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Tools & Supplies: Glue and Adhesives
Talk about sticky stuff.
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Mr. Surfacer
propnut_66
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New Jersey, United States
Member Since: March 19, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 07:37 PM UTC
Help
For years I have read articles lauding the wonderfulness of Mr. Surfacer. After searching dilligently for some, I found a vendor at Mosquito-con with one can. I bought it. The instructions are written in several Asian languages that I cannot read. Can someone tell me how and when to use this good stuff? I hate to ruin a model with the old trial and error method
Thanks,
Jerry
MLD
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Vermont, United States
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 11:47 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Help
Can someone tell me how and when to use this good stuff? I hate to ruin a model with the old trial and error method



Jerry,
It's essentially very well thinned putty. Think Tamiya Grey putty thinned with Testors liquid cement.

I use the 500 mostly.
It fills small gaps or pinholes, works great at figure arm to torso joints, can be used to add casting texture if applied and stippled using an old paintbrush in a jabbing motion before it cures.

Some folks thin it with Laquer thinner and spray the thinner versions (1000 and 1200?) as a surface primer.

And it's great as a chip dip or on crackers mixed 1:1 with cream cheese and hot sauce..

No, dont eat the stuff, but all the rest is true.

Mike
propnut_66
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New Jersey, United States
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Posted: Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 04:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Help
Can someone tell me how and when to use this good stuff? I hate to ruin a model with the old trial and error method



Jerry,
It's essentially very well thinned putty. Think Tamiya Grey putty thinned with Testors liquid cement.

I use the 500 mostly.
It fills small gaps or pinholes, works great at figure arm to torso joints, can be used to add casting texture if applied and stippled using an old paintbrush in a jabbing motion before it cures.

Some folks thin it with Laquer thinner and spray the thinner versions (1000 and 1200?) as a surface primer.

And it's great as a chip dip or on crackers mixed 1:1 with cream cheese and hot sauce..

No, dont eat the stuff, but all the rest is true.

Mike


AAARGH! I used too much hot sauce!
Thanks for the info Mike, I guess I'll have to build a model to try it out on
Jerry
Phil_H
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New South Wales, Australia
Member Since: November 10, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 12:21 PM UTC
Hmmm... When you say you got a can - do you mean a spray can or a glass jar?

The spray cans come in the 1000 and 1200 grades and are used essentially as a spray primer, whereas the jars come in 500 (coarse), up to 1200 (fine) grades and are more used in the way Mike described above.

As I tend to thin my putty anyway, I tend to use this (rather, the Tamiya version "Liquid Surface Primer" which I believe is approximately equivalent to Mr Surfacer 1000) as a general purpose filler, applying with a brush or toothpick.

For the bottled versions at least, one of the best things about it is that it can be cleaned up with alcohol (denatured or Iso) so you can apply it and then use a corner of a folded paper towel dampened with alcohol to smooth it out, minimising the sanding required. The bonus is that alcohol has no ill effects on your model.
Kuba-B
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Wroclaw, Poland
Member Since: July 19, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 07:32 AM UTC
Hi

It's great thing, but you can do it yourself by disolving any putty (or styrene) with nitro or acetone.

It's simple and I think cheaper than buying surfacer.


Quoted Text


Some folks thin it with Laquer thinner and spray the thinner versions (1000 and 1200?) as a surface primer.

I don't think that's good method. Surfacer is designed as putty, so I think it's got somewhat rough facture.
Anybody tried this use of surfacer?

PS
What are you using to apply surfacer?

Regards
goldstandard
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California, United States
Member Since: March 29, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 08:16 AM UTC
I have tried using 1200 as a primer. It works well, but you have to be careful with it because it likes to dry really fast. You will want to use some kind of retarder with it if you want the best results, and even then in dry weather it can dry before hitting the surface, leaving it rather rough. The 1200 though is really fine and when rubbed down with 0000 grade steel wool makes for a smooth finish.
Emeritus
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Uusimaa, Finland
Member Since: March 30, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 06:32 PM UTC
They also make it in a spray can, although it's expensive, at least over here where I live. Out of curiosity, I bought a 100ml can of mr. surfacer 1000, costing 10€. Pretty salty, usually you get 400ml cans with that price tag.
Well, it sprays on nicely and settles for a smooth coat. I would say it's a good spray primer, but I'll rather have four times as much with the same money.

I've used the bottled stuff for a while, really nice stuff. 500 grade is good for filling small gaps and surface irregularities & making rough surfaces.
Hisham
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Al Qahirah, Egypt / لعربية
Member Since: July 23, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 12:39 AM UTC
http://www.californiamodelworkshop.org/tutorials/surfacer/surfacer.htm
SSGToms
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Connecticut, United States
Member Since: April 02, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 10:06 AM UTC
Mr. Surfacer 500 is also GREAT for making a rough rusted surface on mufflers and exhaust pipes. I stipple it on with a nylon brush cut down to 3mm long and the results are fantastic.
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