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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Truscott Trotter on November 07, 2017, 11:22:44 PM

Title: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Truscott Trotter on November 07, 2017, 11:22:44 PM
Am about to do some conversion work on WW2 figures- plastic and metal

have used greenstuff reasonably successfully in past but have run out so need to order more putty
So opinions gratefully received
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: cuprum on November 08, 2017, 03:48:47 AM
I recommend using both of these materials at the same time. Then you will get the best properties of both of them. "Greenstaff" perfectly sticks to almost any basis and is very plastic - but it can not be worked after curing. If you add 50% "Milliput", this disadvantage can be eliminated.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Truscott Trotter on November 08, 2017, 03:50:06 AM
Thanks for the tip - I have not tried that before
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: beefcake on November 08, 2017, 06:09:52 AM
I concur. Greenstuff and milliput. Mixes together easily and, as said, gives you the best of both worlds.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Truscott Trotter on November 08, 2017, 06:22:15 AM
Do you mix all 4 components in equal parts?
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Keith on November 08, 2017, 07:24:43 AM
I add a bit more yellow than blue to the greenstuff mix myself - keeps things less 'elastic' than a 50/50 split. Same when I combine with Miliput.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Rich H on November 08, 2017, 07:29:21 AM
miliput for hard surfaces greenstuff for organic and soft surfaces.
The miliput can be worked once cured but greenstuff is more easily worked when wet.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Captain Blood on November 08, 2017, 07:39:27 AM
Greenstuff for me. Left Milliput behind years ago.  GS is just much easier to work with I find. Agree with Keith though - 55% yellow to 45% blue is what I use.
Never tried Procreate putty though, which many professionals have switched to. Anyone know the benefits of Procreate over GS?
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Truscott Trotter on November 08, 2017, 07:42:12 AM
miliput for hard surfaces greenstuff for organic and soft surfaces.
The miliput can be worked once cured but greenstuff is more easily worked when wet.
Ahh so milliput for armour and greenstuff for bags and bedrolls?
Have you ever mixed the two Rich?
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: beefcake on November 08, 2017, 07:59:00 AM
Greenstuff for me. Left Milliput behind years ago.  GS is just much easier to work with I find. Agree with Keith though - 55% yellow to 45% blue is what I use.
Never tried Procreate putty though, which many professionals have switched to. Anyone know the benefits of Procreate over GS?
I've found that procreate is less "bouncy" (holds it's shape better when worked with) than GS. Better for making harder/sharper points etc. Not a huge difference though. It's been a while since I used procreate though so others might have a better viewpoint.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Rob_bresnen on November 08, 2017, 08:08:50 AM
For bigger jobs I  mix pro-create with greenstuff 50-50 to get a putty that is sticky and easy to sculpt. Fore small things I just use GS.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Keith on November 08, 2017, 08:15:16 AM
Another tip - Greenstuff is much easier to work with if you let it cure for 15-20 minutes before sculpting. It reduces the working time but you don't have to deal with the really sticky 'clingy' phase which makes life more difficult.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on November 08, 2017, 08:28:20 AM
I use greenstuff for soft stowage, glueing things together, reinforcing and covering joints.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXUovPQZLZQ/WHJm7QTHFyI/AAAAAAAABvs/NMbZAICighEavDjW0Qjj4EttBcwVN0bWgCLcB/s1600/m4a4-1-8.png)
I use Milliput for bases, smooth joins, filling holes in plate structures (holes in armour) and where a smooth surface is required. If you look on the Sherman above you can see here I have used Milliput around the pistol port.

The ability to sand and drill Milliput is really useful.

Coincidentally, I am using both on my Panzer Ib.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCh-T6vZFvE/WgI6Pm1NsVI/AAAAAAAACq8/h47EdSmFwaU8bSH5URYRwmS8zUED5JbiACLcBGAs/s1600/pz1b-5.png)

The next stage is to fill the gaps on the superstructure body join with Milliput and blend in the greenstuff.

In one of the old SF&Fgaming magazines(Harbinger?), I think it was an ex GW person called Tammy recommended using a Milliput slurry to smooth the surface of white metal where there was surface pitting (some figures can have less than optimum surface smoothness). It would also work on 3D prints and where you cannot reach with sandpaper.

You can also put surface texture on surfaces that are meant to be cast, such as Sherman turrets.

I find greenstuff is quicker and cleaner to use but Milliput still has its uses.

I have never tried mixing them.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: dampfpanzerwagon on November 08, 2017, 08:46:42 AM
This Blog entry might help.

http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=green+stuff

Tony
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: ARKOUDAKI on November 08, 2017, 10:42:04 AM
I have used both ProCreate and Greenstuff (like Richard aka Capt Blood said, Milliput is just old....I don't use it anymore) for most of my figure work. Following advice from Bill at Footsore, I also include around 30% of Fimo Classic (white) in my mix give me more time to work as well as allowing the putty to smooth out better. It works for me. I have mixed ProCreate and Greenstuff together (50:50) but haven't found it all that different. So I am currently sticking with my Greenstuff and Fimo (70:30) mix, which works for me.

One problem I have found with Greenstuff is that on a few conversions I ended up with it drying very oily...sorta like the Greenstuff was porous and oil came out. I asked Alan Perry about this and he suggested that the Greenstuff might have gone off....has anyone else had this experience?

Overall, when playing with putty I have found it best to read what others are doing but also figure things out for yourself. One thing for sure, the best sculpting tools I use are a good set of clay shapers!
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Rich H on November 08, 2017, 12:11:18 PM
Ahh so milliput for armour and greenstuff for bags and bedrolls?
Have you ever mixed the two Rich?

Not deliberately no.  I use miliput for curved armour as with a little bit of water it smooths out really well.  I find it moves entirely plastically and has no spring back.
GS I find has more resistance and tends to spring back more.  I struggle with GS.

I'll find a pic...
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Rich H on November 08, 2017, 12:14:18 PM
Centurion turret.
the large flatish areas nad corners lend themselves to miliput. 
It holds a fine edge and smooths out very well leaving very little surface texture.

But weld lines lend themselves to greenstuff as it creates detail better where miliput would look ragged.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: blackstone on November 08, 2017, 12:43:23 PM
I'm another who mixes greenstuff with milliput. Mostly 50/50 mix for general sculpting. You do get the best qualities of both products.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on November 08, 2017, 01:33:43 PM
The "oily" surface I put down to problems with the mixing, if the resin(the oily stuff) and the hardener are not in the right proportions then you might have resin left over.

If the hardener has dried out there might not be enough to react with all the resin.

I have had similar experiences with bought resin scenery and gluing stuff with epoxy.

It seems to seep through paint and superglue.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: ARKOUDAKI on November 08, 2017, 04:40:16 PM
That would make sense...thanks. So is there any way to correct it without removing the greenstuff and starting again? I have put primer over it and each time it just becomes really shiny, which must be the resin seeping through
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on November 08, 2017, 11:20:11 PM
You could try a Milliput slurry over it. I have not tried it.
Title: Re: Milliput or Greenstuff?
Post by: Rich H on November 09, 2017, 07:23:11 AM
Try a quick wipe of solvent like white spirits or similar perhaps?