Several years ago I acquired a Gingerbread Stop CNJ Wood Sheathed Caboose Kit that I have dragged out to finally assemble. While the kit is mostly styrene bits & pieces, the end walls are cast white metal. The exterior surfaces of the walls are somewhat pitted - definitely not smooth enough such that paint would cover the irregularities. The surface is pitted, so it looks like filler putty will be necessary but there's enough detail (handrail attachment bolt detail, door and window frames, knobs) that unless I had a sanding pad about the diameter of a pencil eraser, sanding smooth will be really difficult.
Any thoughts on best ways to remedy the castings? What sort of putty would be best? What about adherance of putty to the white metal? Should putty be diluted to better flow the thin coat into the pits on the surface? Are there other ways to go? I think I've heard of modelers using glue as a filler but I've never done that before and I'm concerned I might end up with more of a mess that'd be hard to undo.
I know there is a Micro-Mark powered micro sander that gets into tiny spots, but I don't know if I want to justify the expense for something like that.
Thoughts? Thanks!
Ed
I use mini sanding sticks for tiny areas. Just be patient and go slow and it will look great.https://www.amazon.com/Flex-I-File-Hobby-Sanding-Sticks-15-pack/dp/B01AC9RRB8Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I actually built one of these kits last year after buying it at the Gingerbread Stop in Warren, NJ back in the early 80s or so. I didn't have any pitting issues on the end walls. But I just wanted to say it was one of the better kits I've ever put together and enjoyed building it. Earned 106 points and a Merit Award on my way to my AP Cars.
cnjman721 ...Any thoughts on best ways to remedy the castings? What sort of putty would be best? What about adherance of putty to the white metal? Should putty be diluted to better flow the thin coat into the pits on the surface?
...Any thoughts on best ways to remedy the castings? What sort of putty would be best? What about adherance of putty to the white metal? Should putty be diluted to better flow the thin coat into the pits on the surface?
I use Bondo's Glazing & Spot Putty - it comes in a tube, and should be available at any automotive store. It's not only a lot more affordable than the stuff used by modellers, but it also works better.For automotive touch-ups, the instructions on the tube suggest that the user knead the unopened tube to mix the filler and the thinner, but I simply remove the cap, pierce the metal seal, then use a small screwdriver to dip into the tube and lift out a glob of filler, along with some of the thinner. I mix it on an impervious surface (glass or metal), then use a chisel-type blade in my X-Acto to dip into the filler, then spread it, with the blade, into the pitted areas, much as you would use a putty knife to fill dents and dings in drywall.
The filler will dry fairly quickly (depending on its depth, of course), and can be easily sanded using a fine grade of wet/dry sandpaper - use it dry.It works on both metal and plastic, and would probably work well even if you used it to fill-in the airholes in a slice of bread.
I used it on this beat-up tender...
...and once painted, no sign whatsoever of the dings and dents...
Wayne
That's cool!
Thanks,
I can see that this is one of those that you have to real slow and carefully on. Do you recall any tips you might pass along? Did you have any issues or somethong you might do differently?
While I have never had results as good as Waynes, I will also suggest Bondo spot putty as a great product. I like it better than Squadron green putty.
For sanding, I am very happy with my set of five NWSL detail belt sanding tools (unpowered). Sorry, I am travelling and cannot take a picture.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Kevin --
I checked the NWSL web site and they don't seem to offer that tool. Although I did find it in their "old catalog pages" section. I'll keep an eye out on eBay for one. Looks like a very useful tool. Thanks for the tip!
cnjman721I checked the NWSL web site and they don't seem to offer that tool.
Oh bummer!
I hope my supply of replacement belts will last a lifetime.
There are other manufacturers now. There are half a dozen versions on Amazon. I'm sure you could find them somewhere else if you don't shop Amazon.
I checked my NWSL catalogue to see the sander, as I've never owned or needed one.You could easily cut a piece of wood to replicate the shape, then simply wrap a piece of suitable sandpaper over the tip. While the strip of sandpaper wouldn't be continuous, you could move it periodically to reposition the spent areas of sandpaper.
It would probably work well enough if you folded the sandpaper over the tip of a small chisel or even a screwdriver, too.
I'd suggest wet/dry paper, cut into strips using a utility knife on the back (non-grit side) of the paper. The spot putty sands very easily, so 600 or 800 grit works well (use it dry), and if it requires successive applications, it hardens fairly rapidly. If you're really fussy, 1200 grit would be good for finishing, but I don't usually bother with it, as the primer and paint will generally take care of minor anomalies.
cnjman721 I can see that this is one of those that you have to real slow and carefully on. Do you recall any tips you might pass along? Did you have any issues or somethong you might do differently? Thanks, Ed
Sorry, but I missed this post earlier. I simply use the chisel blade to smear the filler into place, not worrying if it's smooth or completely filled on the first attempt. The thinner the application, the quicker it hardens, and as long as you haven't applied it too thickly, the amount of sanding needed is not all that onerous.