Repairing scratches/dents?

[Prassel]

I've managed to make rather deep scratches/dents on a flat surface of a model... And it's supposed to be painted in silver metallic, so they will be incredbly visible. The scratches/dents are just deep enough that painting over them will not help.
They cover pretty much all of the surface.

What method, if any, would be best? Would sanding the surface down help?

 

[Wurger]

If the scuff is really deep you will need a putty. The best one would be the Tamiya White one. Of course sanding when the putty is hardened. But just along the scratch...you don't need to sand the entire area. Then polishing is needed. You might have a problem with obtaining the putty. So I would suggest using a mixture of light grey pain ( enamel) with a talcum powder. I'm sure you can find this in the nearest market or shop for babies or women. The mixture should be of the same texture like a toothpaste. It might be a little bit thicker.
If scratches aren't too deep , usually polishing of the scuff is enough. If it isn't , apply two coats of a paint ( enamel ). When it is dry , sand the area with sandpaper of 900-1200 grade and polish it too.
It should help.
Any pic of the disaster ?

 

[mikewint]

Prassel, you can also go to any auto supply store and purchase Glazing putty (usually comes in a tube) other than that follow Wurger's post. Usually the very fine papers are in a wet/dry paper. You can get these in the auto supply store as well or in any beauty supply or drug store where they do nail polish. You will also find nail filler there which is used to fill-in gaps when artificial nails are applied. It will fill in your scratches too.

 

[Chip B.]

Prassel, you can also go to any auto supply store and purchase Glazing putty (usually comes in a tube) other than that follow Wurger's post. Usually the very fine papers are in a wet/dry paper. You can get these in the auto supply store as well or in any beauty supply or drug store where they do nail polish. You will also find nail filler there which is used to fill-in gaps when artificial nails are applied. It will fill in your scratches too.

Forgive my brief hijack, but this is pertinent.

Mike, isn't the automotive putty the blue stuff? I had a tube of it maybe 30 years ago. I suspect even if I could find it, and if I had been building throughout the decades, that I would still have plenty left. I don't recall any other putty that worked as well as that big silver tubed blue body putty. Dried quickl as I recall. I don't know how it compares to the products available today, but I'd like to have some and do a comparison if not already done.

It sanded very nicely. Made by 3M, maybe?

 

[tyrodtom]

3Ms lacquer spot putty is red, their glazing putty is blue, glazing putty was made for easy spreading on larger area's, I think you'd be happier with the spot putty.
NAPA also sells lacquer spot/glazing putty, it's light grey. Bondo/Dynatron sells spot/glazing putty, Nitro-Stan also. These are all products you'd only see at a auto parts store, or auto paint supplier.

I know nothing about using any of these on models, but they're old products the car painting industry moved away from 20 years ago.
Give them all at least 24 hours to dry. Back when I did use this stuff, some guys called it night shift, because you put it on just before you left for the day, hoping it'd be dry by the next morning. I found from hard experience to let it set at least a weekend. Never very good for cars in the real world, maybe okay for models that never see the sun.

 

[mikewint]

It has been a L O N G time since I've done any type of auto body work. The stuff I remember was red though as I recall was called "glazing". It was essentially really thick paint and spread very nicely and sanded very nicely, much easier than Bondo.
For the small gaps in most models I've turned to Tamiya putty and nail polish (Cutex) remover.
I've also come across a technique using Tamiya's Extra Thin Cement that virtually eliminates filling and seam lines though I'm not sure about its use on large pieces. One puts several coats of the Extra Thin on both pieces allowing the plastic to soften a bit. Then the pieces are squished together with some force. The softened plastic squishes into any gap as the higher sections flatten. Once the plastic re-hardens it is sanded smooth.
Have not tried it yet so no opinion yet

 

[Chip B.]

I use the 'squish' technique all the time, Mike. It works, with tiny solid bubbles squishing out. Sands easily but check the seam carefully as occasionally one of the bubbles is empty and you fine a gap in the seam. Usually will cover well with a small drop of paint. Otherwise I like to use Deluxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty:

Perfect Plastic Putty Deluxe Materials

More products than one may shake sprue at. It comes down to personal preference. No wrong options when they work!

 

[Chip B.]

3Ms lacquer spot putty is red, their glazing putty is blue, glazing putty was made for easy spreading on larger area's, I think you'd be happier with the spot putty.
NAPA also sells lacquer spot/glazing putty, it's light grey. Bondo/Dynatron sells spot/glazing putty, Nitro-Stan also. These are all products you'd only see at a auto parts store, or auto paint supplier.

That's the one. I've not tried the red stuff, but wish I had. But the material available now is so good I see no reason to go backwards to try it again. I had forgotten about the long drying time. Yeech -

 

[fubar57]

This is one of my gap fillers

 

[Chip B.]

I wish you would stop spending my money, fubar!