Andy Freeman Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 What is the best thing to fill the nicks and cracks that a novice builder like me get sin balsa. The modle is a light weight slop glider so I want it to be light. Would lightweigh wall filler do? Is there any thing better? Cheers in advance Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Freeman Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Would P38 car filler be suitable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 avoid the P38 - too heavy. Try Poundland, Wickes, B&Q etc for lightweight filler - the sort where the tub feels empty when you pick it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdy Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Like theatre icecream empty or the other type? ps. Zaki epalor fill up is good, but it is probably heavy. What about microballoons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo565 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Andy Wilkinsons All purpose interior filler is the one,mix the powder to your consistency and away you go,light weight and it dries snow white and sands like a dream. Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Ireland Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I use stuff called "ONETIME" from a company called "Red Devil", £2.99 from Al's Hobbies. Very light and is ready mixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've always used fine surface pollyfiller which is probably a bit agricultural but its smooth and easy to use and so smooth that you can wipe away excess with a finger of flat scraper and then it'll need virtually no sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 DeLuxe Model Lite is a lightweight filler coloured light brown to match Balsa. . I have used it in the past, very useful if the wood shows through the covering as in fibreglass cloth covering or transparent films. (Usual disclaimer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Balsa dust and dope ! It shrinks a lot but works well especially on balsa .I find that polyfilla is a bit on the brittle side for things like wing fillets etc. Myron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Red Devil filler is very light, white and easily sanded. IT is the one that I use. I buy mine from Galaxy Models Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyS Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've just bought a pot of Model Lite. It's my first time using a balsa filler. It's a bit odd to use at first (it's the consistency of Angel Delight) and like any filler, if you're prone to slapping it on, clogs the sandpaper when getting it off. As I've got used to it though, I'm more careful in applying it and it's a doddle to sand out to a good finish. I think there are some pics in my Yak build blog photos of the fuse partly filled / sanded if that helps. I'll have a look later and if not I'll post some. The stuff I'm using is the bog-standard white not balsa coloured as Richard suggested above, as I'm glassing and painting the model anyway and I wanted a contrast to the filler so I could see where I'd put it and how thick etc. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Leigh Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I have some of that as well Tony. Definitely a bit odd to use but now I'm used to it, I find it really simple to apply and sand. I also tend to dampen it a bit to stop it flaking about when I'm applying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 The one I use for dings and hanger rash on bare unsealed balsa is water.Spray it on the damage a couple of times and walk away.After and hour or so the wood should eb dry again and the ding will have disappeared.More stubborn dings can be steamed.Both add no weight. Failing that, very light weight filler. If you pick the tub up and it feels like it is full of marshmallow then that is the one to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 yeap, I'm a "model lite" man myself too. Marshmallow is a good description of the consistancy! I tend to find that P38 is OK - but only in very small amouts for say sealing a wing seat becuase it has some mechanical strength. I can't get on with polyfiller - it seems too brittle to me - but maybe I dont mix it right? BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Green Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 The Polyfilla to look for is ' Multipurpose NO SANDING Polyfilla'. The other thing I've used is micro ballons mixed with either emulsion paint or epoxy. ANdy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cor Klos Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 there I use balsa filler and my pot is dry can I soak it to use it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 If the dents in your balsa are light you can easily remove them by wetting and then holding a hot covering iron on it. The dented wood swells back and dent disappear without the need for filler or sanding. Deeper dents or gouges obviously need filling and light  weight filler is good for this. For dents where weight isn't quite as important then "Ronseal Woodfill" is very good. It sets quickly similar to P38 but is much lighter and sands at  a very similar rate to balsa. It is available in white or off white so blends with balsa quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim A Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Red Devil gets my vote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 As mentioned above, wetting a dent in balsa sometimes swells the dent back out again, and I also find that going over the wet dent with a hot sealing iron makes the water expand, helping to push the dent out. Failing that, back to 'fillers' I have used Wilko's 'smooth' surface filler with success. RonaldoEdited By Ronaldo on 27/05/2017 11:29:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Te Deluxe filler is great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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