How to use wood putty/filler (Moved by moderator)

[SpencerC]

So I have some bulges and indents In my hull and need to know how to use this stuff as I've never used it before. Does anyone have any tips and tricks or better yet know any good VIDEOS on like YouTube or something that would be good for this specific use of wood putty? I included some pictures hoping you guys could also tell me exactly where I should put the putty. Maybe take the photo in question into paint and circle, in red, the area where putty is needed. Any help is appreciated thank you!

[lister]

Hi there

The pics are not too

clear from what i can see have you sanded the hull yet ?.if not give it a light sand and remove as much dust as you can .if you have a small air gun even better to use that.Take the second layer planking and lay horizontaly across the hull moving it say from the top of the hull downwards making sure it is in close contact to the hull but allowing you to see any hollows below it or if the hull moves the plank outwards to indicate a hill.Mark any deviations with pencil and sand down or fill that area.Hope that part helps you !

D ;-)ve

Edited September 15, 2013 by lister

[SpencerC]

Haha yes that's how it looks AFTER I've sanded it, Sadly! Any actual advice on how to use the wood putty to fill in the dents would be great. How do I shape it to fill in the dents?

[mtaylor]

Just spread it over the area with a flat object like a small sheet of the cardboard from the back of a notepad.   Allow to dry and sand away.  Use sanding blocks and sanding sticks to get a smoother surface without all the slow spots.  

[captainbob]

When I know I will be painting the hull I do not take that much care in the planking and end up using wood putty (usually Elmer’s). First sand the hull then using something flexible like the cardboard Mark mentioned spread on a thin layer of the putty like you were icing a cake.  After that dries sand off the high spots working for the shape you want.  Depending on how dented the hull is you may have to do this again and again.  As you work with the filler you will learn how.  It’s like working with children’s clay, if it doesn’t come out the way you want the first time you just sand it down and do it again.

 

Bob

[SpencerC]

Thanks cap'n bob that's probably the most informative answer yet. Ill post pics of what I've done so far and you guys can let me know if I'm on the right track. Thanks all

[Nirvana]

I am very careful using putty, as my father said once "use it with moderation"

Attached you find my current build build, one of the sides has gotten a treatment of putty.