# Testor/goop questions



## copperhead71 (Aug 2, 2007)

1..is this the right stuff to make goop? 2..how do make goop?(plastic body repair/fill in substance)and the mix ratio? Mix with what?Bottle came with "this is the stuff to make goop and no instructions to do so.HELP!!!


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## Illinislotfan (Mar 8, 2009)

Mr. Hall is the goop master, but I can answer this.

1..is this the right stuff to make goop? Yes

2..how do make goop?(plastic body repair/fill in substance)and the mix ratio? 
Cut the plastic into small pieces with exacto knife, or other suitable tool. Put into clean bottle. Add enough 3502 to cover the plastic bits. Allow the bits to dissolve. May take a couple of days for the magic to happen.

Mix with what? No mixing required. Plastic will dissolve.

Bottle came with "this is the stuff to make goop and no instructions to do so.HELP!!!


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## torredcuda (Feb 1, 2004)

Ratio will vary depending on how thick or thin you want it-thicker for filling and thinner for "floating" or skim coats to blend it out.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

...and there ya have it! These guys have been following along closely and doing their homework.

I would add that the plastic has to be virgin and clean. No other glue residue, or paint allowed. 

Ya cant just compost scrap bodies. You have to be somewhat selective to ensure purity.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Bill Hall said:


> Ya cant just compost scrap bodies.


LOL!!!!


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

And if you're looking to color match your repairs, you need to be selective on the color donor plastic too... You can't repair a green car with turquoise and red flavored goop and not expect it to show!


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## torredcuda (Feb 1, 2004)

Actually I do "compost" as all my current projects are custom and will get primed and painted.Someday soon I`ll find a poor abused body to restore correctly and will have to select plastic that is a good color match and clean from any paint or impurities.


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## copperhead71 (Aug 2, 2007)

Thanks to all the above! Where or what is a good source of virgin plastic?all white plastic bodies?The bodies i have to scrap are all colored old afx bodies and some jl's.these are what i want to scrap(cars i have no desire to see go around the track).


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

The virgin plastic MUST come from the actual slot car body in the color you desire, although some people have matched colors using the old 1960-'s-70's style Plastic colored Telephones !
Soooo... you need to collect slot bodies (or phones) to use as donor plastic for your goop !


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

PS- if you use old Aurora A/FX bodies as donor plastic, you MUST MAKE SURE that no Paint from the original body is still on the donor Plastic you will be using for goop. Also to note, and I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think(?) that the plastic used on aurora A/FX is a different plastic than what was used on the Aurora T-Jets.
Also to note, sometimes color matching on A/FX cars gets tricky, as there was sometimes variations in shades, and especially if it was a semi translucent color... compare side by side to be sure of a match.
PS- you cannot use JL Plastic to make goop for an Aurora car, as most JL/AW Cars are merely painted White plastic, and it's a different type plastic than aurora used.


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## Kurl3y (Mar 16, 2012)

Ralphthe3rd said:


> The virgin plastic MUST come from the actual slot car body in the color you desire, although some people have matched colors using the old 1960-'s-70's style Plastic colored Telephones !
> Soooo... you need to collect slot bodies (or phones) to use as donor plastic for your goop !


People collect the old phones today also, which drives the prices on those up rather drastically. I was quite shocked to see what was out there when I started looking for plastic. Best place to find the older phones is your local re-sale .. value village .. Salvation Army stores. 

Good Luck ..


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## copperhead71 (Aug 2, 2007)

Thanks for the extra info guy's


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Ya know what...?*

Over time I've become a little more leary about the whole phone thing. 

Admittedly I've used phone plastic, albeit sparingly. I initially had some success and was excited about the possibilities.

As time has progressed however, I have become less enamored with the idea of using old phones due to a few reasons. 

The first being color match. I would rather have a scrap body or two that matches the repair exactly; rather than an entrie telephones worth that kinda matches. We're talking some serious tonnage requirements to have enough selection to effectively work with all the variations in the Aurora color palette.

The second being quality. Inert crap in their mix was not an issue....apparently.
What goop I've made from phones does have some character differences from that which was made with Aurora plastic. I dont allow bugs, hairballs, or sawdust.

In suspension it has a grainy dull quality like gravy made from cornstarch. Actually a characteristic of some Tyco mixes I made early on. This is unlike the cohesive, beautifully creamy mixture produced from old Aurora bodies.

