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The 5 Best Epoxy Modeling Putties For Wargamers
Wargamers use epoxy modeling putty to sculpt original creations, modify commercially available figures, and repair defects. It is a two-part epoxy resin polymer clay.
Most modelers call it Green Stuff.
Contents
Terrain Wizard’s Choice For Best Epoxy Putty
If you only have room for one epoxy putty in your toolbox, it has to be Green Stuff from Kneadatite. Greenstuff remains the choice of serious wargaming modelers.
If there is some additional room in that toolbox, include Magic Sculpt. It is the top choice of fine detail modelers and adds range to your modeling techniques.
Some Questions Answered
What Is Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty is a room-temperature-hardening space-filling polymer clay epoxy adhesive. Modelers use it to create original figures either from scratch or by modifying commercially available figures. It is also an indispensable gap filler.
What Is Expoy Clay
Epoxy Clay is another name for epoxy putty. While manufacturers market them differently, there is no difference between the two.
What Is Green Stuff
Green Stuff is a two-part epoxy putty that comes in a thick ribbon. One side of the ribbon is yellow, the resin. The other side is blue, the hardener. You combine equal amounts of the two parts by kneading, which produces a green-colored epoxy.
The brand Kneadatite Green Stuff is the original epoxy putty.
Today, Green Stuff is a generic name for all epoxy putties.
What About White Stuff, Brown Stuff, Gray Stuff, And So On
Manufacturers make other recipes of two-part epoxy putties. So they use different color combinations to tell them apart.
Can I Mix Epoxy Modeling Putty
Wargaming modeling continues to evolve with new materials and techniques. Today modelers will mix different putties, say Green Stuff and Brown Stuff, and create a custom mix.
Also, modelers use different putties for each stage and type of structure. Miniature modeling has two needs that are not well met in a single product.
First, there is the need for a fine detail modeling compound that hardens well enough to be sanded and shaped for large smooth flat areas like shields and armor. Magic Sculpt is the hands-down winner.
Second, there is the need for flexible fine detail for elements like hair and capes. The unchallenged best is Green Stuff by Kneadatite.
Best of all, both epoxy modeling putties support the detail needed even for the tiniest scale figures.
Lubrication Makes It Easier To Use
Epoxy putties tend to be sticky. It makes it easier for the putty to stick to your miniature. But it also makes it stick to modeling tools. So you will need to use a lubricant.
Some putties, Green Stuff, for example, are not water-soluble. So you can use water or water-based lubricants.
Others are water soluble, so oils are the recommended lubricant. Petrolatum, like Vaseline or olive oil, is the most popular.
Is Epoxy Modeling Putty Safe To Use
Epoxy modeling putty contains epoxy resins. So you should take steps to prevent direct contact with the uncured resin. Likewise, it would be best to protect yourself from dust when sanding.
Manufacturers encourage you to take the following precautions:
- Uncured epoxy resins irritate your skin and eyes. Thus direct contact with the putty may cause an allergic reaction. Repeated exposure is known to increase your sensitivity. So you are encouraged to wear gloves when handling them.
- Wear a dust mask and protective eyewear when sanding or filing the cured product. Inhaling the dust may be harmful.
- Ingesting them may be harmful.
Things To Think About
Epoxy Modeling Putty Mixing Ratio
The starting mix ratio for most epoxy modeling putties is 1:1. Equal parts of resin and hardener give you a predictable finished product. However, you may want to modify that primary product by changing the mix ratio.
Suppose you decrease the amount of hardener in the mix(some modelers push the ratio as far as 5:1 resin to hardener). In that case, you lengthen the working time and produce a more flexible final product.
On the other hand, increasing the amount of hardener in the mix makes a more rigid final product.
Packaging
Some epoxy putties come in a ribbon form. It looks like a stick of chewing gum. Usually, two colored stripes run the length of the ribbon. One side is a hardener, the other resin. Thus the 1:1 mix ratio is built into the product.
These are easy to use. You measure the amount of putty you need and cut it off. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to adjust the hardener mix.
Other putties come in two separate tubes or tubs. While you have to measure the amounts of each part, controlling the mix is very easy.
Fine Detail
Not all epoxy putties are created equal. Some are much better at retaining fine detail, especially undercuts.
Hardness plays a part in the putty’s ability to retain detail. Soft putties tend to sag. Thus they do better with underlying support like wire armatures.
The quality of the underlying polymer clay also impacts detail. Remember, coarse clay will not take fine etching or sculpting. Neither will it polish to a fine finish.
Final Hardness
Manufacturers formulate different putty recipes—the final hardness range from a stiff, rubbery finish to a rock-hard finish.
It is essential to keep your modeling process in mind when selecting hardness. You can sand, sculpt, and etch rock-hard finishes after they harden. You cannot process rubbery finishes after they cure. They will shred and tear.
By modifying the resin and hardener mix ratio, you have some degree of control over the final hardness.
