Sprue goo. Anyone use it?

[ScottsGT]

Let me preface this with NOT MY IDEA! But I saw this on a YouTube video build sometime back.
 My bottle of Tamiya thin cement was getting low and cloudy so I figured “why not”?  
Started shaving down some sprues, nipping off small pieces and started dumping them in the cement.  Let soak overnight and shake up next day.  Had to add a bit more plastic since it was still too thin.  
 

But wow!  This stuff is amazing to have around for filling in gaps.  I just attached the window section of my Seaview sub on the front of it.  Bottom gap was pretty wide and nasty.  Filled in with the sprue goo, let it sit a few hours to dry and sanded it down.  Gap was so big I had to apply two more layers and I’m sure I’ll need more.  But I can almost guarantee if I filled this gap with putty, it would have shrank over time revealing the glue seam under the paint.  Get it shallow enough, finish off with Tamiya putty. 
 

Why not use CA and kicker you say?  Because it gets brittle and once it hardens all the way, it sands harder than plastic.  Using goo, you can come back another day or another week and the seam will sand down just like the plastic around it. 
 

if you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot.  It’s almost free! You just have to sacrifice about 1/3 of a bottle of Tamiya extra thin cement. 

[CANicoll]

Never tried it but ironically enough, I also have a bottle of Tamiya Extra Thin that is just about finished, and a separate bottle of sprue bits for god-knows-why I've kept.  I agree with you about the CA Gap filling - ALWAYS seems to dry too hard and then doesn't sand right.  We ALWAYS have a lot of extra sprue to use!

Ok, going to go create the mixture.  Thanks for the suggestion!

[nmayhew]

Sprue goo is a definite thing - not particularly new mind, but probably not found much in the old school / I’ve done it this way and see no reason to change circles…

the idea is that, especially for sanding and scribing, you are filling any gaps with ‘like for like’, which means that sanding is much more even, scribing more predictable etc.

for the gap filling itself, it should shrink much *much* less than any lacquer based fillers.

things to watch are

- using it before it has ‘settled’ / all the bubbles have gone

- using plastic which does not match the model (we all know different manufacturers use different plastic, some we like, some we don’t etc)

- using Evergreen plastic for sprue goo - just don’t, it’s shit

-

suggestion: purest styrene is clear, so use sprues from clear parts, and just add a dash of say red lacquer paint so you can easily see it.

 

as to CA, some of the black ones are much more friendly to sand as they have some sort of rubber compound added making them more flexible; and of course it’s a pretty much instant solution.

all in all, I’m not sure there is one filler for every use / every requirement

 

hth

[ScottsGT]

Here’s the front of the Seaview after filling and sanding. You can see the gap that was filled. 

[CANicoll]

Gap?  

How do you apply it?  Since you can make it somewhat as thick or thin as you want, do you just kind of brush it on/in?  Mine is mixing in an Tamiya Extra Thin bottle, with the brush in the cap.

@nmayhew: Interesting the point you make about clear vs color sprue.  I've always found clear styrene to be very brittle and easy to snap.  Some gray styrene (Tamiya I think?) bends significantly before it snaps.  I just used the gray sprues from my Catalina build as there is literally feet of it extra.  I wonder if aged styrene works very well (from 1996!)? 

If I had thought about it I would have pulled some Eduard and/or Tamiya sprue...

Edited January 9, 2023 by CANicoll
added text

[ScottsGT]

I just dab it on and let it fill the gaps.  Too thin and it will run right through. Too thick and you have to push it around.  The beauty about making it is you can taylor the viscosity to your liking.  If you go thick, might not hurt to hit the area with Tamiya cement first to pre soften the area.  But probably a wast of time and glue. 

[Peterpools]

Been using Sprue Glue for decades and even way back in my model railroad days, we called it goop made with Testor's Liquid Cement and good styrene Hasegawa). Since I discovered Tamiya Extra Thin decades ago, the mix has changed, and I use two types:

Tamiya Extra Thin and good styrene (Tamita or Hasegawa)

Tamiya Extra Thin and Evergreen White Styrene - my preferred mix.

I try to keep the mix about the consistency of thick yogurt, brush it on or use my filler spatula and try work it into seams and large gaps. Needs a good 24 hours to completely dry.   