Thirdly, I can easily alter the viscosity of my original Aurora mixes by metering solvent. Phone plastic on the other hand doesnt meter up from the colloid (base) state to my satisfaction. The middle range between base and wash is nonexistent; so that a medium product is difficult if not impossible to attain. Always too thick or too runny and very little middle ground.

In the interest of full disclosure remember that expectations are subjective, as are the results. My point is that I have always found that repairs made from phone plastic are more difficult to execute. The results are adequate but not always to the standard " I'd " prefer to see. 

Lets keep in mind that the legend of Ma Bell and Aurora plastic being identical will forever be a part of slotcar lore and predates any of the advancements made at model murdering. I now KNOW they're not same; and until ya get a few thousand repairs under your belt and see the results first hand...

you mighty actually be swayed by the myth.

Me? Not so much anymore. I contend that our time is valuable and always figger that in order to keep the bar up.... you cant allow jokers in the deck.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Can you do molds, or make products with goop?


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Soups on*



NTxSlotCars said:


> Can you do molds, or make products with goop?


Well, I failed at it. For a coupla reasons. 

The main one being that a low flash point product is used to liquify the plastic. This creates enough havoc as it is with regard to cure out even in very small thin layers.

Out gassing bubbles the finished product like small pox. Shrinkage distorted everything molded to boot. 

Doba kicked the idea around in chat of cooking up some goop the old fashioned way using conventional heat.

The main issues are ....uh...the physical dangers of getting it into the mold and pressing in the positive half. Let alone the toxicity, the mess in general, and yer granola -tard neighbors ratting you out to Smokey the Bear and Hooty the Owl for killen' other peoples brain cells without a carbon credit in the bank. 

It'd be interesting to know how long the stuff stays pourable/liquid and how long one really to had to work with it. A slosh casting might be the first thing to try. 

Guess someones gotta Boy Scout a bunch of old 9" L&J curves and strain out the rails


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I think the mixture for phones had a higher impact quotient than the Aurora bodies. even though most slot car bodies impact at very high speeds, the slamming of a phone receiver onto the cradle or throwing one out the window when it rings at the wrong time (I've done it) probably involves more pressure than the little cars could take. the Princess phone I threw through the window survived just fine and worked OK 6 hours later when I regained consciousness. I was surprised no one tried to walk away with it, ah, but I digress.


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## Kurl3y (Mar 16, 2012)

Does the Goop have a shelf life?. If stored in a glass jar with consistent temperature will it stay usable? If not what is the expected life expectancy for Goop?

Thx

Kur


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

From my limited usage, I've found that goop tends to get thick with time. The plastic part stays, the 3502 kinda evaporates even when the jar is sealed. A little 3502 brings it back to a workable consistency when you need it.


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## Kurl3y (Mar 16, 2012)

slotcarman12078 said:


> From my limited usage, I've found that goop tends to get thick with time. The plastic part stays, the 3502 kinda evaporates even when the jar is sealed. A little 3502 brings it back to a workable consistency when you need it.


Thanks!


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

P.S. The 3502 has a high potent smell factor.  rr


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Kurl3y said:


> Does the Goop have a shelf life?. If stored in a glass jar with consistent temperature will it stay usable? If not what is the expected life expectancy for Goop?
> 
> Thx
> 
> Kur


No shelf life on Vibe, T-jet, or early AFX plastic... as of yet. It'll dry up as time passes. I reconstitute it by adding a few drops of testors back in. Sorta depends on how dried up it gets and the required viscosity of the chosen jar. If it's a jar of wash I tend to add more. If it's a jar of base I add just enough to get it back to a mayonnaise consistency.

The idea is to keep the base somewhat workable so you can use it as is, OR to be able to conveniently pull from it in order to mix the medium and wash viscosities. 

If you have a batch that's really dried up....just add testors and wait, then stir it up after 24 hrs.

I have a special spatula thingy I made from hammering a coathanger flat and shaping it to the curvature of the testors bottle with a file. Like an artist's palette knife. Makes a good stirrer/scraper and also allows me to transfer somewhat metered portions of base to other jars.

