Wide-gap filler material

A wide-gap filler material for forming near-net-shape repairs or joints in a metallic substrate which, in its initial state, is in the form of an adhesive, self-supporting putty, capable of being molded under manual pressure to take the shape of the joint or repair cavity, and which will not thereafter flow, slump, or separate from the substrate under the force of its own weight during subsequent drying and heat treatment operations, consisting essentially of, by weight, 85–95% of a metallic or alloy powder, 5–15% of a sacrificial binder, wherein the sacrificial binder consists essentially of, by weight, 30–40% of a methacrylate polymer, ethyl methacrylate copolymer or a n-butyl methacrylate polymer, with a glass transition temperature below 20° C., 30–45% of either a glycol ether or glycol ether acetate solvent with a vapor pressure of less than 20 mm Hg at 20° C., 15–25% of a phthalic or adipic ester plasticizer and 1–2% of a nonyl phenol base or octyl phenol base nonionic surfactant.