Working With Catalyzed Putties

Please read and follow the safety rules in the Material Safety Data sheet for all chemicals!

I am a big fan of using automotive catalyzed putties for these models.  A brand I have had success with is Evercoat Polyester Glazing Putty. They have several advantages over standard lacquer based putties, like Squadron Green Stuff, or Automotive Spot Putty:

• They harden much faster, enabling you to accomplish much more within a given period of time
• Catalyzed putties adhere better and are stronger than spot putties. This is especially evident when filling edges.
• They go through a "gel state" when they can easily be rough shaped.
• When used in small amounts, the odor is no more objectionable than regular putty.
• These products can be used to add mechanical strength to an assembly.
• Catalyzed Putties don't have the tendency to attack styrene like lacquer putty, as long as excessive curing heat is avoided.

One problem when working with these products is the container size - they were designed for auto body shop applications, and are sold in 1 quart containers.  These typically cost $ 20.00 to $ 25.00 around the country, and include a small amount of hardener.  You should pick up some extra tubes of hardener when you purchase this product.  The can should be kept tightly sealed to avoid drying out.  If it does dry out - and some thickening with age is inevitable- it can be thinned with a product called Plastic Honey, and brought back to it's original consistency.  I generally take small containers and transfer some of the product into these for use on my workbench.  I also have an old, empty bottle of Tenax that I filled with Plastic Honey to adjust the thickness of the putty depending on the area that it will be used upon.  A picture of my workbench setup is below

I use disposable, wax covered paper plates as mixing palates, putting a small amount of material on, and then, using a toothpick, pick up the amount I need for the task at hand

Mix thoroughly but quickly, as the product starts to harden quickly.  Depending on how much hardener you use, it will go off between 45 seconds and several minutes.  Practice a bit to get a feel for how much hardener will give you the working time you need; you will soon learn to evaluate the color intensity of the final mix for working time

Back to Construction Articles

306

Version 3.0 4-19-20