Mouldable putty
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I see loads of build with big gaps where people have put USB outputs in the side of units or other plug sockets and it all just looks a little messy and take the shine off sometimes. I'm sure that everyone else is the same as me and always looking to better their builds.
Not wanting to advertise but i find this stuff in my absolute must have tool kit along will gaffer tape, flap disks and... none others i can think of right now. The stuff im talking about is Sugru. Its mouldable plastacine that hardens overnight, is heatproof and has some give when dry (not brittle).
Downside is that its expensive for what it is and know that you can (sort of) make a substitute by using a catalyst (cornflour) and mixing it with silicon caulk... but ive yet to really get that right and its bloody messy.
Check it out anyway, the uses are endless for the stuff.
Anyone else out there got any tools or consumables that they cant get by without? Another one for me is a good set of wire strippers... do yourself a favour.
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Nice and thanks for sharing...I have the exact same thoughts about gaps and such.
One of my ideas....although I have not got around to trying it out was InstaMorph. Transparent heat activated putty. I dont know if an LED would turn it back to putty or not...that was my only concern.
http://amzn.to/2ducbnk
Lotsa folks use it for their cosplay costumes etc.....as I understand it anyway.
My go to tool is a file set....with a kick back for me if you pick one up ;-)
http://amzn.to/2e3Y4WM
I originally got it to clean up iphone and ipad edges when I did a small screen replacement gig on the side many moons ago.
A lot of folks use a dremel where a small fileset would be better. Dremel are great but can be overkill for shaping a small hole or cleaning up some edges on a plastice piece. dremel can be used to polish the edges after for a perfect look. The human hand offers a lot more finesse and makes a lot cleaner lines....with a keen eye anyway. -
@TheStrayMongrel I use lots of sticky tak but probably not great for a good looking end product or solid fill, it's more of a duct tape type use for me, to quickly and roughly get things to stay where they belong. Great for inside stuff that isn't visible.
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@herb_fargus Ah okay, i assume thats what they call blue-tack in my country. Hot glue guns are really good for that sort of thing too, especially keeping jumper cables and wires in spot. Can easily be removed too if need be.
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@Shakz thanks. I just bought that file set. I have one small file that is a very loose "s" shaped file. Works great. I have 4 dremels i use for a lot of work but use a file for the finishing touches in tight spaces. Then i will use 2000 grit sandpaper to cover up filemarks if need be. then polish to make it look factory if it is an exposed surface.
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@TheStrayMongrel
I agree with your sentiments. I'd like to think that i did a clean job myself with mounting ports and connectors in my builds. I'm not a big fan of the masses of glue either.Not sure if Sugru is sold everywhere, or at least here in Europe. But an equivalent could be Milliput. That's a 2 component clay used a lot for scalemodeling. Just mix to pieces of the same size together and then you can mold it in any shape you like. With a few drops of water you can mold it even better and make it super smooth for a nice finish. The best part is you have loads of time to mold it, up to an hour so you can take your time perfecting your application.
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I swear by this, have used it to tape 2.5" hard drives to the side of cabinets, and motherboards down, semi-permanently.
If it's good enough for the Apollo Missions, it's good enough for me!
For sealing up long gaps etc (sealed against light leakage more than anything else) I use this stuff usually:
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i managed to get some SUGRU from the local car boot sale cheap as chips. Used it for exactly what the OP said on the USB gaps etc.
Works a treat
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@GtBFilms said in Mouldable putty:
If it's good enough for the Apollo Missions, it's good enough for me!
Amen!
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Hell yeah @GtBFilms , I use a stack of Velcro too! Def on the list of must haves.
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can you send me a message, I want to ask you something :)
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@thestraymongrel recently I’ve found Quick Steel epoxy putty and used it on a build. It works great, sets up fast and can be painted/sanded no problem. Cheap and can be found at most auto parts stores and on Amazon fairly cheap.
Blue Magic 16002TRI QuikSteel Steel Reinforced Epoxy Putty Repair, Blister Pack - 2 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FW7UOM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VrjFAbX6B5S3W
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