[CANicoll]

Just now, Peterpools said:

Been using Sprue Glue for decades and even way back in my model railroad days, we called it goop made with Testor's Liquid Cement and good styrene Hasegawa). Since I discovered Tamiya Extra Thin decades ago, the mix has changed, and I use two types:

Tamiya Extra Thin and good styrene (Tamita or Hasegawa)

Tamiya Extra Thin and Evergreen White Styrene - my preferred mix.

I try to keep the mix about the consistency of thick yogurt, brush it on or use my filler spatula and try work it into seams and large gaps. Needs a good 24 hours to completely dry.   

Thanks Peter and Scott.  I have a little bottle of it sitting on my bench now.  I think it is a pretty good consistency - we will see.  Hopefully will get to use it today.

I didn't realize that Tamiya Extra Thin cement is mostly acetone.  If my old sprues don't work, I'll pull some newer stuff and try that.

[Peterpools]

Chris

Not sure about Tamiya RT being mostly acetone. Just go slow as Sprue glue is a bit messy at times and does need to dry completely.

 

[ScottsGT]

Saw a YouTube last week on Tamiya cement and their airbrush cleaner.  Basically the same stuff.  Guys are now refilling their cement bottles with airbrush cleaner at a fraction of the cost.  Expect the airbrush cleaner to go up now!
There was something like only 1% difference in one of the chemicals. If I remember, only two chemicals make it up.  The YouTuber pulled the SDS on it. 

I’ll see if I can find the link. 
 

Here it is

 

 

[PanzerWomble]

26 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

Saw a YouTube last week on Tamiya cement and their airbrush cleaner.  Basically the same stuff.  Guys are now refilling their cement bottles with airbrush cleaner at a fraction of the cost.  Expect the airbrush cleaner to go up now!
There was something like only 1% difference in one of the chemicals. If I remember, only two chemicals make it up.  The YouTuber pulled the SDS on it. 

I’ll see if I can find the link. 
 

Here it is

 

 

Normal everyday things rebranded as "modelling" for a 1000% markup .......every time I read "sanding stick" ............ I giggle.

 

Good tip on the sprue goo though , I normally gravitate to Perfect Plastic Putty because I hate sanding and I can feed it in with a wet brush, but might well give it a goo . 

 

FYI Tamiya extra thin is ..............according to it's data sheet . Neither chemical too hard to find.

Butyl Acetate 123-86-4 50.0 ％
Acetone 67-64-1 50.0 ％

Data Sheet Tamiya Extra Thin.pdf

[PanzerWomble]

Ah and if you want to make your own X20A Thinner

Measure by volume :-

2 Parts tap water

1 part 99% IsoPropyl Alchohol

+2% Acrylic Retarder Fluid .

That'll set you back about 70p / 80 US cents for a 250ml bottle ....instead of £10 ....BANZAI !!!! 😬

 

[CANicoll]

Amazing what you can find in a 'beauty' store.  The make-up applicators (little sponges on the end of a small plastic stick) are dirt cheap there, as well as the three-grit fingernail polishers.  

[BlrwestSiR]

I've been using sprue goo for a long time too. Like others, I mixed it in a Tamiya Extra Thin bottle. I have it on the thinner side so that I can brush it on easier and it dries faster. Does mean I sometimes need more than one coat. It's good for those time you're scribing and the lines go awry. 

Carl

[mark31]

1 hour ago, CANicoll said:

Amazing what you can find in a 'beauty' store.  The make-up applicators (little sponges on the end of a small plastic stick) are dirt cheap there, as well as the three-grit fingernail polishers.  

Yes indeed not far from my home there is a nail shop.

I have stopt there for sanding sticks and askd for some advice.

The had a lot that whas not selling and i walkd out with the hole lot 50pieces for 5 euro.

So me happy

Mark

[biggtim]

I'm sold. I'm gonna have to try this now.

[ScottsGT]

Speaking of nail shops, my paint rack is built for nail polish bottle holders.  Again, not my idea.  Just another tip I found on one of the modeling sites or YouTube.  But they do come in two different depths. 
Amazon, of course!

 

[CANicoll]

3 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

Speaking of nail shops, my paint rack is built for nail polish bottle holders.  Again, not my idea.  Just another tip I found on one of the modeling sites or YouTube.  But they do come in two different depths. 
Amazon, of course!

 

And it SPINS!!  THAT is a winner!  What a space-saver.  Hmmm.  I think I have an old white 'Lazy-Susan' bottle holder somewhere in the back reaches of the closet.  I like to pull down the colors I am using for particular builds and this is one way of doing that.