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Old 01-24-2006, 02:26 AM
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hirofkd hirofkd is offline
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Re: tamiya putty basic type

That's about right. Tamiya basic putty is on of those kinds called solvent putty. Basically, its solvent slightly dissolves styrene, allowing the putty to firmly grab the surface. The putty cures in a few hours at most, and the hardened putty is one of the softest, which means it's easy to file and sand.

Some of the disadvantages are that you can't apply it too thick, or it'll take way too long to harden or attack and partially dissolve the underlying plastic. (no thicker than 1.0 mm, I would say.) Also, because it's paste-like, you can't use your fingers to shape a solid object, unlike epoxy putty which behaves like ordinary sculpting clay.

If you are thinking of making your own body kit, you'll need both kinds. Make a basic shape with epoxy putty, carve, file and sand to the desired shape. But you'll probably see some dimples and dents. Fill those with basic putty, sand and smooth, then finish with primer to even the surface.

Just open the tube and try it on a scrap piece of plastic.
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