| Filla-Glu Epoxy Resin and Putty |
|
Filla-Glu Epoxy Resin (5 minute) & Epoxy Putty Fresh in yesterday was a padded pack from Filla-Glu containing 2 very nice looking products; a 2 part epoxy resin, plus a tube of epoxy putty comprising of 2 different colour components. 
Epoxy resin usually means a 2 part solution packed into 2 tubes whose ends become gunked up, or into one of those syringe packages whose ends ‘still’ clog up and get fixed to the cap. I’ve always found this really off-putting, meaning I tend to steer away from epoxy. I’ve also found that some of the good old ‘tried and tested’ formulas/brands simply aren’t as good as when I first used them back in the 1970’s and 80’s. Filla-Glu 5 minute Epoxy Resin: Well, please welcome to the fray, the new 2 part PUMP ACTION Epoxy resin set from Filla-Glu. You could be a little forgiven for looking twice at this rather unusual or perhaps even unique format to the age old problem of supplying both adhesive and hardener components. I have been asked by the guys at Filla-Glu to be as honest as I possibly can with their format and product, so I will be, and they really needn’t have been concerned. 
The idea of using a pump action dispenser for the different components is a stroke of genius. As I gently pushed down the dispenser pump to eject each component, it was plainly clear than these can be used to dispense the smallest quantities of epoxy that you could ever need. There also appeared to be no ‘stringing’ as each part was squirted out. These dispensers allow precise and equal parts of each component to be easily prepared, and to cap it off, when you release the pump, there seems to be a little retraction of the component too, meaning it doesn’t make a mess of the dispenser. Yes, we are off to a good start here! 
 After I dispensed equal parts onto a plastic lid, I mixed them thoroughly with a cocktail stick. Just a quick note here; both parts are totally transparent, meaning they are ideal for larger clear model parts, and can be used to make repairs to RC models without creating unsightly seams. I added the epoxy to a glass slide and firmly pressed down another slide onto it and left it for 10 mins for a little extra time.  
The result was a perfectly strong and optically clear bond which was simply unbreakable. I’ve added two photos here to show the optical qualities using a needle, and also some text. A colleague attempted to force the joint apart later (using appropriate safety measures!) and the glass shattered, all except for the epoxy joint. THAT, is a result!
Filla-Glu two part Epoxy Putty: This product comes in a rigid transparent plastic tube with a plug cap. The product itself is a two part putty, one of them a charcoal/anthracite black colour, and the other being yellow. The putty is wrapped in a cellophane material to help keep it fresh and easy to remove from the tube. With this product, you must cut equal sized slices of both putty components and thoroughly mix them together in your fingers. There is an ‘Irritant’ warning on the tube, although I imagine most people would be able to mix this with no signs of serious health issues! Having said that, and being very risk aware, I used some latex gloves, simply because they were in proximity. 
The room where my review was conducted was quite cold when I attempted my mix (17°C), and I am informed that where possible, mixing should be attempted at room temperature. I started to mix the components, and they went slowly to start with, becoming a little crumbly, then within a minute or so, the components began to mix together very easily. After about 5 minutes of thorough mixing, I had a homogenous brown coloured blob of putty, when I then made into a disc shape before leaving aside. Due to the cold temperature, my putty set at around 1 hour, though setting time is around the 40 minute mark usually.   
When set, I subjected my little blob to scribing, cutting with a knife, cutting with a razor say, and finally drilling. All tests passed the mark with no problems. Scribing was particularly easy despite the putty being fully cured. Sanding was also very easy, so this should prove to be an all round product when it comes to modelling, from filling through to conversion and scratchbuilding work.
So what do we think? Both products were a delight to use and come very highly recommended. These guys can seemingly do no wrong!
Overall 10/10 |