Milliput

[rickshaw]

I recently purchased some white milliput.  Up till now, I've mainly used the yellow-grey stuff.  Despite well mixing the white milliput it seems to refuse to harden.    Is there something different between the yellow-grey and the white that you need to use more of one half than the other or something to make it harden?   Is there some means of making it harden, say playing a hair dryer over it?   Its proving very annoying.  I think I'll go back to the yellow-grey.  

[rickshaw]

Unfortunately that doesn't appear to be available downunder.  Is it water soluble like Milliput?

[Hobbes]

I've got a stick of white Milliput. The correct ratio is 1:1, and it needs to be pretty close otherwise it won't harden. I roll the two components into thin rolls and compare their length to get the ratio correct. It should take 4-8 hours to harden.

When I get the ratio wrong or haven't mixed it enough, I get weak spots where the Milliput won't harden no matter what. The only recourse is to remove it and mix a new batch.

I haven't tried speeding up the drying process.

[NARSES2]

I use white Miliput and as Harro says you do have to be carefull with the mixing ratios.

As Duncan says though it does have a limited shelf life, and once passed it's best thrown in my experience 

[rickshaw]

It is a "relatively new" sticks.  I am very careful about trying to get the ratio right.   This stuff just doesn't seem to be hardening at all.  I've left it now for 3 days and its still soft.  Damn, looks like in the short term I'll have to scrape it off and try again.

I've been thinking about purchasing a set of small electronic scales to make sure but haven't done so yet.  They're available very cheaply over the internet from Hong Kong. I think I will now.  Or is that being too anal about it?

[sotoolslinger]

Well (and I am not being sarcastic) hows about not using Miliput? Go to a home improvement store or auto parts store and get the kind of stick epoxy putty that you can use underwater( plumbing , boats) It is the only thing I have used for years. It is also from half to 1/3 the price.

[Hobbes]

Are you sure you've mixed it thoroughly? It takes a while, the Milliput must have an absolutely even color. If there are any swirls of yellow left between the white, you need to mix it some more.

[rickshaw]

Oh, I mixed if thoroughly.  As for using a different putty, I'm willing.  However, I find the way you can smooth Milliput with water quite useful.  If I can find another putty which can do that, then I'd be willing to change over - as long as I don't have to purchase it in industrial quantities! 

[sequoiaranger]

>Go to a home improvement store or auto parts store and get the kind of stick epoxy putty that you can use underwater (plumbing, boats). It is the only thing I have used for years.<

Next time I build a model underwater, I will remember this!  

I use "Squadron Green Putty" (or white putty---seems to be the same) in a tube. It is thinnable with lacquer thinner or MEK, and dries and hardens overnight. You can also "smooth" it out with brush-strokes of lacquer thinner if you are carefull to avoid getting the lacquer thinner on the bare plastic. I have heard all kinds of good/bad things about Milliput but have never used it--seemed too complicated and fraught with possibilities of inconsistent consistency. Squadron green putty can be purchased over the Internet from Squadron if your LHS doesn't carry it.

[NARSES2]

I've been thinking about purchasing a set of small electronic scales to make sure but haven't done so yet.  They're available very cheaply over the internet from Hong Kong. I think I will now.  Or is that being too anal about it?

You shouldn't have to go that far Brian, simply cutting equal lengths from each stick works for me, then lots of rolling/kneading.

You may just have a bad batch, is this the first time you've used this one ?

[rickshaw]

Fine in theory but in practice I usually end up with distorted lumps which are only approximately the right size.  I thought the scales would be a nifty way to make sure - they only cost about $AU10 IIRC from Hong Kong.  Although I suppose getting them there would draw the unwelcome attention of Customs again (I had a package with 50 plastic pipettes which I intended using for mixing paints intercepted and opened with a nice pamphlet placed inside it explaining why it had been opened). 

Not sure if this is a "bad lot" or not, Chris.  I'll have to mix some more and see.   I've tried sanding the soft, unset stuff and its an interesting experience.  More akin to smoothing than sanding, the sandpaper gets gummed up with the stuff. 

[Pablo1965]

I use milliput usually, and I can't make my work without it. I use many numbers of sand paper with water and obtain a good resoult.
You can see my Cortang assembly process in http://www.fantasyplanes.com/2010_10_01_archive.html The mainly different between the diferent types is its degree of resistance to sand and his color. The Standard is more hard than the silver-gray and this is more hard than the superfine.
I don't know if I say that I want. 

[frank2056]

Well (and I am not being sarcastic) hows about not using Miliput? Go to a home improvement store or auto parts store and get the kind of stick epoxy putty that you can use underwater( plumbing , boats) It is the only thing I have used for years. It is also from half to 1/3 the price.

^^^ THAT ^^^

Two part plumbers epoxy is basically the same as Milliput, just cheaper (and often finer grit). The home improvement stuff is usually called A+B Epoxy. There's also Aves Apoxie paste and Magic Sculp, which are very fine grain two part epoxies and are far superior to any form of Milliput. The Aves site even has a worldwide store locator.

Pablo - while water helps to smooth out the two part epoxies, try using some isopropyl alcohol. It will smooth out the epoxy just as well without making as much of a soupy mess.

[NARSES2]

Fine in theory but in practice I usually end up with distorted lumps which are only approximately the right size.  I thought the scales would be a nifty way to make sure -

I was using some this morning by coincidence. Simply cut two "discs" of approximately the same size with an old scalpel, mixed, rolled, twisted, rolled etc and had no problem with it Just seems odd to me, still at $A10 the scales are not exactly a waste of money.

The only problem I have with Miliput is the waste. You always end up with far to much once it's mixed 

[Hobbes]

I have the same problem. I usually mould the excess into a teardrop shape so I can use it later for lumps & bumps on an aircraft.