AMT/ERTL 1/1000 TOS USS Enterprise

[JamieMachon]

Hi Everyone,

Thought I would post a progress report of my work its my first model in many, many, many years so got to get developing those skills.

First I cleaned up all the parts and set about gluing the main sections. Now it may be my lack of ability but I have found this model the be very ill fitting, you can see this in the worp engine pictures. Every join has had to be sanded and puttied to hell to get this thing looking smooth and that is where I am now after the first primer coat back on with the puttying

I am using MMD Green Stuff modeling putty at the moment and am finding it startes to set while I am trying to apply and shape it which then incurs a nasty lumpy surface!! Has anyone got any advise on using this stuff before I go on eBay and get some of that 3M Red Glazing Putty I see you guys using!!!! :

Thanks for looking and again any help would be greatly appreciated ;D

 

[Glorfindel]

Jumping in to it with an E. Nice!

 

[JamieMachon]

Star Trek is my thing mate I watched it as a kid with my Dad and pretty much never stopped haha. I think i will also do some star wars and a Jupiter 2 when as my abilities develop!!

Have you any thoughts on my putty issues?

Jamie

 

[Glorfindel]

Can't speak for anyone here but myself so when I apply putty to a seam I try to have as little of it as possible. Keep the amount of putty from spreading over details. If you do you'll end up sanding those very same details off. Rescribing is a whole new ball game which requires a different touch and approach. I've learned to lay either masking tape or black electrical tape on both sides of the seam, as close as possible to the seam, to protect the details when applying putty.

 

[trekriffic]

The best putty I've ever used is probably AVES Apoxie Sculpt. It's water based and gives you a good half hour of work time. It can be feathered using your fingers, is easily sandable, and will never shrink. Especially good for filling large gaps where strength is needed. You can also file and carve it to make shapes. There is also a Paste which is thinner and great for filling in small seams and surface defects.

You can order it here at the SSM Store:
http://starshipmodeler.biz/shop/index.cfm/category/75/aves-studio.cfm


The best filler putty I've ever used is probably Tamya Basic Type in a tube. It's polyester based and cleans up with lacquer thinner so there are some fumes with it. Goes on smooth as buttter and dries in about a half hour.

It's hard to find but you can order it from the Great Models Webstore here:
http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=TAM87053

I bought 3 tubes of it the last time they had it in strock and that shoudl last me 3-4 years.

 

[JamieMachon]

Sadly I have pretty much messed the details up but i was thinking of decal ng the entire ship anyway still a shame though!!! ??? :

 

[Igard]

Hi Jamie.

I'd highly recommend the Aves apoxie scult that trekriffic mentioned. If you're in the UK, the only place I've found to get it is a taxidermist supplier on ebay. Let me know if you want a link, it should be just a quick search.

I've never used the Tamiya white putty, but Mr Dissolved putty is also very good for small filling purposes. Use a cocktail stick to apply it (not much of this left in stock):-

http://www.modelsforsale.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=482576-Gunze-Sangyo---Mr-Dissolved-Putty-Scale-40ml-

I wouldn't worry at all about mistakes. Give yourself some room for improvement later and most of all, have fun!

 

[Grendels]

I have used both Aves and the 3M putties. Aves is great and will thin with water. If you are careful, it is possible to use it to fill a seam and never have to sand that seam. I have done this before.

The big problem with aves is that it will cure up harder than the plastic of the model. So when you go to sand down the excess, if you are not careful, you will sand down the details around it first.

The 3M product is very good. Thins with acetone based finger nail polish remover. But I have never had to thin it. It is just about right out of the tube. It will cure up in about a half hour, bonds with plastic very well, and is a little bit softer than the plastic when cured. I have never had it shrink up on me either.

I have not tried the Tamiya putty, but I have a tube waiting for a good use of it.

 

[JamieMachon]

Thanks a million guys i really appreciate it.

Ill get on with buying some better putty and get some more pics up in a week tomorrow as i go on my Jolly Holidays tonight ;D by the time i get back everything should be waiting for me

Again thanks guys

 

[Glorfindel]

Jamie like the guys say the Aves is the best stuff out there. They have several different varieties to choose from. All are two-part mixtures (A & B) Aves Epoxy Sculpt is the most common guys use followed by the Epoxy Paste. The Paste is less viscous then the Sculpt, but both dry rock hard usually over night. And like Grendels said they can be mixed with water to slightly thin them out.
3M makes Bondo Glazing & Spot Putty which is also great. That's in a red and black tube and is a rust colored paste. Dries real fast....you'll be sanding in under an hour.

 

[Ziz]

Minor nit - you've got the 1/650 scale E there, a.k.a. "the 18 incher". The 1000 scale kit is snap together and is designed to go together differently.

 

[ModelMakerMike]

Hey Jamie!
Welcome aboard!
This is a great place to hang out. The guys are all friendly and very helpful and supportive.
The 18" Enterprise can be a tricky Mistress!
I have built a few of these, and spent many hours puttying/sanding/puttying.
But since she's a beautiful ship, I hardly mind. Even though this version of her is rather in-accurate.
As far as putties go, I currently use the Tamiya putty. In the late '80s I had some two part epoxy stuff that I used (mostly on vinyl), and that stuff was great, but dried kinda fast if you weren't ready for it. Sometimes for smaller seams/gaps, I have used "Zap-a-gap". That also worked well with vinyl kits cuz you could actually build it up, and sand it and paint it.