A no sweat deal for the most part


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## Kurl3y (Mar 16, 2012)

Well the intial melt down went very well, I do have the base colors rather thick you can't shake them they can only be stirred, but still very creamy. I guess I now understand the " where some must die so others might live" It bummed me out to chop up an old toasted Fairlane, Vette, and a Mustang but I'm starting with the small stuff using good clean goop from virgin Aurora plastic, window posts on a couple of Mako's and a sorta roached out Dino. Bill's thread is the bomb!! and I'm following his directions so let's see what happens. So far alls well .. Thanks for the replys Guys !

Kur


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Not allowed!*



Kurl3y said:


> Well the intial melt down went very well, I do have the base colors rather thick you can't shake them they can only be stirred, but still very creamy. I guess I now understand the " where some must die so others might live" It bummed me out to chop up an old toasted Fairlane, Vette, and a Mustang....
> 
> Kur


Forget James Bond.... once it's blended, always STIRRED not shaken! Shaking the more viscous blends is not recommended. It has been my experience that; the impurities or foreign objects in the blend that could potentially become inclusions in your work tend to settle towards the bottom over time. So....

....it's in your best interest not to upset this natural benefit. 

I generally add to a good existing batch, or just make a fresh batch altogether. NEVER scrimp and try to use the dregs remaining in a jar. Your just asking for trouble (inclusions).

I'm also very careful to never allow my brush to touch the inner sides of the container where crap can potentially float on the edges of the tide line. Along that theme, you always want to pull the material from the center of the container whatever the viscosity might be.

You have to constantly work at sanitation and remain diligent. Awkward and annoying at first, it becomes more natural as time passes and your technique improves. Inclusion free work is never guaranteed, it's something you have to work at persistently throughout the entire process.

I would add that depending on the amount of scrap available to you, difficult judgements often have to be made. Although my "Signature" line implies the contrary, I'm quite selective in my overall process. My primary cut off is condition. If it's fixable, regardless of color or rarity, I'll shy away from scrapping it. Unless I need it, or a chunk of it for a specific repair to improve a model of greater value.

Example: Kill the black Elva to save the black Camaro

My secondary cut off is if it's a rarer color or model, I tend not to scrap it until actually required to do so.

Example: You may already have slate blue in liquid form. Then you cooked another slate blue 63 Corvette all the way down. Six months later you need the roof, fenders or rear quarters to graft into another model that came along. Yer screwed. For that reason I always go on a case by case basis on the rarer colors or model!

Eventually your left with the really beat, less rare victims of carnage from 40 years ago. I have no compunction about re-purposing them for the greater good. Remember to harvest all screw posts for graft stock, they are usually full of nasty crud you dont want in your batches anyway. I also snip out good A-pillars. I avoid anything painted over, charred, greasy, severely glued or schlobbered, or suspicious. 

I would recommend you begin by creating the standard vibe and t-jet color palette. Make the basic rainbow and include the pastels as you go. The two eras have the most similarity with regard to cross over in the standard colors. Add the rarer colors or odd tones as they come along or it is convenient.

Good luck!


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## Kurl3y (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you for the very detailed information Bill, as a beginner to the modeling / repair aspect of the hobby I will most certainly pay attention to the details. I'm sure as time moves forward, as do some projects, I'll have a few questions along the way. When I scroll thru the many ..many threads on the Slot board I without a doubt have found the right arena. The Modelers here at HT are the BOMB!! You guys amaze me day after day project after project. WOWzers!

Thx for the Support,

Kur ..


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

Question, has anyone ever used plastic from a larger scale model to make goop? I have a project coming up where I dont really care about color match for the goop and will need a larger than normal amount. I have plenty of 1/24 model parts and scraps, just wandered if they would work or if anyone has tried it.

Boosted


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Never had to make that much. 

I always play with a small control batch and see what happens before I commit large amounts of time and materials. My main concern would be compatibility between brands be they known or unknown.

Scuff your samples with 1200. Then pre-wet the scuff and let it flash off. Then apply straight testors and work it around into a blended puddle of the parent material and the testors. Brush it out smoothly and let it cure for a day. 

If it cures up all shiny and cohesive like a spill of lacquer paint your good to go. Naturally you'd have to combine all the different offering you have. 

Why not use some old aurora track and cook that up instead? 9" curves cant be given away ...LOL!


