Reader tips
Putty concerns
One of your books suggests
that Silly Putty can conve-
niently be used to mask
curved areas. I urge caution.
I had cut out paper sten-cils on previous kits, but
this time decided to try Silly
Putty, as it seemed easier.
Because of the relatively
large surface area that I
needed to mask, I used the
putty only to mask the
edges, then filled in the
middle of each area with
masking tape. The method
worked easily and provided
the desired soft edge.
Imagine my surprise,
though, when I removed
the masking and found that
the paint covered by the
putty was noticeably differ-
ent (see photo). Yes, the
paint (all Tamiya acrylics)
was fully cured before I
started this. Thinking the
paint might have absorbed
something volatile, I left the
model overnight in mydryer at about 95 degrees.
This didn’t help.
I guess it’s possible this
would have evened out
with sealer coats, but not
wanting to take that chance
I remasked and repainted.
(Who wouldn’t want to
spend a couple of hours
doing that, right?) Problem
solved.
The Silly Putty was not the
time saver I’d hoped it would
be. Your readers should be
alert to possible issues.- Mike Christie
Phoenixville, Pa.
Cutting edge
technology
Here’s a way to protect
yourself from that sharp
No. 11 hobby blade.
If you have dogs, then
you probably have waste
disposal bags. The spools
that keep the roll in place
are about the same diame-
ter as a hobby knife. Just
slip the spool over the
blade and now you won’t
get poked or sliced or
knicked.- Leo Limuaco
Las Vegas, Nev.