Scale Modeling How-To: Mr. Surfacer And Panel Lines

[@JustiniusBuilds]

All these years and I'm still finding new uses for Mr surfacer. Thanks Jon!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! Yeah, this stuff is so very useful! I love it. :D

[@Gundamuk]

A really handy tip, Mr. Surfacer has been my go-to seamline remover for years now, always great to see new ways to use it!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! It's a great product. :)

[@tcandle695]

A must-have on the workbench. I watch videos of Japanese modelers and they use Mr surfacer as a primer in their 1200 -1500 range and as a putty with the 500. Japanese hobby products are very high quality. I try to buy only Japanese products. Thanks Jon.

[@JonBius]

It's definitely one of those "gotta have it" products! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@kenhanson1819]

One of my favorite modeling products. I also use it to restore raised panel lines in conjunction with Scotch tape. Thanks for the video, Jon!

[@JonBius]

I've done that, and it works great! It's a great way to enhance raised detail. Thanks for your kind words, and for watching and commenting!

[@outofthisworldmodelsandmin898]

Thanks for all the information on this product! I just bought my first bottle and you've answered all the questions I had on it. Just happened on your channel and am now a subscriber! -John

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching, commenting, and subscribing! Have a great day!

[@C2Lawson]

Thanks so much for this! I just tried it for the first time and it worked perfectly!

[@JonBius]

Glad it helped! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@davidfeinberg5599]

Another tool I now feel I could use properly and effectively... Thank you !

[@JonBius]

Great to hear! This is one of those things I use on almost every build. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@architrujillo4600]

Thanks, man! Saved me hours of sanding.

[@JonBius]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@machomodelz3954]

Woah, new intro music! Great video! I loved "to be honest, I'm not sure what it's made of," ha! I use 1500 as my base primer, I cut it 1:1 with MCLT and it's absolutely flawless when I spray it through my airbrush.

[@JonBius]

Thanks! The 1500 is a superb primer. Great choice.

[@PlasticImaginationWorkshop]

Thanks, great tutorial. I've never used this product but I may pick some up the next time I'm in the hobby store and give it a try.

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! I really like it. It's one of those "pry it from my cold dead fingers" products. 🤣 Thanks for wathcing and commenting!

[@ethanidenmill1702]

Great video! Thanks for the demo and info. I'm looking forward to trying out these techniques!

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind words, and for watching and commenting. I am grateful!

[@biggestelvis]

Just tried this- awesome tip, works great! Just one note- best to use 90+ IPA or you’ll be rubbing for awhile :)

[@JonBius]

Definitely! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@kevinfutter]

If you use Mr. Color Thinner (Levelling or otherwise) instead of alcohol to remove the excess after application, you can leave it as long as you like. I've never had it harm any kind of plastic I've used it on, and the Mr. Surfacer can be fully cured; it'll still work (though it will be *more* work).

[@JonBius]

Good to know - thanks for watching and commenting!

[@warmachine5835]

I'm going to add this to my uses for 500. I already use it as a gap filler and as a texture aid for doing things like cast steel, but I never thought about it for turning steam lines into panel lines.

[@JonBius]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jhoodfysh]

Very useful information Jon, I have ordered a bottle for use in building kits for my N-scale layout.

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! I use that stuff on almost every build. And it's great as a primer through the airbrush too. (Properly thinned of course.) Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MikeSmith-th4rr]

Superb tutorial Jon thank you so much, keep it up

[@JonBius]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MikeSmith-th4rr]

Living in the uk, I can not source mr surface, can I use anything else sir

[@JonBius]

@@MikeSmith-th4rr Check eModels! They have the brown version of it available. It's slightly thinner than the 500, but it works - I've used this too! I always keep a bottle of this stuff on hand for priming to. www.emodels.co.uk/mr-hobby-40ml-mr-mahogany-surfacer-1000-sf290.html HTH!

[@tewzaku2535]

Great video yet again Jon, thank you very much. I will be trying this on the kit I’m working on currently!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! I am grateful! Let me know how it goes.

[@jordyuriel1494]

instablaster

[@mikebalis9963]

Excellent video. Thx.

[@JonBius]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@alexchubbymclynn6060]

Most handy video for me! Thanks a lot!

[@JonBius]

That's awesome - glad to hear it! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@stevie65able]

Hi Jon, great suggestion about the rubbing alcohol. In Australia we refer to it as isopropyl alcohol. I tried it tonight on a wing seam line-worked a treat. I have also used lacquer thinner-like Mr Hobby-but it is too aggressive at times, and removes too much Mr. Surfacer. And makes you dizzy if you use too much in a non ventilated room-ask me how I know... :)

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting! That's good to know about the difference in terms - I'll make note of that in future videos! It does work well, and it's not a danger to the plastic at all. And no dizzies either! 😁 Happy day to you!

[@stevie65able]

@@JonBius Thanks Jon. And I very much enjoyed your interview with Uncle Night Shift. Just rewatching it now.

[@JonBius]

@@stevie65able Martin is really awesome! Thanks for watching it again!

[@JohnLabu381]

Hi jon Thanks jon

[@JonBius]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Ricardo-cl3vs]

Good ventilation is a must when using this amazing stuff! It stinks to high heaven and will give you a headache pretty quickly if you're not careful.

[@JonBius]

Absolutely - that goes for virtually everything we use really. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@ShutterAce]

It's a good thing that was rubbing alcohol! I'm here all week! ;)

[@JonBius]

Haha! I actually got that question one time. :D

[@phat_gunpla_etc]

want to change the color of the kit original from a dark blue to a light grey...what color primer/surfacer should i use?

