A few years ago, I found an interesting, yet very expensive tube of putty. The label read “Light Curing Putty”. I’m always up for experimenting and decided to try the stuff out. I almost use this putty exclusively for my putty work. The stuff cures under a direct light source. I simply spread a small amount over the area I want repaired, then turn on the light and allow it to cure for about 30 seconds to a minute. It doesn’t take very long under direct light. The putty should not be allowed to sit under the light for longer than several minutes as once it cures, the carrier solution will start to break down the putty if it has not been wiped away. So when curing, test the putty’s hardness with a skewer. And once cured, use a paper towel to wipe away the excess, and you can immediately sand.

The stuff works well for resin and styrene plastic and drastically increases productivity as it eliminates the long wait times for other putties to cure. The following video demonstrates the application of the putty.

A few notes for the putty, it should be a paste like texture, if it is too liquid, it needs to be mixed properly to achieve a paste like consistency. Also, do not allow the putty to cure for too long, only let it sit under direct light until it is fully cured. Light must fully penetrate the putty to cause the chemical reaction that cures the stuff, so applying a very thick layer of the putty may not fully cure as light may not completely penetrate the putty.