a tube and a tub (limited colors) and can be found at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc... it comes out white and and can be thinned a bit to allow for ease of application with water. When it dries (in a few hours but leave it overnight to be safe) its rock hard and takes sanding and paint VERY well. I use a very small x-acto knife with a blade about 2mm wide as a mini putty knife to apply it and can get into all sorts of tiny places. I usually slather it on with some extra to ensure full coverage. Once its dried I take q-tips (cotton buds) dipped in isoprophyl alcohol (70%) and the excess wipes away with a small amount of pressure. It won't damage plastic or resin!

Hope that helps,
-Mike

[Admhawk]

I'm not sure what shape the gaps are, but I prefer to fill as much as possible with styrene. Evergreen sells many small shapes that can trimmed to fit most gaps, and rods that will fit into holes drilled into gaps to make them round. Trim off excess and sand, never see the repair.

[veliko_pile]

If you have small cracks, or bad fit gaps use Mr.Sufracer http://www.swannysmodels.com/images/Surfacer/cover.jpg, it will dry fast, and than you can sand it, or if it's a tricky part of the model, you can remove the excess by using Acetone (use only the Free of acetone nail polish) , Acetone on oil base should work as well.

Start looking at 7:30 minute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szAAbrC46yo&feature=plcp

You will see how this guy use the mr surfacer

[RichardP]

I'd second the use of Mr Surfacer (500) as you can with apply it from the jar with a brush, needle or other pointed object, or thin it with lacquer thinner such that it runs into gaps. Once dried, it is very easy to cut or scrape off larger excess or sand it smooth without pulling it out of the gap which can happen with other filling mewhich, which can happen if the filler sticks to itself better than the model.

[wefalck]

... by using Acetone (use only the Free of acetone nail polish) , Acetone on oil base should work as well.

What's this ? Acetone is acetone, i.e. (CH3)2CO. There is no such thing as 'acetone on oil basis'.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

wefalck

[veliko_pile]

hmm, I'm from Croatia, I don't know how do you call it there.

You have to find an "Acetone free" Polish removal like this for example:

http://www.semichem.co.uk/images/product/large/1563.jpg

The acetone based one are too strong and will "melt" the plastic the second you put a drop on the model.

I bought an "Acetone free" polish removal, here it says on the cover that is oil-based so it's more gently for the nails and fingers.

Sorry for the misunderstanding

[PeterW]

Thank you for all of the replys, some of the products mentioned I do not believe are available here in the Uk but it is nice to know how other people do it.

All the best,

Peter.

[davidwaples]

I've used all of these methods described depending on the situation. But my favorite method listed above is to use some evergreen plastic during construction so that you eliminate the gap by filling with the correct size of plastic. This is best done before assembly but in some cases can be slipped in afterwards.

I got a very good tip from the Scale Modeling Now web site. They demonstrated the use of a "Pint Point Bottle Kit" purchased in the UK which is a small plastic bottle with precision applicator points. Rather than fill up the bottle with white glue, they put just a small amount in the cap and use the air pressure from the bottle to push the glue through the tiny applicator and into the crack. They ran a bead of the white glue through the crack in the demonstration and it worked very well. You can further smooth out the joint using a wet brush since white blue is water based. It's really a miniature calking technique.

Good luck
Dave

[MareNostrum]

Cliffy B- Is this the Elmer's product you were referring to? I went to their site and searched for "water based putty" but didn't come up with anything, instead looking in their "sealants & compounds" section came up with this, in both tube and tub form...

[Cliffy B]

Yes that is it! Only catch is you if you want "white" you have to buy the tube instead of the tub as it only comes in "wood" color. You get more for your money with the tub but unless you're building a large kit that fits together likes it been in earthquake one tube will last a long time. I've used one tube on about 10 different 1/700 kits and its barely half empty if that! Just make sure you kneed the tube at the store before you buy it to ensure that its still pliable. I failed to do that with my first tube and it turned out to have a minute leak in it that wound up hardening the stuff. Took it back to Home Depot and got a free one Also make sure you put the cap on tightly or else you'll get a brick at the end.

On the front of the tube it states "Easy water clean-up, Solvent free." The stuff if made in the USA too so that's always a perk

[MareNostrum]

Many thanks, just wanted to be sure I'd be getting the right stuff, and thanks also for other tips. Off to the store I go!

[Stefano Salesi]

for very small gaps you can use non thinned paint, i use acryl but enamel can do the trick too...