I’m a new guy with little to add and a lot to take/learn. But I have a tip on Zimmerit that may help prevent some frustration. I’ve been trying to use Milliput to sculpt my own Zim. I was really struggling getting it to lay smooth/thin. Was really chunky and tacky. When I rolled my pattern tool (wheel-roller type) through it, it would just pull up or clump off and caked on my tool. Looked like crap. So…wet your finger and the tool. In frustration, I applied water via my finger to the putty and it smoothed out/formed it like a champ. I dipped my tool in water and, presto…amazingly perfect Zim pattern! SO…water really helps, buys you time to sculpt the putty and by keeping your tool wet , it’ll roll/press smoothly and results in a crisp pattern.
Thanks to all who’ve helped me on this site. Hopefully this will help someone.
Thanks for the tip Leviathan. I remember reading to keep the tool wet but had not heard about doing the same to the putty itself. I have not tried applying my own zim yet but plan to in the near future. I will give your technique a try.What was the Miliput like to apply? Was it liquidy like Tamiya putty or more like clay or plasticine?
It was more like soft clay. Really easy to knead and worked even better with damp finger tips. I just did a small section at a time. Texture the surface first (sand or scrape with sharp tool). I then rolled up a small ball, then squeezed it flat between my fingers and using my fingers, formed it into a rough approximation of the section of the hull I was going to put it on. I then squished it down and smoothed it out/flattened it with a WET wide blade Exacto knife. I didn’t worry about any overhang. I wetted my finger again (enough that water is dripping off) and perfectly flattened the surface. Then wet the tool and roll or press the pattern in. It’s really fun and fairly easy. Maybe practice on the bottom of the hull or some scrap. After I was satisfied with a section, I just sliced off any overhang. Once I figured out “water is my friend” I went back and scrapped off all the crappy attempts I did and re-did them. Goodluck!
I use Squadron Green putty which I spread very thin, a section at a time and use a small plasticic strip to do the zimm pattern. What roller tool do you guys use and where can I get one? This tool will probaly make it easier than my plastic strip method.
I grabbed an old brummbar kit and experimented with some spackeling paste I had left over from a bathroom fix. It easily spreads thin with the Tamiya Zim tool and has good workability. You can cover a large area quickly. Once it is dry it is rather fragile, so get some paint on it asap. Since it is a plaster type material like the original stuff, it is weathered easily by flaking the stuff off.
I used a similar method on one of my models where I used a stamp to do a waffle pattern, and I used WD40 on the stamp to stop it from sticking. Worked like a charm!
ALl you have to do is wash it with soap and water before painting. I had no issues whatsoever with paint adhesion.