 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General ModelsRailroadsRocketsRadio Controlled Air ModelsHelicoptersLand ModelsWater ModelsModelGeeks.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / September 2009Your Favorite Putty?
I hate kits. I have some flat spots on the turtle deck of the Nobler, in the "precision formed" balsa top deck attached to the "precision die cut" formers. What's your favorite putty? The thing's going to use up the last of my Econocoat, which is a low-temperature (and cheap!) version of Monocoat that TopFlight used to sell. I want something that'll stick to balsa, isn't too heavy, and is easy to sand. Compatibility with both iron-on and silkspan is a plus, in case I get all nostalgic and cover it the old fashioned way.  Signaturewww.wescottdesign.com >I hate kits. Some are more satisfying than others. ;o) >I have some flat spots on the turtle deck of the Nobler, in the >"precision formed" balsa top deck attached to the "precision die cut" >formers. >What's your favorite putty? The thing's going to use up the last of my >Econocoat, which is a low-temperature (and cheap!) version of Monocoat >that TopFlight used to sell. I want something that'll stick to balsa, >isn't too heavy, and is easy to sand. Compatibility with both iron-on >and silkspan is a plus, in case I get all nostalgic and cover it the old >fashioned way. I would go with Bondo. It sets up quick and sands beautifully. It's probably heavy. But unless you're planning to fill huge deep gouges, you shouldn't notice the difference. If you have huge deep gouges, cut off the whole turtle deck and make your own from scratch, using the techniques that you like best. That'll teach those kit makers! At the other end of the spectrum is some featherweight spackle. I don't know the name of it. One container lasted me for years and years. I found it in the hardware store and imagine I could find it again--or something like it. I used it on small dings and nicks, not for great big patches that would take a lot of filler and a lot of sanding to blend the patch into the pre-existing lines of the wood work. You can tell you've found the featherweight spackle by lifting up the container. It feels empty when you buy it. I've also used a lot of Plastic Wood. The new water-based stuff is pretty nice. It would fall between the Bondo and the spackle. Let us know what you decide to do and tell us how it worked out. Marty SignatureBig-8 newsgroups: humanities.*, misc.*, news.*, rec.*, sci.*, soc.*, talk.* See http://www.big-8.org for info on how to add or remove newsgroups. >>I hate kits. > [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > Marty Those may be the best options. I like Micro balloons, you can mix them with Ambroid and be light and easy to sand, or polyester fiberglass resin and be heavy and hard as a rock to sand, it won't mix with wood glue in my experience. I bought micro balloons from Sig in the 70s and still use the same jar. I had some of the ready mixed filler Tower sells and it worked well when it was wet, dried out(ok, it lasted years) mk > ... I like Micro balloons, you can mix them with >Ambroid and be light and easy to sand, or polyester fiberglass resin and be >heavy and hard as a rock to sand, it won't mix with wood glue in my >experience. I bought micro balloons from Sig in the 70s and still use the >same jar. I've had a jar for 10 years or so. I haven't tried mixing with Ambroid (I don't have any Ambroid). I've never had any luck sanding epoxy plus Microballoons. Maybe I got the ratio wrong. I've used Microballoons plus CA to fill some voids in the gel coat on an ARF glider (GP Spirit). If you stand back 10 or 15 feet and squint, it doesn't look too hideous. >I had some of the ready mixed filler Tower sells and it worked >well when it was wet, dried out(ok, it lasted years) I kept adding water to my plastic wood and featherweight spackle. They lasted years, too, but finally gave up the ghost. Marty SignatureBig-8 newsgroups: humanities.*, misc.*, news.*, rec.*, sci.*, soc.*, talk.* See http://www.big-8.org for info on how to add or remove newsgroups. >>>I hate kits. >> [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > still use the same jar. I had some of the ready mixed filler Tower sells > and it worked well when it was wet, dried out(ok, it lasted years) mk You can mix 'em with Ambroid?!? Why didn't I think of that. I'm trying it right now. What ratio of micro balloons to Ambroid do you use? Do you 'prime' the surface with Ambroid to help things stick, or do you just slather the putty on to the surface? Thanks. (Ambroid is my favorite balsa-to-balsa glue, usually. Partially because I've become sensitive to CA, but mostly because it keeps me going at a gentle rhythm, which in turn means that when I'm about to outsmart myself I often realize it before it's too late. With CA and me it's often 'slam, bam, zzzt -- oh dang, where's the knife to cut this out'. Signaturewww.wescottdesign.com >>>>I hate kits. >>> [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > I often realize it before it's too late. With CA and me it's often > 'slam, bam, zzzt -- oh dang, where's the knife to cut this out'. The higher the micro balloons ratio the easier it is to sand. I've been thinking, how nice do you want to make this Nobler? I guess if you tamed this beast of a kit and made it look nice it would heal some of that frustration it gave you....... I don't want to jinx ya but my best work usually gets planted to try and grow a balsa tree. :) mk >>>>>I hate kits. >>>> [quoted text clipped - 79 lines] > :) > mk I don't want to make it _too_ nice, but I do have my pride. Signaturewww.wescottdesign.com SNIP > (Ambroid is my favorite balsa-to-balsa glue, usually. Partially because > I've become sensitive to CA, but mostly because it keeps me going at a > gentle rhythm, which in turn means that when I'm about to outsmart myself > I often realize it before it's too late. With CA and me it's often > 'slam, bam, zzzt -- oh dang, where's the knife to cut this out'. That is why I moved to Home Depot bought wood glues 17 years ago. Titebond II and III work as good as CA but just are not as fast. III sands better, they are less expensive, and the most important thing of all in my environment they last a while and the hobby shop can't ruin them by stocking too much old stock. One warning about TiteBond that I will pass on, sort of second hand. A friend told me he heard this from the guys that used to run Pica and I have seen some evidence that very strongly suggests it is true. Opened Titebond will develop a fungus in about 6 months. That fungus makes it rapidly unusable and there is some evidence that it makes a weaker bond. I have had a bottle turn to glop in about 9 months or a year, so I suspect the basic information was valid. Now I date it when I open in and pitch it at 6 months with no regrets. Glue is cheap. Jim Branaum AMA 1428 |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.