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting! First, I'd say you'd want to consider what you'd like the final look to be. If you want it to be a bit of a more desaturated appearance, perhaps with a bit of a pre-shaded look, I'd go with something a bit darker than the light gray base paint - probably a neutral gray. If the goal is for the light gray to have a brighter, cleaner appearance, I'd say go with a white, or at least very light gray for the primer. I hope that helps! Thanks again!

[@phat_gunpla_etc]

@@JonBius thank you! yes, i want to change the color completely from dark blue to grey or white...so i will use a white primer correct? thanks!

[@JonBius]

@@phat_gunpla_etc Yes - that should get you there. Apply it in thin coats so it gives a nice smooth surface. It may take a few coats to cover dark blue. Have fun with it!

[@phat_gunpla_etc]

@@JonBius thanks so much Jon!

[@TheTgr5m]

Helpful video!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much Thomas! :D

[@TheTgr5m]

Used this on a resin figure that wasn’t going together very nicely and it worked really well. I’m pretty surprised how big of a gap it could fill too. I had a few pieces that I expected to have some trouble with because I just joined them with brass rod to get the pose how I wanted. Mr surfacer was able to fill the gap and dried relatively nicely.

[@sferguson1130]

Best way to tackle panel gaps, and 100% avoid ghost seams, is with polystyrene rod. Apply to gap, and soften it with liquid cement. Press into gap/seam, not worrying about excess sticking out, because it will be shaved/sanded down once it hardens. I also like to use polyester putty. I buy the large volumes, from the automotive brand Evercoat ( Pro Grade Glazing Putty ). Way more value for money, over modeling brands. No shrinking, no air pockets, it dries very hard, and is ready for sanding in 10-15 minutes. It is very sanding, friendly, and blends, extremely well, as it is used for bodywork repairs, on automobiles.

[@JonBius]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Shubibin_Man]

Thanks for the video Jon. One question about applying Mr S 500 : what do you use to clean your brush ?

[@JonBius]

Mr. Color Thinner or Mr. Color Leveling Thinner works well. Isopropyl alcohol can too, especially for the initial cleanings. I've even used automotive type lacquer thinner. Be sure and wear a respirator and have good airflow! Thanks and have a great day. 😊

[@benjimlem1284]

Maybe a basic question, but say I've primed a model/figurine with mr primer or mr surfacer and THEN noticed a panel line/crack I want to seal, any idea how that can be done? Can I use surfacer on primer that cured well, or will it dissolve/reactivate it?

[@JonBius]

The best I can tell you is to be prepared that you may need to fill it, sand it back, and reprime. It will just depend on how much it takes to cover up the crack. Good luck in getting that fixed! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@benjimlem1284]

@@JonBius Thanks for the answer, that's what I was thinking the procedure would be. I'm using acrylic primers now so I'm kinda trying to avoid repriming (could flood all details), but I guess it's not an issue with cellulose primers with how much you can thin them... BTW, did you try adding paint to mr surfacer? Most of my plastic is gray and grey primer on grey plastic is kinda hard to see xP

[@JonBius]

@@benjimlem1284 Yes, adding paint to Mr. Surfacer is a great way to make it more visible, bring it closer to the final color, etc. I've done that quite a bit and it works well.

[@benjimlem1284]

@@JonBius neat-o, goy me some dark blue, should taint the primer nicely :3 hope the fact it's gloss wont ruin anything... not with that low of a ratio.

[@simon_969]

Hi I am new to model building and thanks for the information in this great video I have a question though should I buy the spray can or these little jars because I have a working airbrush and the spray cans say they are 170ml while little jars are 40ml and spray can are about twice the price of the jar. Thanks in advance!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much Simon! The spray cans are best for applying primer coats - smooth finishes that prepare the surface for paint. The product in the bottle can be applied with a brush, so it is more suited to the techniques demonstrated here. But you can airbrush this - I do it with some frequency! The key is thinning it way down, using Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. You'll want to test it out a bit to find what ratio works for you, but it definitely works very well. I tend to keep two jars on hand - Mr. Surfacer 500 for work as shown here, and Mr. Surfacer 1000 (or 1200) for thinning and airbrush priming. And you're right - the jars ultimately save money! Hope that helps! Enjoy your projects! :D

[@simon_969]

@@JonBius Thank you so much sir!

[@JonBius]

No problem - glad to help! :)

[@AliRadaa]

Hello, I just bought my first model and the guy at the shop said i'll need mr surfacer, mr setter and mr mark softer. Can someone please explain to me how these should be used in order? I am quite lost...I am not even sure what Mr Surfacer is ( i have the aerosol)

[@JonBius]

Hi! Welcome to the hobby! Mr. Surfacer is a primer. That will need to be sprayed on the model prior to painting. Mr. Setter is used as a preparation before applying decals. Mr. Softer is applied after to the top of the decal so it conforms to the surface. Look through my playlists for the building a Gundam series. It takes a step-by-step approach to building a model. It may be helpful. Hope that helps!

[@Okarine-n4h]

would this work with mr surfacer 1200 ?

[@JonBius]

Yes, it does actually. You may need to apply multiple coats, as the 1200 is a bit thinner. But it does work! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Okarine-n4h]

@@JonBius awesome, thankyou!

[@shadowmo3]

can rubbing alcohol be used as a thinner?

[@JonBius]

Hi! Thanks for watching and commenting! If you're meaning for airbrushing, yes it can. I have tested that. However, I found that adhesion was not as good. It worked much better to use Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. However, if you don't have access to that, or budget is an issue to procure some, give alcohol a try. I'd make sure it is at least the 91% stuff, and that you test it on some scrap parts or sprue and see how you like it. Hope that helps!

[@shadowmo3]

Jon Bius thanks for the response.

[@JonBius]

@@shadowmo3 Glad to help! :D