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Post by PitYak Studios on Feb 1, 2005 23:42:07 GMT 12
Keep your GS in the freezer. It'll last longer. the strip format of the GS means were the yellow and blue are in contact, they will go off eventually. This results in small flecks in the mixed putty, which rise to the surface of your sculpt, ruining you hard work. Keeping your GS in the freezer helps stop this, but even better, when you get it, slice the centre out with a scalpel. This leaves you with two seperate bits, yellow and blue, and they will last a lot longer. You can still use the centre section, just not for any fine detailed areas or smooth surfaces.
Speaking of smooth surfaces, have you ever tried sanding cured GS? I wouldn't bother if I was you. If you want to be able sand when dry, use either milliput or milliput + gs mixed.
When working on small minis, it's a good idea to stop as soon as you are happy with one are, otherwise you will poke your thumb in it while doing the next bit. This means you tend to waste a lot of putty. I usually have a lot of projects on the go at once, so will move on to another to use up my excess. That said I still always seem to mix too much, and as you are no doubt beginning to realise, I hate to waste anything. Any unused GS I roll outo into thin sheets, long sausages, squares, all kinds of shapes. When dry these can be cut, bent and formed into other shapes, and superglued ontoyour mini. For example, I make belts by cutting strips from rolled sheets, and rollo ut long thin rods to cut into buttons and rivets.
But my biggest tip would have to be; only use GS if either you like the stuff, or are making masters for production. If you don't like it (and I don't particularly) use whatever you are comfortable with.
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voltigeur
Ambitious Upstart
BOF from way back
Posts: 25
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Post by voltigeur on Feb 3, 2005 9:09:41 GMT 12
What else is available for just 'touch up' work? I have some Miliput (it is old) but I never found it easy to work with.
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Post by PitYak Studios on Feb 3, 2005 9:57:06 GMT 12
I much prefer milliput (which i think i'll start calling "M" since we going with "gs").
M is water sluble, so if say you have a small gap to fill, you can smear a little piece in, and wipe over with a wet brush until you get a perfect finish.
Another useful little known substance (which again harkens back to my military modelling days) is "plastic soup".
Go into your model shop and ask for a bottle of this.
No, really , don't, I'm taking the mick. You make it yourself from liquid poly. you just drop any old polystyrene off cuts in the bottle (I'm talking about your model polystyrene, not packing foam!)
Give it all a good shake and leave overnight. You are better off adding lots less than plastic than you think you might need, as it takes quite a while to dissolve and you don't want it to thick.
What you have now created is in effect a solution of plastic in a highly volatile solvent; paint this on something, the solvent evapourates and you ar left with just the plastic.
It takes a bit of getting used to, but is usper stuff once you've got the hang of it. You can fill gaps, build up quite high areas (work in thin layers, allowing each to dry before proceeding) and once dry it is plastic lke any other other, so can be cut, sanded and drilled. All for free! (well, the price of a bottle of glue anyway - but you can always use your old bottle of glue that's gone a bit gungy)
And on the subject of military modelling, you should all read the range of mags on the subject. there's waymore than mini mags, and you will learn a whole raft of techniwques you would never find in WD. You might never be going to build a tank, plane or battleship, but I'll eat my hat (and my hat is pretty gross!) if you don't find something that makes you go "hey, if i just did that instead of that...) and the best thing is your local library will probably have some. Model railway publications are good too, particularly for terrain; remember, model train enthusiasts are enthusiasts and they make the most realistic terrain I have ever seen. (Some of them, some of them are just as bad as me)
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Pirate Wench
Scalpel supremo
my favourite finger paint is strawberry flavour
Posts: 353
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Post by Pirate Wench on Feb 3, 2005 10:17:34 GMT 12
I have a friend whois a model train freak in the states, he's a total wealth of information when it comes to terrain
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Post by PitYak Studios on Feb 3, 2005 10:26:04 GMT 12
Yeah, it might seem like a sad passtime (like ours doesn't ;D) but what they don't know about making miniature terrain isn't worth knowing.
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Post by PitYak Studios on Feb 14, 2005 15:40:19 GMT 12
I forgot to mention; aswell as keeping your fresh putty in the freezer, keep your mixed stuff in there too. Whenever you mix a batch stick it straight in the freezer, and only take out as much as you going to use immediately. It'll keep for hours without going off; I'm currently using some I mixed last night over 24 hours ago, and I will be using that same batch for another few hours yet. I personally find it easier to work after a few hours freezing too; less sticky and a lot firmer.
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G-nome
Ambitious Upstart
Posts: 43
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Post by G-nome on Feb 14, 2005 16:20:08 GMT 12
Good tips thanks. I dont use gs that much but there are a quite a few shapeless bits of it loitering round my work desk hiding behind the water pots. The sheets idea is a real winner for me  |
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Post by PitYak Studios on Feb 14, 2005 16:31:50 GMT 12
works for me too; it's too expensive to waste, and you just know if you waste it tomorrow you'll need a belt, or buttons, or a long bendy wand or something. I've got a boxful of odd shapes waiting to use up, but that's better than a boxful of useless blobs.
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Mack
Ambitious Upstart
Far freakin' out
Posts: 14
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Post by Mack on Mar 2, 2005 3:26:28 GMT 12
...I'll eat my hat (and my hat is pretty gross!) if you don't find something... is that the hat that you go fishing in? does Bridge still make you keep that in the shed?  on topic - what is this mythical GS of which you speak. a description for the uninitiated please..? <edit> 150mm Kneadatite putty - Green Stuff $12 150mm of Green Stuff sculpting / modelling putty, the choice of professionals. i've got this much but what's the craic - you mix the two parts together and it sets? how soft is it to work with? can it be painted? is it an exothermic reaction? can i eat it?  </edit> |
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Post by PitYak Studios on Mar 2, 2005 7:29:37 GMT 12
It's actually an epoxy putty intended for plumbers' use; repairing leaky pipes and stuff.
so;
you do mix the two parts together and it sets; never rock hard, but retains a slight rubbery feel.
It's about the softness of hard chewing gum, and stickiness too, but has better cohesion, and will tend to remain in one piece when deformed, not break apart like bluetak or plasticine say.
no, probably best no to eat
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