Polishing Compound-Fine

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It goes without saying that the smoother the previous layer the smoother the next will be. Here, I’ve primed with Mr. Primer 1000 because it gives me the desired result. It’s clean, yet all the flaws show up in the semi gloss reflection. In this case it was a few bits of lint. Mr Primer Surfacer 1000 with Sanded Part Sorry about the slightly out of focus shot, but you see the marks have been erased and another coat of primer added. I bought a can of Tamiya TS-9 British Green for the model and because dark colors show flaws. TS-9 with a Clean Primed Part This article will focus on Tamiya Polishing Compounds and how we get to that point, so let’s grab a bunch of items from the store and have some fun. Many Items Gathered Together Clear coating gives a much better surface to polish your model and you don’t have to worry so much about digging into the color paint layers. It also will fill in those micro scratches and level out super smooth. There are many clear coat products which Sunward Hobbies offer, in this case it’s Tamiya X-22 Clear, again reduced 50/50 with Mr. Leveling Thinner 400. Mirror Finish on Part in Blue Glove As you can see by the spot on the applicator that it doesn’t take much compound to cover the work area. Close Up of Compound Part and Applicator

Whenever you move from any grit of sander or compound it’s vital to get rid of the rougher effort. When sanding you blow off the heavy dust or in this case the heavier compound. I use warm filtered water and an Atlas Ox hair brush. In a minute or so the caked compound and rehydrated lubricant wash away. Part with Atlas Brush in Water The final Tamiya application was with their Finishing compound. Here I did 2 or 3 applications to get a mirror finish. If you look closely, you see the reflection of my glasses and finger at the bottom of the polished part. It’s quite remarkable the look you achieve with not much effort. The great thing about Tamiya’s Finishing Compound is that it can be used for any general polishing, such as removing fingerprints or getting rid of water marks around decals. Fine Compound with Applicator and Silver Labeled Tube For the course compound I went against the scratch grain to cut down the hills. It took less than 5 minutes of this motion to see a difference then I swirled for another few minutes. The course compound usually has had enough when it begins to cake, as in the picture. Don’t fret, we’ll look after that in a jiffy.) Dried Compound on Part with Applicator I hate when that happens. Orange peel happens when there wasn't enough time for the first layer to dry. I just experienced it myself. Lacquers dry fast, but I still managed to make a zombie lady.At this point you can choose to reapply the course compound or move on. It depends on your theme and desired look. Make certain, though, you wash your applicator in the warm water. Takes but a few seconds and ensures what is put on it next is not contaminated by the previous job. Rinsed Off Part with Course Compound Behind I did not got an answer for wich Tamiya polish I should use. I saw that they sell three different kinds and I think that it is for the shelf queens. Is it possible to use just one for an ok result? as I say I was only using the chrome and aqua clear as a test as I had it ready sitting there cured. I’ve painted another 2 test pieces with my main subjects colours. Tamiya TS spray then 3 coats of Tamiya LP gloss clear. I will give it 3/4 days and then try the compounds on those. Just as in the automotive industry the key to a good finish is in the preparation. A shiny surface will show many flaws, thus to begin I’m going to make certain that the surface of my plastic is as even and smooth as possible. In this example I’m using the bonnet of my Tamiya Lotus Super 7. I'm afraid 2000 will clog up right away. (Also, it would take forever.) I would try #800 or so and see how it goes. It depends on how much paint needs to be removed. You can start with 800, but I have a feeling that's too fine. There is no set rule, so you would have to judge as you sand. Coarse grit (like 600) will get things done faster, but you don't want to leave deep scratches. So starting with finer grit than you think you'd need is a better idea. If it takes long, you can go slightly rougher to do the majority of the sanding done.

For some modelers this would be enough shine, but there are a few more steps left to get better results, so hang with me till the end. As you can see there is a drastic improvement and with just one application. Also note, I’ve washed the part and applicator. Almost Mirror Finish with Applicator and Tube Behind In this Sunward Hobbies Tutorial, you’ll be seeing how polishing your model with Tamiya Polishing Compound can make a huge difference. Also, I’ll throw in some items which will make your life easier, give an even better finish and possibly save you some money. H.G. Barnes is a former voice-over artist and retired sales and marketing professional. He’s the author of two large volume science fiction adventure romance novels with many more in the works. For well over 40 years he’s been building scale model replicas and now does commission work for clients in Canada and the USA, plus completes projects for companies in Asia and Europe. I also tried it on some spoons with the LP paint on tonight, not clear coated and I couldn’t replicate the problem with the Alclad so the Tamiya TS spray is more robust than the Alclad clear! Still I couldn’t get a noticeably different finish between polished and non polished after 3x fine and 1x finishFirst, begin with one of the higher grits of polishing sander or polishing cloth that will “cut” a layer of coating to take the top off the lint and dust. I use a swirl motion and gently rest my 3000-grit polisher at each spot, do not push or add force. Use your finger to feel the result and when you’re happy gently polish the entire area in one direction with a higher grit count. It sounds like a lot of work, but even 20 or so swirls and passes will make a huge difference. Being long winded is for explanation. Half Sanded and Half Taped Part Then go finer, like 1000. Usually 1000 is enough for my bashers. But if you want more, you can use 1200 or 1400. I don't think going beyond 2000 is meaningful. As the paint solidifies, the paint surface is what makes it smooth. Even if you make it as sooth as the reflective surface of Hubble telescope, it won't matter. The reason why I still do 1200 or 1400 sometimes is to make sure that 1000 grit did not miss 800 scuffs. So 1200 or 1400 is like a quality control for me. 2000 would be extra nice. For demonstration I’m hoping for flaws to show you. Now these spots can be sanded smooth again. I’m going to reduce my second primer with Mr. Leveling Thinner 400 because it self levels. Here’s a tip, find a cover for your part to prevent unwanted dust or lint from gathering on it. Mr Leveling Thinner 400 with Flawed Part It took only a few drops and two applications to get the result you see in this shot. Very simply, you rub it on, wait a few minutes for it to dry, gently polish then rinse and repeat. The results are stunning. Super Mirror Finish with Silver Cloth Besides