Hello all,

Being a recently reborn modeler, I've been trying out different products to find what works best for me. The other day, I picked up a tube of Model Master Red Putty, which I assume is the same or very similar to Testors product.

I decided to try a bit of it for some minor seam work on a B-25J I'm working on and had something interesting happen. When I first opened it, the putty was paste-like (as I would expect). However, after laying the tube down on my work mat, it started dripping out very thin, almost paint-like. I thought it might have been some separation of the components, so I cleaned it up and left it at that. Later than evening, I did a little more dabbling with it and the same thing happened.

My question is this: What is the normal consistency for this stuff? I'm used to putty's being pasty, but maybe this is a different animal than I'm used to.

- Frank

Hey there in the beginning i used the model master Red putty and got some of the same thing your talking about.. the putty seperating right in the tube..

Personally I don't know what the base is for the putty but I found out the hard way that it can damage plastic.

I was filling in the rear seam of my p61 and needed a lot of putty and the plastic was a bit thin there. and before I knew it the plastic of the wing got soft and started distorting under my fingers. that and the fact that it took so long to dry out caused me to pitch my tubes of it..

Now I use exclusivly squadron's putty or Tamiya's putty both dry fairly quickly.. sand easily and so far havn't damaged any plastic....

Frank,

The separation/consistency that you mention is not normal. Putty should be a little firmer than toothpaste. Like Delbert I use either Testor's or Squadron green. I have had a tube of both for many months and the consistency is like the day I bought it. Both dry fairly quickly. When doing zimmerit I prefer the Squadron because it stays workable for a little while longer.

Yep, mine does it too, only thing it has never bothered me.
after a while you'll be needing to add a little thinner to it to continue using it, (eventually the separation endsand it thickens up) I simply thin it with testors liquid cement.
Never had a problem with it melting the plastic though. but I only use it to putty in very thin layers. for larger areas or thicker build ups, I use A&B epoxy, or miliput. Most putty's shrink, the red stuff seems to shrink a lot more than others. (Probably due to it's apparent higher content of thinners, and probably why you are experencing it melting your plastic)
Squadron makes a fine putty (white) Never was a big fan of the green stuff, yet others swear by it. There use to be a putty called "stucco" that was excellent, and Dr. Microtools but both seems to have disappeared over here, haven't seen them in years. I dislike Gunze, seems to dry too fast, and is skinned over before I can even apply it, leaving air bubbles after sanding and more filler to fill them. I dislike the Tamyia putty also, but their two part putty is excellent.
The cheapest route is hit a good auto body supply store and buy 3M putty (comes in different colors or grits), and 3 to 5 pound tubes. Most of the, if not all of our little tubes at high prices are nothing more than these. If you buy the large 3 or 5 pound tubes, and pick up empty tubes at an art supply store, you can futher cut the cost by splitting the batch amongh you club mates.
For Vacuforms, I prefer using either gap filling CA, or two part epoxy.
Stay away from this stuff called "Testors Contour Putty".... worse crap ever made. You might just as well throw your money in the dustbin, before you buy it.
When I started modelling we didn't have all these choices.
We use to melt sprue in liquid cement and use that. Talk about melting plastic, and taking forever to dry...... LOL

Edit... just read the "hair line"..... for these I use thick paint, or white out.

Thanks all for the quick replies. I'll keep it around for the heck of it. I did use some of the thin runoff in a fine seam and it filled quite nicely. No damage either.

It was just a little disconcerting to turn around a see a lake of red goo spreading across my work area.