Acrylic caulking?

[Kevin BeallParticipant @kevinbeall91525]

I need to prep for painting my SLEC Huntress Hull. The spray rails could do with a very fine bead of something in the joint to give a nice smooth finish. Car filler is probably best, but being lazy, I was wondering if acrylic decorators caulk would be OK? The sort of stuff you fill cracks in skirting boards etc, this would be really easy to use, but I’m not too sure how it will work with automotive style primer/paints. The gaps are really very fine and where they are will not take any abuse but I don’t want a reaction with the paint.

Anyone tried it, or should I like the instruction say “Test before using”.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

My experience of decorators caulk is that paint won’t adhere to it when it has dried.  You have to buy a particular type that paint will adhere to and I can’t remember now what it was.  I think there are plenty of options but I would always recommend a test run before applying it to the model.  Won’t a coat of filler primer do the job, or even a first coat of Mr Surfacer?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

A neater solution is to use lightweight filler. You can just press it into the cracks or build uo a fillet with your fingers and wipe, sand or brush away the excess. Bartoline is recommended. You can buy similar as lightweight modelling filler but that is more expensive. I have been using it on my fishing boat.

Lightweight Filler

Also read the online data sheet.

Colin

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

My prefered filler was Squadron which was manufactured by a company in the USA. That no longer appears to be available in the UK so I tried Perfect Plastic Putty from the Deluxe Materials range and was very happy with its performance. Not sure how that compares cost-wise with the product suggested by Colin but I know De Luxe Materials are not cheap.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Squadron has long since been discontinued in the UK, I used to use it many years ago but, sadly, my last tube eventually solidified.

If its just a very fine, easy to apply and sand filler you want then Tamiya Plastic putty is one of the best.  Nice and soft and wipes in with your fingers very easily.

I would have thought though that, with something as fine as a spray rail you really wouldn’t want to create much of a fillet, more simply to ensure the corner is neatly sealed.  Hence the suggestion of a filler/primer such as Mr Surfacer, which you can buy in varying grades to suit your needs.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Kev. I would use waterproof pva. Dob some on, run a finger along the edge. Job done. As previously stated, doesn’t need much of a fillet, more like just making sure there’s no gaps under the strip.

Ashley

[Kevin BeallParticipant @kevinbeall91525]

Thanks for the replies. Thought I would give it a bash so grabbed a tube out of my house decorating box of stuff, smeared some on a piece of wood, let dry then sprayed over it with a very thick coat of high build primer. I thought if this ham fisted approach worked then the small amount I need to fill would be OK.

No paint reaction and good adhesion so filled the thin gaps I had on the hull, smoothed over with a damp sponge job done. Nice easy cheap solution.

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