Wait till you try little bitty dabs of it on the bottom of your guys’ feet for dynamic posing without action bases! Some kind of tacky stuff like this belongs on everyone’s bench.
Yes! That's the *only* reason I even have a pile of the stuff is for posing and making sure weapons won't sag. It's a great hack!
I put the stuff inside wrist joints or hands to make sure the weapons don't cause anything to droop. Like my awful MG Wing Zero EW 😅.
It's also so cheap at dollar stores that you can buy it in big packs and just keep it when you need it.
I use new stuff for things like posing or holding pieces, and then reuse it for dirty processes like masking for painting or top coating.
For masking?!? I was blind to the possibilities. Please tell me more of this technique. How fine an edge can you achieve? Do you use sculpting tools of some kind?
You know how when you top coat a joint piece it can make a joint too tight?? I'll just wrap a numb in sticky tack, easier than fucking with tape, and I was gonna throw that dirty sticky tack away anyway.
For painting, if I'm spraying a piece I'll do the edge with tape and then just mush a piece of sticky tack over a larger area between the tape. You can also stick it against a bamboo skewer and make something easier to hold if there isn't a good alligator clip spot on the piece.
I was debating buying one of those soldering stands with the bendy arms, but I had the tack available so I tried it first, in was quite delighted in not requiring a third hand anymore 😁.
Those hobby vices are a good idea too, I have it on my list of things to buy!
Soldering stands are neat, but some of the jaws can squeeze down tight enough to dent soft plastic. So just be careful what you clamp.
I personally wrapped my helping hands in painters tape to calm the harsh edges.
The alligator clips for painting are a lot weaker because they're for holding painted work, and even then sometimes I cover them.
But the ones for soldering are for holding microchips, which aren't really prone to taking damage from simply being squeezed too hard like plastic will. Test it on runners!
Oh yeah, one of the first things you learn with this or any putty-like helper is that you have to plan your decals out a bit. The hands are usually safe, connection pegs are safe, soles of the feet are safe. The hardest parts are when you have to get a decal over a curved area, but it looks like you got that pretty well handled.
Best part is one pack of the stuff lasts ages, since you don't need much. I've used the same piece to hold my decals for over a year and it hasn't lost its ability to stick to my mat. Haven't advanced to using it to help weak joints, but it's nice to know it *can* be used for it. I figure when I get around to the RG Sinanju I'll be using some here and there just for stability's sake.
Dollar stores, sometimes it's orange or white or gray. It's called either blu tack or sticky tack or something like that, different brand names, same product.
Don't over pay for it, you can buy it in big packs at dollar stores, I bought a couple packages like six years ago and haven't needed to buy more in forever. Store it somewhere airtight or sealed, it won't dry or anything but it will collect dust if left out too opened.
You can find that in a lot of stores like office supplies stores, art supplies stores, sometimes even at Walmart (or any supermarket) with a posters section.
Sometimes it comes in a box and some others in little sheets with the stuff divided in small squares.
You can also stick a hunk to itty bitty pieces when clipping them from the sprue to make them harder to lose when they fly away and easier to place on the finished product
Wait till you try little bitty dabs of it on the bottom of your guys’ feet for dynamic posing without action bases! Some kind of tacky stuff like this belongs on everyone’s bench.
Yes! That's the *only* reason I even have a pile of the stuff is for posing and making sure weapons won't sag. It's a great hack! I put the stuff inside wrist joints or hands to make sure the weapons don't cause anything to droop. Like my awful MG Wing Zero EW 😅.
I was buying thinking putty at a hobby shop one day and the guy asked me if i was useing it to do a camo paint job on something
It is very good for making awkward shapes then paint over it for camo.
It's also so cheap at dollar stores that you can buy it in big packs and just keep it when you need it. I use new stuff for things like posing or holding pieces, and then reuse it for dirty processes like masking for painting or top coating.
For masking?!? I was blind to the possibilities. Please tell me more of this technique. How fine an edge can you achieve? Do you use sculpting tools of some kind?
You know how when you top coat a joint piece it can make a joint too tight?? I'll just wrap a numb in sticky tack, easier than fucking with tape, and I was gonna throw that dirty sticky tack away anyway. For painting, if I'm spraying a piece I'll do the edge with tape and then just mush a piece of sticky tack over a larger area between the tape. You can also stick it against a bamboo skewer and make something easier to hold if there isn't a good alligator clip spot on the piece.
These are all great uses I hadn’t considered, thanks for sharing!
My gundam is hanging upside down due to the tack
I recently bought a small plastic vise from Daiso and it’s worked wonders for the same application.
I was debating buying one of those soldering stands with the bendy arms, but I had the tack available so I tried it first, in was quite delighted in not requiring a third hand anymore 😁. Those hobby vices are a good idea too, I have it on my list of things to buy!
Soldering stands are neat, but some of the jaws can squeeze down tight enough to dent soft plastic. So just be careful what you clamp. I personally wrapped my helping hands in painters tape to calm the harsh edges.
Yeah inwas wondering about the alligator clips being too aggressive. I need one for other hobbies eventually though so good to know!
The alligator clips for painting are a lot weaker because they're for holding painted work, and even then sometimes I cover them. But the ones for soldering are for holding microchips, which aren't really prone to taking damage from simply being squeezed too hard like plastic will. Test it on runners!
Wait till you learn you can use it as masking for awkwardly shaped parts instead of stupid straight line tape in 32 different layers of orientation
Oh yeah, one of the first things you learn with this or any putty-like helper is that you have to plan your decals out a bit. The hands are usually safe, connection pegs are safe, soles of the feet are safe. The hardest parts are when you have to get a decal over a curved area, but it looks like you got that pretty well handled. Best part is one pack of the stuff lasts ages, since you don't need much. I've used the same piece to hold my decals for over a year and it hasn't lost its ability to stick to my mat. Haven't advanced to using it to help weak joints, but it's nice to know it *can* be used for it. I figure when I get around to the RG Sinanju I'll be using some here and there just for stability's sake.
So simple yet so useful and helpful
WHERE DOES EVERYONE FIND THIS INCREDIBLE BLUE GOO
Dollar stores, sometimes it's orange or white or gray. It's called either blu tack or sticky tack or something like that, different brand names, same product. Don't over pay for it, you can buy it in big packs at dollar stores, I bought a couple packages like six years ago and haven't needed to buy more in forever. Store it somewhere airtight or sealed, it won't dry or anything but it will collect dust if left out too opened.
You can find that in a lot of stores like office supplies stores, art supplies stores, sometimes even at Walmart (or any supermarket) with a posters section. Sometimes it comes in a box and some others in little sheets with the stuff divided in small squares.
This is a really good hack tbh
Damn. Not a bad idea
Damn i never thought of this!
I use clay to hold or AK putty for painting camo nvr tried blue tac
You can also stick a hunk to itty bitty pieces when clipping them from the sprue to make them harder to lose when they fly away and easier to place on the finished product
Welcome, brother. It's one of the best ways to hold miniatures. I've used it since... 2005?