Paper putty

Rhaven Blaack

Rhaven Blaack

!!!THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!
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Years ago, my grandfather use to do carpentry as a hobby. He would save all of the saw dust during (and after) his projects. If he needed any wood putty, he would take some of the saw dust and mix in some wood glue to the thickness that he needed and then use it to fill in the hole, gap, or what ever space he needed to fill. Afterwards, he would sand it smooth, and then treat it accordingly. (I am certain that some of you old timers out there know of this technique, so this is nothing new to you.)

I decided that the same technique could be applied to paper modeling. Of course, using paper "dust".
Just save the paper dust in a small bowl as you are sanding the parts that you need for other models (or you can just take scrap paper and sand it into dust). (NOTE: If you have a DRUMMEL DRILL, this will make the process easier and quicker) Save it in a seal-able container and use as needed.

Here is a small (and simple) demonstration of what to do

I have edge glue three panels together.
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Portioned out some paper dust.
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Added white glue (it is easier to work with for this technique).
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Mixed well (and added either more dust or more glue for the right thickness).
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Applied to the joined areas (like caulking or Spackle). Let dry, and treat as needed.
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This putty (or paste) can also be used to re-enforce contoured edge glued parts (where glue strips are hard to apply).
To fill in gaps, holes, strengthen other joints, or even make other smaller contour shapes that are needed.

The uses for this stuff are endless. Use you imagination and enjoy!!!
 
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That's a fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing this!

I've tried to do something like this in the past when I used superglue for my paper models - I would first glue them together, and after it dried and held together I would add a little more superglue, sand, and repeat as necessary to fill in any gaps as the paper dust and glue set during the sanding. The sandpaper certainly runs out much faster when you do that... I like your technique much better. :)
 
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I used to do that with styrene scraps to fill small holes or to strengthen certain parts when I was building plastic models. The advantage of your technique is that the glue contains all these small paper particles which make the connections stronger.
 
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It's a great way to make nose cones and the like, especially for those who paint their models. It works great! :)
 
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Thank you for the kind words and positive feedback.
I know that there are products that you can buy at hobby shop that will do the same thing, but not everyone has access to these product. I (also) wanted to show a way of how to get more out of the materials that you already have (and not have to spend extra money).

The uses are endles. Just remember, your only limitation, is your own imagination.

ENJOY!!!
 
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RB,
This is a great idea! It made me think of a material I used back in my military miniature days....Celluclay, a paper mache product available at most art and craft stores. We used to mix it w/ white glue and use it for groundwork. It comes in a brick like package, and was relatively inexpensive, and comes in white. It has the powdery consistancy of sanded down paper, and I suspect that the package would last a long time using the amounts we're talking about, and it's ready to mix ! Might be worth a try.
Mike
 
I fully understand that there are a myriad of products on the market that do the very same thing, but this thread is for those people who can not afford or do not have access to such products, or just simply want to use the materials that they have on hand (like me). Not only that but I wanted to share a technique that was taught to me be my grandfather years ago that was used in woodworking, and I thought that the same technique could easily be applied to paper models (and crafts) as well.
 
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I've had some thoughts about this and, I wonder what I could do with all my paper waste and a blender then make the the paper glue mixture?
 
Vortex_4200 said:
I've had some thoughts about this and, I wonder what I could do with all my paper waste and a blender then make the the paper glue mixture?
Click to expand...

If the blender will turn the paper into a dust or powder, then it would work.

If you have a dremel drill with a sanding drum or disk, you can easily turn your scrap paper into dust or powder.
 
Good idea :-), i used a similar idea as a bulk filler, to make small hollow pieces more solid and give them a rigid feel, and that was using rough torn paper machet with PVA resin based as a filler to give it strength!!!
 
It is also great for when you are edge gluing parts together and you want a little extra re-enforcemnt on the joined area but really do not have room for a glue strip.
 
excellent! can also be used to round off some sharp edges on the ends and corners of some joins on the exterior!
 
That is the GREAT thing about it. You can use it for what ever you need it for.
Not only that (but like I have said before), it is a GREAT way to use up the extra scrap cardstock that you laying around.
 
I wonder if you added a little of silicone, or plaster of Paris, to make molds? :)
 
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