Green stuff , what's your experiences with it ?

Started by chalkie, 25 October 2013, 05:14:26 PM

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chalkie

As the title says, what's your experiences with green stuff ? Do you like it ? Does it work for you ? What's your tips ?

Paul.

petercooman

I like it!

Haven't used them on anything 10mm though, i used to use it for my 28-25mm stuff.

Just keep the sculpting tool wet when busy, so it won't stick!

Also, don't go buying it from th evil empire but go to ebay, you can easily find double the material for the same price there. Also ask Phil aout the different types and brands, he uses a couple  ;)

Leman

Really useful. I have made skirted tunics for gendarmes and it is very effective.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Techno

I'll pop back to this a bit later on. :)

There are a lot of small variations that can make life a little more easy.....Although very broadly speaking you'll be doing almost the same thing each time.
What are you specifically trying to do Paul ?
If you can pop up a piccy, that'd make it easier to see what 'tips' would be useful ;)
Cheers - Phil.

Hertsblue

Easy to use, even by we hamfisters, keeps better than Milliput, useful for small jobs like sandbagging.
When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

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get2grips

Best tip for me was from Phil (Techno).

If you're working on something and don't have time to finish, pop the green stuff in the freezer; stops it hardening :-bd

kustenjaeger

Greetings

While we are on the topic what tools does anyone recommend for sculpting?  I can conceive of doing a few one-off minor conversions here and there. 

Regards

Edward

Techno

The 'weapon of choice' is a dental tool called a wax carver number 5 Edward......But that can prove a little on the large side for some folk when working on very small scales....But that and a dental probe.....(Basically a bent pin in a handle) should be enough to start you off.

Over the years I've collected all sorts of different tools....Most of which have been a waste of money and just sit in the drawer....But I 'custom made' small versions of different shaped dental tools which I use for '15mm' figures and smaller scales.

There's a photo of those somewhere on the Forum....I'll try and find it.

Cheers - Phil.

Techno

See if this works !

www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,2778.15.html

Seems to....But scroll down towards the bottom of the page.

Cheers - Phil.

OldenBUA

31 October 2013, 03:11:52 PM #9 Last Edit: 31 October 2013, 03:14:13 PM by OldenBUA
Any advice on which type/brand is easiest to use? Or is there really not much difference? Also thinking about minor conversions here, not sculpting from scratch.

P.S. From that pic of Techno's tools, you can easily tell which ones are used, and which ones aren't: There are little bits of green everywhere!







Alright, you can all bring on the snide remarks about Techno's tools, now.
Water is indeed the essential ingredient of life, because without water you can't make coffee!

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Ithoriel

31 October 2013, 04:45:17 PM #10 Last Edit: 31 October 2013, 04:51:33 PM by Ithoriel
Picked up the bottom 5 tools in a plastic tool roll for £4.99 in a local phone/ computer/ electrical goods/ toys store. I'd imagine you could pick up similar stuff for similar prices on EBay or the like.

EDIT: Checked EBay - you can get 12 piece Wax/ Green Stuff Carving Model Tools (also for Candle & Clay Modelling/ Sculpting) for around six quid a set including postage
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Techno

Quote from: OldenBUA on 31 October 2013, 03:11:52 PM
Any advice on which type/brand is easiest to use? Or is there really not much difference? Also thinking about minor conversions here, not sculpting from scratch.
P.S. From that pic of Techno's tools, you can easily tell which ones are used, and which ones aren't: There are little bits of green everywhere!

I hadn't noticed that ! ;D ;D ;D ;D...But it's quite true....Green/brown/stuff.....whatever....all over them ! ;D ;D ;D
Brand ? Types ?.....Ash or Lustra if they still exist....If I need to replace anything, I go to a dental tool manufacturers and ask for a free catalogue.
You might well end up paying up to £15 for each item...Rather than £6 for a set of six.....But mine get used like 'you know what' and I need them to last as long as possible.
The vast difference in price is down to the quality of the steel that's used.
If you're only going to be using them for odd conversions... A less expensive set is definitely your best bet....As far as ease of use is concerned.......I don't find much difference, whether I happen to be using a pricey 'bought' one....Or something I've made myself

Quote from: Ithoriel on 31 October 2013, 04:45:17 PM

Picked up the bottom 5 tools in a plastic tool roll for £4.99 in a local phone/ computer/ electrical goods/ toys store. I'd imagine you could pick up similar stuff for similar prices on EBay or the like.
EDIT: Checked EBay - you can get 12 piece Wax/ Green Stuff Carving Model Tools (also for Candle & Clay Modelling/ Sculpting) for around six quid a set including postage

Useful shapes there 'I'....Only thing I'd say is that they're a tad on the large side for 'our' scale..But other than that, they're a bargain.
Cheers - Phil

OldenBUA

Quote from: OldenBUA on 31 October 2013, 03:11:52 PM
Any advice on which type/brand is easiest to use? Or is there really not much difference? Also thinking about minor conversions here, not sculpting from scratch.

Very useful information on the tools, the price tag and so on.

But my original question was really about the green stuff itself. Are there many different types? Any that would work better on small scale models? For example, would granularity be an issue? Asks mister Green (as grass).

Soon to be followed a three page essay by Mr Brown (aka Techno) with his likes and dislikes of several brands...  :P
Water is indeed the essential ingredient of life, because without water you can't make coffee!

Aander lu bin óók lu.

barbarian

Green stuff = Kneadite.
Search for it.
Or you can use Procreate who is really similar, but grey.
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Techno

Quote from: OldenBUA on 31 October 2013, 05:57:25 PM
But my original question was really about the green stuff itself. Are there many different types? Any that would work better on small scale models? For example, would granularity be an issue? Asks mister Green (as grass)

Basically from our point of view.....(Hang on..Just a minute.....Chalkie started this...Are he and OldenBUA one and the same....??)

The answer's no.....What (I think) everybody would regard as 'Green Stuff' is 'Original Duro/Kneadatie......Originally an American putty used by plumbers....And seemingly now taken over by modellers.
There have been other putties that were simply called 'Green Stuff.....Never ever tried those...So I can't comment on what they might have been like.

Kneadatite HAS changed (is still changing ?) slightly (I'm sure) from when it first came into use by modellers....Why ?..I don't know......Health and safety, and the chemical composition, said he, guessing wildly.
But it has 'morphed' over the past 20+ years....Though only very slightly.

You can get VERY, VERY slight variations between different batches.....It also depends on how it has been stored... and how old it is.
If you kept a 'Catherine wheel' of it for a few years, you'd probably notice its properties would slowly change over time.

You can 'muck about' with it by varying the proportions of the blue and yellow.....
More yellow means that the putty (to start with) is softer and stickier. (This takes longer to set).
Alternatively....More blue in the mix, means that the putty is 'stiffer' to start with....But sets more quickly, and 'sharp edges' are quicker to do.

Working with ProCreate is 'similar' to working with the 'extra blue' type mix....Much stiffer, and goes off comparatively quickly.

I hope this makes some sort of sense...I've got some sort of 'bug/head cold' as I plonk this out....And my brain is even more like 'mush' than usual. :(
Cheers - Phil