All-
I’ve started to add detail parts to some of my engines - where previous “holes” were a bit too big, can someone advise what is a good method to fill in holes that can then be painted…is gap filling CA a good product to use?
Thanks in advance.
There are many solutions, and I’m sure you’ll get a variety of responses. Here’s what I do:
Small holes: Gap Filling CA.
Medium to large holes: Fill the hole with the closest size styrene rod/tube, glued in with a solvent cement like Tenax. Cut the styrene filler piece flush, then sand, and if needed add either some gap filling CA or putty to finish the job.
Putty has a tendency to sink over time, so I would never suggest using it for large holes, just for final smoothing. And I use auto body glazing putty, a two part mixture that seems to work better than the hobby type putties. Just be aware that it’s pretty strong smelling stuff.
I hope that helps. Again, the main thing I’ve learned over the years the hard way was using large, deep areas of putty is not a good idea.
Tinker with a spare shell, you’ll have the hang of it in no time.
one method is to take a sold round piece of styrene bigger than the hole and heat until you can pull it into a taper. When cool you can push the small end in until it jams in the hole. Then cut off the excess on the inside and file the outside to dimension.
elansp
I use automotive glazing putty for filling small holes and it works quite well. However be aware that it can also soften plastic if used in larger quantities. If you have a larger hole to fill I would follow the advice already given about filling the hole first with a styrene rod and then only using the putty for fine finishing. I have never had a problem with it shrinking over time.
Dave