The Five Best Epoxy Modeling Putties
1 Kneadatite Green Stuff
Kneadatite Green Stuff is the original epoxy modeling putty. It has long been the preferred epoxy putty for wargame modelers. Its ability to handle fine cuts and intricate details sets it apart from the others.
Polymeric Systems, Inc. manufactures it. They also offer it through private label marketing. So you will likely see it offered by other companies under their brand names.
Green Stuff cures in about four hours with a working time of about one and a half hours. It reaches maximum hardness within 24 hours. It bonds with plastic, resin, and metal miniatures.
According to the manufacturer, fully cured Green Stuff has a Shore D hardness of 60. So it is as hard as the rubber tires on a grocery shopping cart.
Since green stuff is not water soluble, water is an excellent lubricant for your tools.
Green Stuff comes in two types of packages.
Reel
The original packaging looks like a long ribbon(90cm,36″)of chewing gum. One half of its length is yellow resin, the other blue hardener. To use, you cut off the amount of putty required and mix it until it turns green.
Stick
The resin and hardener come separately. There are two advantages to the stick. First, you can control the mixing proportions more easily. Second, there is no contact between resin and hardener to prevent premature activation.
2 Magic Sculpt
Magic Sculpt is a mainstay of scale modelers. Its finer texture and softer consistency make it easier to sculpt than Green Stuff. Yet it handles fine cuts and intricate details as well as Green Stuff. Plus, it is a gap filler that restores damaged or missing elements.
Magic-Sculpt has a working time of two to three hours. It fully cures in 24 hours to a Shore D hardness of 80. So it dries as hard as the hard hat used on a construction site. Once it cures, you can sand, carve, and grind it like hard ceramic clay.
Like all epoxy modeling resins, you should use gloves when handling Magic-Sculpt to minimize irritation. It cleans up easily with soap and water. Plus, water is an excellent smoothing agent.
The manufacturer, Wesco Enterprises, claims it has an indefinite shelf life when stored in the original tubs.
Magic-Sculpt is a two-part epoxy putty that comes in two containers, one resin, and one hardener. It comes in several colors: Natural, White, Black, Brown, Green, and Flesh, plus several different sizes: 200g,1lb,5lb,20lb, and 100lb.
Several retailers, both online and brick and mortar, sell Magic Sculp.
3 Milliput
Millliput has made epoxy putties at its base in Wales since 1968. It comes in two parts, a resin, and a hardener. The manufacturer recommends mixing equal parts.
Intended as a repair putty, it doesn’t sculpt fine details as well as other putties. It tends to crack and crumble. Thus it naturally takes on a believable stone texture, making it ideal for carving stone and brick textures. Also, you can use water to smooth it into flat surfaces for things like armor plating.
You can also use it as a gap filler by smoothing it with a water-soaked paintbrush.
Since you can combine epoxy modeling putties, many modelers use Standard Yellow-Grey Milliput as the core for larger pieces. Then they use other putties to build fine surface detail.
It comes in cartons containing two 56.7gm sticks, one resin and the other hardener.
It is available in 5 colors:
- Milliput Standard Yellow-Grey
- Milliput Silver-Grey
- Milliput Superfine White
- Milliput Black
- Milliput Terracotta.
4 Apoxie Sculpt
Aves Studio, LLC makes Apoxie Sculpt at their facility outside Hudson, Wisconsin. Dave Brummel developed the two-part epoxy modeling putty for his taxidermy business.
You use water to smooth this modeling putty. It cleans up with soap and water.
It holds fine detail well. Plus, it cures hard enough to sand and file. Also, it is available in a wide range of colors.
It comes in 1/10, 1/4, 1, 4, and 20lb packages.
Plus, it is available in 12 colors:
- Black
- Blue
- Bronze
- Brown
- Green
- Natural
- Orange
- Pink
- Red
- Silver-Gray
- White
- Yellow.
You can use the manufacturer’s mixing chart to create over four dozen colors.
5 Tamiya
Tamiya has a worldwide reputation in scale modeling. It offers a two-part epoxy modeling putty widely available online and in stores.
Its primary purpose is to modify and repair kits. So you can remodel, fabricate details, and sculpt pieces for kits. It takes fine detail and cures to a hard finish that you can sand.
Tamiya Epoxy Sculpting Putty: Smooth Surface, which cures within 12 hours. It is available in 25g and 100g boxes.
Tamiya Epoxy Putty: Quick Type, which cures within five hours. It is available in 25g and 100g boxes.
Final Thoughts On Epoxy Modeling Putty
Green Stuff has been the top choice for wargaming modelers for years. However, new products have expanded the options available to modelers. Today, many modelers use a combination of products.
Since you can combine epoxy modeling putties, you can build a core using less expensive putty. Then add fine details with a softer finish like Green Stuff or a hard finish like Magic-Sculpt.
You may even combine several polymer resin clays to create your mix and add variable amounts of hardener to create custom blends.
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