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Old 05-08-2005, 02:04 PM
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Tweener Tweener is offline
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Default CD scratch removal buffing

Just got done reading a few auto-finishing articles on the net about wet sanding and buffing to finish a paint job and had an idea for that CD scratch removal kit that's been lying around - so I did a bit of a test on a spare painted nose cone that I had left over from a wrecked rocket. First I very lightly wet sanded the paint with 600 grit sandpaper to remove the orange peel (This is the finest I had on hand, finer grains are normally used; 1000-2000). Then I cleaned the surface with glass cleaner and tried some CD scratch remover paste with a soft cloth to buff it. After this, I used the CD polishing spray to clean and seal. The shine was incredible! The surface feels and looks just like the original raw plastic, but with color.

I'm currently building a (second) Big Daddy which is in the fill 'n' sand phase, and I believe I'll try this technique on the final top coats. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
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Old 05-08-2005, 06:44 PM
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CPMcGraw CPMcGraw is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tweener
Just got done reading a few auto-finishing articles on the net about wet sanding and buffing to finish a paint job and had an idea for that CD scratch removal kit that's been lying around...


Here's a trick for polishing plastic parts that comes from the "Other" hobby known by the letters MR -- Model Railroading...

Model railroaders take the power trucks from brand-new locomotives and fill the housings with a paste-type toothpaste (removed from the model, that is), then switch to "Pearl Drops Tooth Polish", or whatever is the modern equivalent. They push it back-and-forth along a three-foot section of track to work out the molding flash. Works wonders. Then, they just re-lube the trucks after washing out the now black, oily residue...

However, one of the model car folks say they use 10,000-grit to 12,000-grit papers to get their deepest shines! (No, that's not a mis-print...)

Finally, an old IPMS publication described using "Brasso Rags" for finish polishing...


Craig "Used to work a second job in a hobby shop, spent two salaries there" McGraw
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Old 05-08-2005, 10:00 PM
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I also intend to try another technique for smoothing color separation ridges at mask lines. I have a friend that tricked out a '69 Camaro SS when we were younger. It's (coincidentally) canary yellow with black stripes. After he masked off and painted the stripes, he sprayed over the stripes with more yellow, then buffed down to the black. This made the color separation line the same level thickness with no ridge. I may try that at the yellow nose cone tip on the 'Daddy.
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Old 05-09-2005, 10:38 AM
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CPMcGraw CPMcGraw is offline
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Originally Posted by Tweener
I also intend to try another technique for smoothing color separation ridges at mask lines. I have a friend that tricked out a '69 Camaro SS when we were younger. It's (coincidentally) canary yellow with black stripes. After he masked off and painted the stripes, he sprayed over the stripes with more yellow, then buffed down to the black. This made the color separation line the same level thickness with no ridge. I may try that at the yellow nose cone tip on the 'Daddy.


Makes sense, though I'll bet he was spraying laquer... Thinner coats to sand...

You might have difficulty if you're spraying an enamel. Maybe with an acrylic...


Craig
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