On my workbench is a substance that I couldn’t do without: modeling clay. Its many uses include:
1) Gap filler — Have you ever had a tiny gap, such as on an aircraft between the wing and fuselage? Maybe it’s only 1/64 of an inch, but you know it’s going stand out like it’s a foot wide once painted. Usually, the filler and the sandpaper come out, and so does the surrounding detail. Instead, take a little lump of clay, roll it around until it’s nice and soft, and squeeze it into the gap. Don’t worry about the excess, just take a damp paper towel, cotton swab, or pipe cleaner and rub it off. Then paint directly over the clay. I’ve never encountered any bad reaction between the clay and paint. I find clay’s crack-filling property to be particularly useful on figures when the arms or legs or whatever simply don’t fit, or when you are trying to reposition the limbs. Use a toothpick to push the clay into the gap and a cotton swab or pipe cleaner to smooth it out.
2) Nose weight — Many years ago, I went to a sporting goods shop and bought a 5-pound sack of birdshot (today, there is still 4½ pounds left). I take a wad of clay and knead it into the birdshot until the clay is filled with little lead balls. This can be jammed into the nose, under the cockpit, or wherever you need to put it. On at least one occasion, I stuffed it in the engine nacelles in front of the landing gear. Once you have it in place, paint with white glue to lock the shot in.
3) Tiny palette — If you need to apply a little bit of super glue or paint and don’t want to dirty a container, reach for the clay. After flattening it out, use the nonbusiness end of a hobby knife to make dimples that can be filled with glue or paint. Once finished, let the impromptu palette dry overnight, which makes removing paint easy, letting you use the clay again.
Eventually, after five or six years, the clay will become too grimy and dirty to use — not a bad lifespan for a $2 modeling item.
Tip submitted by:
Chet Mohn
New Cumberland, Penn.