Hello,

I'm getting ready to start working with PiliPili 120mm figure (Buccaneer) and unfortunately a couple of areas aren't coming together too well when dry-fitting. The part in particular I need help with is the hand meeting the arm/cuff - it doesn't quite reach. I'm trying to determine the best way to fill in this gap.

My only experience with sculpting/putty has been with "Green Stuff", and I'm not sure that would be ideal for this situation. I've seen various posts talking about epoxy and milliput, watering it down and using a brush to apply. I was hoping some of you might be able to offer some suggestions on what would be best to use and how to use it. I think I'm going to pin the two parts and then build around it. I've provided a pic, it's not much but will hopefully provide an idea of what I'm working with.

Thank you very much for your help!

-Ronnie

Hi Ronnie, I would certainly go with pinning with some soft wire and superglue. I would not water down putty and brush it on that's more of a finishing technique for textureing and filling small holes.

After you've pinned the parts mix up some putty and work it into place bits at a time, until you've got the basic shape then with an old brush dampened with water (I lick my thumb and rub the brush in it ) smooth the area and blend it with the adjoining parts.

Remember it won't hurt to do a practice dry run on spare part.

Before you get to filling, I'm not familiar with the kit in the flesh but is there not a flat area inside the cuff that the flat of the wrist mates to when it is angled correctly?

If not, if possible I'd try slightly hollowing out the cuff area so the wrist fits into it more deeply, then pin and fill if necessary (might not be).

Although I prefer something else for this kind of job Kneadatite can work fine.

A slurry of any of the clay-like epoxies can be useful for 'filleting' a joint but it's often simpler and easier to just press in putty with the tip of a sculpting tool, either a small sausage working along its length or pressing in small blobs one at a time as per Gordy's suggestion.

Also like Gordy if I want a damp brush for a quick bit of smoothing I lick the back of my left hand, run the brush though that.

Einion

Thank you very much for the input and help! I've noticed there are several different types of Milliput (red, yellow, brown, black etc.), is there one that is most recommended for this type of job?

I haven't used Kneadatite, but it looks to be the same as "Green Stuff", which I have used. It works well, but sometimes have a hard time with control, or smoothing it out enough not to notice once primed. I've used it mostly for filling small pinholes in resin and lines between white metal - forming it in sort of a string/sausage and applying that way.

Thanks again!

Ronnie

Thanks, Carl! Are you referring to the "Super Fine White" Milliput that you've used before?

Ronnie

The standard Grey-Green is fine to use, no need to go to the extra expense of trying the Silver-Grey or the Superfine White unless you want to try them for sculpting. But I'd actually recommend MagicSculp, Apoxie Sculpt/Apoxie Clay if you want to get into doing conversions and then sculpting. Apart from being cheaper they're more user-friendly and have a much longer shelf life.

Green Stuff = greenstuff = GS = Duro = Kneadatite.

Greenstuff is just a generic name for it, based obviously on its colour. The actual product name used to be Duro and is now Kneadatite... unless you buy it repackaged by some third party who might have Greenstuff/Green Stuff on the label. In which case you're paying over the odds for it.

These are some of the main reasons I prefer to use one of the clay-like epoxies for filling.

In addition to this it's difficult to sand properly (not impossible) if you need to do some post-sculpting smoothing off. It's a great sculpting medium, just not as well suited to filling.

Einion

Thank you all for the info and tips... greatly appreciate it! I picked up some green grey and I'm working with a little piece of it to try and learn the behavior of it. I think this is going to work with what I need. I'm going to have to make some changes to this figure in order to make it work, and look right, and hopefully I don't mess it up ... as I really like this one and looking forward to painting.

Thanks again!

Ronnie