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## SplitPoster (May 16, 2006)

Bill, I would calll this thread the Cliff Notes version of goopology, but calling it that doesn't do your posts justice. Great tutorial, and so much valuable knowledge from experience and common sense! Never thought about all the crap that is ground into screwpost innards, but it sure is there. I have experimented with Billiam "goop technique" within and outside of slots, LOTS for me to learn in both applications.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

in another thread, someone warns about how fragile tan Aurora's are. will raw Testors 3502 applied directly help?


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Yes Al!

I found this out by accident. Back in the early days of goop, I had an Exxon Valdez type of spill on my work bench. One of the reasons I'm always so adamant about keeping the lid on your bottles.

Turns out the sunami of 3502 limbered up some of the scrap cars that were laying around after it dried up. We learned that the the ancient bodies are not only porous but thirsty too. If you get enough of the 3502 on it'll wick through and through. 

As my technique expanded, it became obvious that bodies requiring massive repairs would limber up as more testors got loaded on. Most of my projects are so totaled out, that the effect is more of a by-product of the repair work as it wicks through. If you want a nice uniform coating, I've blown it under-side using an airbrush; however the margin for error is very slim. 

So I wouldnt necessarily consider it a fountain of youth for complete cars. Simply a notable curiosity that you can exploit from time to time. Due care and caution are required so that the body doesnt take a bad (warped) set. This is why you see models that receive major restoration disappear for cure out. Ideally you'll want to wind in a chassis to ensure a good set. 

In spot repair situations, I especially like to work it in under roofs that have been mashed in for years to help cooperate them back into position; and its standard operating procedure for softening and eventually straightening noodled A-pillars. 

Like anything, it has it's upside and it's down side. Beyond 5 years, no long term effects have been determined.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

LOL RE long term effects. it is the immediate short term side effects that are desirable! 
not
anyway, thank you, always learning here. I have a couple tans that a neighbor donated today and I am anxious to try renovating them.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Speaking of Tans and Testors 3502,....what if you had a large enough glass jar w/lid, and placed a Tan body inside, and also a small vile(like say a clean empty small testors paint bottle) with Testors 3502 inside with the cap off, and then sealed both inside the larger jar. Would the evaporating fumes from the small open bottle, wick into the porous Tan body, without the need to either spray of brush the wet 3502 on it ? Do you think that would be enough to soften the brittle Tan bodies ?


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Ralphthe3rd said:


> Speaking of Tans and Testors 3502,....what if you had a large enough glass jar w/lid, and placed a Tan body inside, and also a small vile(like say a clean empty small testors paint bottle) with Testors 3502 inside with the cap off, and then sealed both inside the larger jar. Would the evaporating fumes from the small open bottle, wick into the porous Tan body, without the need to either spray of brush the wet 3502 on it ? Do you think that would be enough to soften the brittle Tan bodies ?


Fumigation...? Vaporizing...?

...and they called me a mad scientist....

hahahahahaha .....

Why the hell not Ralph? Sounds completely logical....but there are always the disclaimers. 

1. Will it attack vintage art work? MEK kills paint dead on contact ya know?

2. Will it farge glass inserts? I'm thinking so.

3. Will it ruffle your chrome? I'd be concerned about the effect on vacuum plated chrome. Especially where play-wear openly encourages migration below the plated surface.

As we found out with the magical peroxide treatment; it aint all skittles and beer cuz there's roolz.

Still...

Why not give it a whirl? Perhaps on some old wheel controller housing chunks as a controlled 'speriment. They are notoriously brittle. Maybe some old tan scrapper with factory airbrush work, busted bumpers and cracked glass can answer the tough questions. 

Brilliant idea Ralph! You may have just raised the bar in an undeveloped area of restoration. 

A pint mason jar (or the like) for the outer. A baby food jar for the inner. Screw a junk chassis through the armature hole into the baby food jar lid to attach them. Pour the testors into the big jar. Mount the body to the chassis and little jar. Without splash place it inside the big jar and close the lid. 

Are ya done yet?

What's taking so long?


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## rholmesr (Oct 8, 2010)

Rookie question: I see references to Bill's 'Goop thread' but I looked around and couldn't find it. Can somebody point me in the right direction? 

I'm looking forward to trying this out to restore some old beaters!

-Ron


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

rholmesr said:


> Rookie question: I see references to Bill's 'Goop thread' but I looked around and couldn't find it. Can somebody point me in the right direction?
> 
> I'm looking forward to trying this out to restore some old beaters!
> 
> -Ron


See "Sticky" at the top of the page - "... Model Murdering"


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