"Green Stuff" Topic

I just got some of this stuff for the first time. I know a lot of you have experience with it, so I'd like to ask for some advice.

One project I have in mind is converting some Zvezda Guard Grenadiers into Guard Chasseurs. I have to eliminate the brass plate on the front and the cloth patch on top. My idea was to use some Green Stuff, and texture those areas to resemble the "bearskin."

So I want to let the stuff cure until it becomes putty like, so I can scratch the texturing into it before it hardens. "Functional cure occurs in 4-5 hours." I'm not sure what "functional cure" means. My guess is that "functional cure" is pretty hard. I'm thinking that I want to be scratching the texture into the surface before that happens. But how much before?

Also, the instructions indicate that more blue = faster harder cure. More yellow = slower softer cure. I'd like opinions on that, too.

If it is the green stuff that I've used, you can work it to create the bearskin texture as soon as you have applied it, you don't need to wait. I've always used a 50/50 mix. Others with more experience of green stuff may be able to give better advice.

Thanks for the help, Andy. I hope to hear more. What part of Aussie are you in? I once had a friend in Perth.

Have turned shako into bearskin in the past with green stuff

1:1 is just the right hardness, you can sculpt is straight away no problems. It's pretty sticky stuff when you mix it. Try to get some where the yellow and green is completely separated. When they are wound together in a pack, where they join becomes hard and messed up

You might want to check that it sticks ok to your plastic first. Probably need to clean off any molding residue first.

The only time to apply green stuff is when you are building something larger than 5-10mm. It's much easier to sculpt a basic shape, let it dry, and then sculpt details with a thinner layer

John

Green stuff cures into an almost "rubbery" plastic, which means that it doesn't work well to etch, scratch or file it after curing. You want to use it for stuff where you make most of the shape before it cures.

There are other products that are more easily worked with after curing, such as milliput or super sculpey. A neat trick is to mix green stuff with another such product, because then you get a combination that is more easily etched or cut after curing.

As said above you are best working with the putty before if dries. mix it well till any streaks disappear and it is all "green" only mix small amounts "pea sized max".

cut small pieces just big enough to achieve what you want to do. For a bearskin roughly sculpt the shape with a cocktail stick (or colour shaper is better if you have one) dampen your tool as it stops it sticking, and "tap". in the fur effect with small knife blade.

Hope this helps, Cheers Roger.

In support of Setsuko, I use about 60-40 proportion Miliput to Greenstuff. Mix them separately first, then together. Remember to store putty packs in your fridge freezer.

Widowson, I am in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

My 2 pence worth when using yellow/blue tape.

With sharp scissors and the putty cold (after being in the fridge).

Cut off the yellow bit and make it into a ball/lump.
Cut off the blue bit and put it into a ball/lump.
Throw away the joining strip.
Keep the two balls/lumps in a container with a dust cover. i use an old tobacco tin.
Keep them on some polythene as found with the original strip.

martin

Do you need to lose the peak as well?

If you get success (actually, when you get…) please provide piccies. Thanks

Marc

And why store the putty packs in the fridge freezer?

For most things I use a 50-50 miliput / greenstuff mix.

For the OP, I made a fine detail tool which I use for fur.

I got a pin (dressmakers, shirt or whatever you call the finest pointy thing down your end of the swamp) and fixed it into an old paint brush.

Greenstuff especially and the other compounds are sticky, you'll need to keep whatever tools you use lubricated with water to stop it grabbing the tool and lifting off the fig.

David F Brown

Ever wondered why they talk about spit and polish? Mucin in saliva is a natural lubricant; beats water any day when you want to work with Greenstuff, without the instrument sticking to it. Careful though if you are sculpting with a 15 blade scalpel………