Recently I noticed that my tube of Squadron White putty was drying out. This problem happens to me with every tube I buy, so much so that I frequently throw away what must be half a tube of putty. At $4.00 a tube, this can get expensive. Looking for an alternative, and keeping in mind that acetone can be used to thin some putties, I had an idea.
Using a spare jar, I cut open the putty tube to reveal the dried putty. With an old hobby knife, I shoveled the putty into the jar until it was a little over half full. Then I used a straw as a pipette, dribbling acetone into the jar. Stirring, the mixture soon turned into a very runny slurry. It looks promising, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet, so stay tuned for an update later when I can advise you of results.
It should be said that since acetone is one of the main ingredients, this will be a very "hot" putty. My recommendation would be to spoon some of it onto a work surface where the acetone can evaporate a little bit before applying. This will minimize the chance of damaging the plastic on your model.
Lastly, acetone is a very strong chemical. Make sure you open a window or use a respirator when taking on projects such as this. Safety first!
--Chris
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| Items needed for this experiment. If your assistant is named Igor, so much the better. ;) |
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| Spooning putty into the jar. |
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| Stir, and voila! Magnifique! It will be interesting to see how this works. |