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Putty, Putty, Who's Got The Putty?


ipmsusa2

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A rather interesting problem has recently surfaced.  My tube of Squadron White Putty went bad in the tube.  Picked up a new tube...new package, redesigned tube layout...and when I opened it the putty wasn't putty.  What I got was a watery fluid instead of the usual solid putty that should have been about the consistency of thick/stiff toothpaste.  The shop where I bought it gave me another tube.  Same result when opened, only this time it was a hazy gel.

As a backup, I stopped by an auto supply to buy my old reliable spot 'n glaze putty.  The counter guy didn't know what I was talking about and finally showed me to the Bondo area.  Fine, I thought, since Bondo is one of the companies that makes the putty.  What I thought was a tube of the putty came with a tube of hardener so you had to mix them.  According to the guy, no one carries the putty any more except for shops that sell to professional auto body shops.

Finally went to another auto supply and they actually had another version that was actually had what I was looking for.  Had to find it on my own, though, because this counter guy...when I said putty...looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he repeated putty with a question mark.  He had no clue.

Bottom line is that you normally used the red spot 'n glaze putty as I do, you'd better lay in a few extra tubes.  I suspect the stuff's going to become a little hard to find.  Incidentally, Testors used to offer a red putty that was exactly the same as what I was looking for.  They no longer offer it, of course.

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If you have an auto body supply shop in town, they should be able to provide glazing putty.  The new darling of the modeling world is the Heckler and Spies Permacron M, but you can still get 3m Acryl, only not the Acryl Blue as it went the way of the dodo.  You can get white, red, or green, and they work just as well--and you get a tube that should last until the next millennium.

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I just talked to Squadron and learned that there is an entire batch of White Stuff that was bad.  They are now in the process of correcting the problem and will replace any bad tubes if you contact them.  If you use White Stuff, regardless of where you buy it, call Squadron and they will replace it no questions asked.

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I have used Evercoat glazing putty for years but it has a couple of issues.  First you have to buy large quantities and second, over time it gets thicker and harder to get out of the container.  I recently found this in a pouch and really like it much better.

First off, it is about the viscosity of a milk shake coming out of the container so it fills small spaces very well.  Second being in a pouch, it seems to store well and not thicken like the other stuff. 

It is a two part so you do have to mix it.  I use a 4"X4" ceramic counter tile to mix it on.  It won't stick to tile so it is easy to clean off.  It hardens quite quickly so you can get on with the work.  Depending on the amount of hardener you put it it you have about a 5 minute open time.  It is sandable in less than 30 minutes.  It feathers out very nicely and fill spots don't ghost back through even when using lacquers.  

Last, it is about $15 for 12 oz. which is a lifetime supply.  Oh and if you do get it, one thing I have learned.  Put the catalyst in a glass jar.  Over time the catalyst will cause the plastic tube it comes in to harden and crack.  The old small square model enamel bottles are about the right size for one tube. 

You can get it on Amazon but because it is flammable the shipping kills the cost. One last thing, you have to go to a professional auto paint store to find it.  It is ok for me because I get a lot of stuff for modeling there.  

Evercoat Metal Glaze 16 fl. oz pouch 412

Edited by PeteJ
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