(Re)Sculpting question

[archangel1]

If I need to replace or change a hand or a head on a figure, it's relatively easy to cut and pin a new piece on.  However, if I want to sculpt new fingers or build up an arm in a different position, using an epoxy putty of some sort, what's the best way to get started? How do you get such minute pieces of said putty to stick in place long enough to work with them? Plastic is easy - just glue on a piece of sprue or such and wait for it to dry.  Can you do the same thing with putty, using cyano for instance? I've always found that getting the stuff to even adhere to the bare metal is a real chore.  Putty to putty isn't quite as bad but it's still awkward.  Any suggestions from our resident experts?

Thanks,
Mike

[dijit]

Well not that I'm an expert at all, but in my experience with using Greenstuff I can only comment on that. Try adding a little more yellow into the mix first, tis makes it more 'sticky', alternatively you can drill a small hole where the piece is meant to be to roughen up the area and give something for the putty to hold on to. I don't know about other modelling mediums.

[Hammers]

Well not that I'm an expert at all, but in my experience with using Greenstuff I can only comment on that. Try adding a little more yellow into the mix first, tis makes it more 'sticky', alternatively you can drill a small hole where the piece is meant to be to roughen up the area and give something for the putty to hold on to. I don't know about other modelling mediums.

I do both of the above (more yellow in green stuff, roughen up the surface). You can also put a little superglue to the metal to get that initial stick but you really need to use just a ultar-super-thin application or you'll get lumps in the green stuff.

[Mancha]

You can also insert a pin into the metal.  This pin would then serve as an "armature" of sorts, giving more for the putty to adhere to.

So if you're sculpting, for example, a hand, drill a hole into the sleeve, insert a short pin, put the blob of green stuff in place surrounding the pin, allow to dry for just a short while (this increases its adherence), and sculpt away.

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Maybe you have greasy fingers? Wipe your fingers before working with the putty. Grease can be a non starter.

Actually, what I do it jam a small bit of the putty onto the surface and really work it on. Then carefully place the bit you want to sculpt on top. Also you can superglur the putty while its still soft, it works fine.