Different people use putty in different ways but here's how I do it:
- glue the parts together
- allow to dry
- squeeze out a little putty (I do so on a piece of paper)
- use a toothpick (I use an old hobby blade - RECYCLING MAN! lol!) and apply the putty to the seam, trying to ensure that it goes into the gaps. Note: Don't apply too much cos you'll take more time cleaning it up later... but not too little cos you'll have to re-do it. Generally you'll end up with a messy line of putty covering up the seam - don't bother to smooth it out too much at this stage...
- allow to dry (check your putty for curing time) but remember that even though the outside may feel solid if you have a thick application of putty the inside may not be fuly cured yet.
- use hobby knife to remove excess dried putty till close to the seam
- use sandpaper to smoothen - I normally start with 400-600 and end off with a 1000 grit paper. Clean the part before painting (soap and water is nice).
Here's a tip contributed by Stephen Lee.
"You can actually squeeze putty and mix it with Mr Thinner and it will become a softer paste (you can use a brush and paint it on), but beware of adding too much or it will become too mushy."
credit : http://gundam_base.tripod.com/
