Comments on: Easy Desert Bases

By: Ekko

Ekko — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:32:56 +0000

An FYI about Greenstuff… it’s a solvent-based putty. I wouldn’t say it’s caustic (it’s not basic like bleach), although I would agree that you should avoid getting it on your skin. Among others things, it contains toluene, which the culprit of making this a little nasty like old-school enamel model paint (like Testors or Humbrols). The solvents in Greenstuff help it to dry quickly, but they also help to create a good bond with plastic by actually dissolving/melting it. So, if you apply a lot to a piece of plastic, the Greenstuff will indeed melt it.

For the same reasons, Greenstuff does not bind to metal; it will easily flake off. I’ve used it to fill gaps on metal miniatures, but always followed up with a coat of cyanoacrylate glue (i.e., superglue). Greenstuff is generally used to fill seams/gas in plastic model kits (e.g., airplanes, tanks, as well as GW plastic models).

Apply Greenstuff in thin coats or layers, perhaps no more than say 5 mm. The more you add, the greater the risk of melting the plastic. Test it out on a piece of scrap. You discover behaves differently depending on the plastic manufacturer.

Greenstuff is pretty darn great, you just need to be careful with it. Another great trick is to clean up excess putty with a cotton swab wetted in nail polish remover (be sure the label says it contains ethyl acetate, not acetone, as a primary ingredient). Also, if the putty is too thick, you can thin it by mixing with a small amount of lacquer/cellulose thinners. Take care you don’t thin it too much… the lacquer will dissolve plastic same as toluene. Which invites all sorts of possibilities of lacquer thinner, too, especially in removing light mold lines in difficult-to-reach areas.

Maybe I’ll post some more notes one day here on LO in case anyone is interested.

Cheers!

By: Proiteus

Proiteus — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:54:46 +0000

A excellent tutorial but is it possible to do this on a Games Workshop base and keep it need?

By: pez5767

pez5767 — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:19:14 +0000

Thanks for the feedback. Really to only problem I’ve found with the Squadron Putty is with plastics. So, for a 6″x6″ surface you should be fine if you are using wood, but otherwise I would do a test run. The thicker the layer of putty you put down is, the more likely you are to get some warping. Conversly, the thinner the plastic, the more likely it is to warp as well.

As for the techinical name for this product, I haven’t much help for you other than it is a model specialty item. Find a good hobby shop that specializes in classic model cars, airplanes, and the like, and you should be on the right track. The only note on the package about ingredients was “CONTAINS TOLUENE”. Sorry I’m not more help here.

Good luck.

By: Tore

Tore — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:07:18 +0000

Great Tutorial.. Easy to follow and very useful for my Tomb Kings army, he he

A few questions though! Do you think this green putty can be used on a larger area? I am thinking something like 6″ by 6″…

Another thing, I am not from the US, and not familiar with this brand. So I would have to find another manufacturer..
I know that many hobby products are also sold under a different name in hardware stores, where you buy large quantities for a fraction of the price… As soon as a product is labelled “hobby” the price skyrockets!!

So the question is, do you know the technical term for this sort of putty?
That would make it easier to find, even if only available in hobby stores..