My hi's and newbe Q's

Hey all, new here... learnt a lot from the FAQ's thanks.. :newbie:
some of these questions may seem dumb.. but English is not the main Lang where I live. :banghead:
Q's:
1. what exactly is a " compound "...
2. what are the most cheapest but effective ways to clean an airbrush that uses both enamel and acrylic paint?
3. need some how to's on how to wet sand... ( if I missed a thread, I'm very sorry.. :sly: )
4. Which companies make 1:6 racing bikes apart from italia?

1. Compound, probably rubbing compound is stuff for polishing, you can use even real car stuff.
2. Brush cleaners are most effective but not the cheapes, you can use sintetick thiner insted but resoults may vary.
3. this is very simple just go to your bathroom or kitchen, run the water, put sand paper under it, put some water on model and polish gently, when you feel that it is not wet enough any more repeat the weting thing
4. Besides Italeri only Tamiya as far as I know, but those kits are very hard to find.

Hey, sjelic.

What is that sintetick thinner you're mentioning? I've never heard of it before, and I'm curious...

visit these sections of the forum before posting question

start here:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=84503

how-to's
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=215864

the FAQ (read this !)
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63623

visit these sections of the forum before posting question

start here:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=84503

how-to's
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=215864

the FAQ (read this !)
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63623

Now just how helpful do you think you're being here? I know the knee jerk reaction to newbie posts around here is "read the FAQ's first!!"- but, it would seem this person has already perused the FAQ and how to list, and found them helpful and interesting, but is now asking for further clarification....

Funny, I'm not sure any of these questions are well covered in the FAQ's.

Well if he would have read the faq, he would know what is a coumpound and how to use it. (Pman article about polishing) He would also see few tutorial about the polishing that explain the wet sand method.

So for question 2 and 4 that are unanswered in the faq:

2. Go to hardware store and buy Enamel Thinner. You should get a 4L for about 3$. As for Acrylic, many user use Windex.

4. as for 1/6 bike look here (http://www.1999.co.jp/asp/shop_right_e.asp?Bno=&Typ1_c=102&Typ2_c=107&Typ3_c=125&sortID=1&thumb=1&Spage=1) Tamiya was making some, but they are praticly all OOP

www.modelexpress.net have 2 of them right now

Well if he would have read the faq, he would know what is a coumpound and how to use it. (Pman article about polishing) He would also see few tutorial about the polishing that explain the wet sand method.

So for question 2 and 4 that are unanswered in the faq:

2. Go to hardware store and buy Enamel Thinner. You should get a 4L for about 3$. As for Acrylic, many user use Windex.

4. as for 1/6 bike look here (http://www.1999.co.jp/asp/shop_right_e.asp?Bno=&Typ1_c=102&Typ2_c=107&Typ3_c=125&sortID=1&thumb=1&Spage=1) Tamiya was making some, but they are praticly all OOP

If you'd read the original post, you'd have seen that he said-

Hey all, new here... learnt a lot from the FAQ's thanks..
some of these questions may seem dumb.. but English is not the main Lang where I live.

So, I think we can safely assume he HAS read the FAQ's. Also, as English is not his first language, it's reasonable to ask what a compound is, even if he's read the FAQ's, if he's not sure of the translation.


By the way, welcome, cyberkid!! There are many people here who don't speak English as a first language. If you need clarification for something, please don't hesitate to ask!!

Hey, sjelic.

What is that sintetick thinner you're mentioning? I've never heard of it before, and I'm curious...

There is Nitro thiner (I am not sure it is caled like that in English) but it harms plastic. Sintetic thiner does same effect as nitro but it does not harm plastic, it is usualy used to thin common paints, you can find it in any hardware store just ask for thiner that doesn't harm plastic.

Thanks for the feed back guys. Yes I have read all the FAQ’s, How-To’s and the Start here. Follow up Q’s:
1. I know what a rubbing compound does, I was more into understanding what it is made of and how it works. Chemical wise.. :smokin:
2. I was wondering does Enamel Remover work for cleaning airbrushes? I mean thinner thins enamel.. but remover removes it in..eh.. chunks…
3. Off target but what does the abbrv. OOP mean? Out of production?
4. I’m using Tamiya’s Fine Primer right now and working with acrylic paints… I’m guessing the primer is oil based.. so… my question is: is there a water based primer made by Tamiya? (can't seem to find one on the web..)

Just want to make it clear that English IS my first language(proud of it too…good money teaching English here! :grinno: ) Its just that I have been living in Taiwan ( that’s near China ) before I started modeling… everything here is either Chinese or Japanese :banghead: … And it’s harder to get any model equipment apart from Tamiya…

Thanks for the feed back guys. Yes I have read all the FAQ’s, How-To’s and the Start here. Follow up Q’s:
1. I know what a rubbing compound does, I was more into understanding what it is made of and how it works. Chemical wise.. :smokin:
2. I was wondering does Enamel Remover work for cleaning airbrushes? I mean thinner thins enamel.. but remover removes it in..eh.. chunks…
3. Off target but what does the abbrv. OOP mean? Out of production?
4. I’m using Tamiya’s Fine Primer right now and working with acrylic paints… I’m guessing the primer is oil based.. so… my question is: is there a water based primer made by Tamiya? (can't seem to find one on the web..)


1. Rubbing compound can be anything that will remove scrathces from paint or plastic. Some use abrasives, some don't Thamiya now makes three grades, presumably with different grades of abrasives. As to what else is in them, can't say.

2. Epoxy thinner or laquer thinner work very well removing dried paint, enamel, acrylic, urethane, etc. Don't spray it, disassemble the airbrush and soak the metal components in it until paint can be scrubbed away.

3. Yeah, out of production.

4. Tamiya makes only laquer spray primer. Testors/Model Master makes an acrylic primer ( in bottles) that I haven't tried yet- but will very soon. I can let you know when I do!

one quick thing to add. If you buy testors "enamal thinner" in the small bottle it is not actually a thinner. Its a brush cleaner. Its not as harsh as thinner and has a bit different chemicals in it!!