Hi Phil not sur I replied to yours..removing the shell not an issue...plast aid the same...honestly I wanted to keep it fluid and didn't add to much powder..need to.use the stick to avoid filling all parts...as.you know I've done it twice as the firts time I realized some spots were not covered and this is probably why I found a second crack under one of the screws..the second time was somehow easyer of course as I knew all the sequence..