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@Train Nut posted:

Does anybody know what is a good filler for a plastic shell. There's a few small areas that need filling.    In a pinch I've used jb weld but would prefer something sandable.  Thanks

JB Weld is sandable. Heck, it's drillable. I usually use it for assembly purposes, then bondo for large area filling and shaping, followed by a glazing compound for final finish sanding and painting. For filling small gaps and defects I use Perfect Plastic Putty, which is great because it's both water washable AND sandable.

I have  used Squadron Green Putty and it worked OK.   

However, I later found Tamiya white, and grey putty and I like it better.    It seems to finer ground than Squadron so it 'feathers" out better when you sand it.    It sands easily and paints well too.    And it does not seem to shrink and crack as much as Squadron. 

I have found it in the same shops that stock Squadron.

Bondo. Small tube; never had it dry up. Lasts a long time. Good on metal (surprise!) too. Easily sand-able, you betcha.

But - I have noted (and repaired) some that I had used to fill some spots in an epoxy (JB Weld) patch. After a couple of years the Bondo turned to dust. I guess some Bondo ingredients and some epoxy ingredients react badly.

Many models today are Injection molded styrene.    Something keeps the polyester bondo flexible/moldable until it is applied.    My question was, will that something which might be a solvent, attack styrene or other hard plastics?   

Once the bondo cures, the solvent probably evaporates and can not cause a problem.  

C1AB5686-87BA-4B24-8EB0-F00582ADDED2

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I had to recreate the corner of the roof on this Mth bobber caboose I picked up cheap. I used styrene sheet to make a base then grey jb weld (std formula) to fill followed by the Bondo glaze and patch in the toothpaste type tube to smooth and blend it out. No issues so far.

I repainted and decorated for B&o. Fixed corner is front right in this pic.

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Last edited by NYCBuffalo

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