Problems with Milliput wash

[sippog]

Inspired by Chibi's thread on Greenstuff - I wanted to ask whether anyone can give me tips on making a Milliput wash for filling in fine holes, dents and blemishes.

I've been told you just add water to a lump of (preferably grey-green) milliput but I can never seem to get the stuff to dissolve, even using a battery operated paint stirrer. I always end up with liquid that's much to thin to be useful and undissolved lumps.

Any hints ,or suggestions as to an alternative? I've tried gesso but, although it works, it's far too soft

 

[Richie]

Hi David,
Have you tried using a thinners instead of water. You will just need to experiment with the amounts.
cheers
Richie

 

[valiant]

Sippog,

if you use an old brush, dip it in water, then wash it across a small piece of mixed Miliput several times, you get a slurry build up on the brush which you can then use to fill fine gaps. I think that trying to dissolve a large piece might be a bit optimistic!

Hope this helps,

Steve

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Try magic sculpt. You can easily add water and make a clay slip that will fill holes and cRacks.

Colin

 

[sippog]

Thanks for the great tips. I'll give them all a go.

I read in a couple of places that milliput dissolves in water to make 'a wash' but obviously you can't always take advice too literally.
Never tried Magic Sculpt - does it harden on its own (i.e. without baking) ?

 

[Diegoff]

I take a lump of Magic Sculpt and an old brush. With the blunt end, make a hole in the putty. Then take the brush and alcohol -the one to cleaning- and insist in the hole till the putty begin to disolve. I think that it will work with Milliput as well. The use of alcohol instead of water allow you a better control of the dilution.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Magic sculpt is a self hardening epoxy putty like miliput. It is far superior IMO. It's well worth a try although depending where you live and where you can find a supplier, it could get expensive to acquire.

Colin

 

[sippog]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm always ready to try new things.

Magic sculpt is a self hardening epoxy putty like miliput. It is far superior IMO. It's well worth a try although depending where you live and where you can find a supplier, it could get expensive to acquire.

Bought some of this and I'm hoping it will be fantastic because you get very little of it for 13.99. Having watched a YouTube video, I was expecting to get two good sized tubs - at last, I thought, easy to mix and lots to play with - but instead I got two smallish flat tubs with about the same amount of putty you would find in a pack of Milliput (which costs around six pounds at its dearest).

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I am not sure what supply is like in the UK but here in Canada I can get 2 quite large tubs for about $40 excl. shipping. If you like the material and there is no domestic supplier for larger quantities, it may still be economic to order from the home base in America, even with today's crazy mail costs. Good luck and I hope it works for you.

Colin

 

[valiant]

That's the main reason I stick with Miliput - the cost is far less than its closest rivals and I get a club discount from my local art supplier. I may be in a minority, but I actually prefer using Miliput to anything else!!

Steve

 

[Gra30]

Milliput and magi sculpt both have their qualities, I use both and find I get a longer working time and smoother blending for fine creases with magi sculpt.
Try using milliput for the initial bulk and armature, it carves nicely and will dry under heat quickly.
Then use the magi sculpt for the final clothing, creases etc.
Magi sculpt smooths nicely with a small amount of hand lotion.
Try not to heat magi sculpt too quickly under heat, I have found it tends to bubble sometimes.
Combining the 2 as above will make the magi sculpt last longer.
Magi sculpt and milliput can also be mixed to reflect each of it qualities depending on proportions.

 

[Diegoff]

This is an example of the method yhat I use to disolve Magic Sculpt. In the video, the putty is Milliput:

 

[sippog]

Gra20 - very useful info, thanks.
Diegoff, thanks for showing me - and great figure you have there.

 

[Calvin]

Do not use water, it messes up the putty, use (denatured) alcohol (75º or 96º) instead, it dissolves the putty and evaporate quickly. Depending on the surface you may also consider to use the Tamiya putty or the Gunze Sangyo dissolved putty, both can be thinned with denatured alcohol as well.