Returning to the hobby

Greetings everybody,

My only modeling experience is screwing around with a few kits growing up, usually abandoning the project at some point of frustration and moving on. A while ago the thought crossed my mind that it might be fun to focus my attention on a more correct approach to modeling and hence began my "return" to the hobby.

Getting to the point, I have been working on a Revel '69 Camaro Z/28. I have reached the stage where I am ready to polish the painted body and I have a few questions. Yes, I have done a search of the forums and I am left only with the following details left unanswered.

I have serious doubts about the knowledge and advice offered by my local hobby shop so I have instead come here for help. They don't stock any rubbing compound nor wax and instead directed me to the nearest automotive center. According to them any automotive store will have what I'm looking for. Actually, what I am looking for is something along these lines:

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/4968/678809dscf0861.jpg

Tamiya Modeling Wax and Modeling Compound, or something similar. Will an automotive center offer a product that produces comparable results? If not, then can somebody direct me to an online supply source that ships to Canada at a decent rate? I'm having trouble finding somebody who deals outside of the UK and USA.

My next question is simple, but I can't seem to find a straight answer as everyone seems to have their own methods. Generally speaking...is this the right sequence of events?

-Cutting Compound
-Decals
-Clear
-Wax
-Polish

Here is my progress, sprayed in an old Testor's Primer I had laying around underneath Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue (is this an enamel?)

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/3435/94127927.jpg

Thanks for your time and any help and guidance is very much appreciated.

First of all, welcome back to the hobby. Looking forward to seeing your builds. I can't answer some of your questions as I have never used polishes and waxes designed for models before, like the Tamiya products you have shown and cant make any comparsions. But I do use many automotive products that are quite easily obtainable in my town. Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover is a polish that I use alot in my line of work and it produces a fantastic result on my models. In fact all the compounds and polishes I use are automotive products. You can get your sandpaper from an automotive center also, I get all mine from the local bodyshop, 400 grit all the way up to 8000 and its very cheap. Up until recently polishing out a model has been a huge hurdle for me and something I didnt look forward to but now it's one of my favorite aspects of modeling. I have to mention, I topcoat my models with automotive clear so it only makes sence I use the polishes and compounds from an automotive center. I wish you good luck with your new found interest in the hobby.

Welcome back to the hobby!! We need more modellers.

Im surprised that your local hobby store doesn't supply tamiya compound and wax. You can order these online, or an easier route would be to go to a walmart/autostore and pickup some scratch x compound and wax. If you can't find scratch x get megueirs or mothers stuff. The tamiya stuff is basically the same thing, just a little less abrasive. You will get the same or even better results using products meant for 1:1 cars.

My way for events:
clear
Polishing (sanding down the area with high grit sand paper)
cutting compound (also refered to polishing too)
decals
wax

or if you want to seal decals

Cutting Compound
Decals
Clear
Polish
wax

The tamiya paint you used is a acrylic based laquer. And don't forget mettalics need clear coat if you need to polish them.

Excellent :)

Thanks for clearing this up for me gentlemen. I look forward to a thread dedicated to the completed project.

Thanks again!

My sequence:
primer
color coat
decals
2k clear
micro-mesh abrasive paper (3000, 4500, 6000, 8000, 12000)
polish
wax
done!