Polishing materials in the UK

Now, my local model shop is pretty poor really, sells very few things of worth.

What bits of kit do I want to be using for polishing paintwork? Some fine grit paper? Cutting compound?

Where can I get me mits on these in the UK?

:eek: Guess it is abrasive.... Got any photos of the results? :)

Originally posted by Noz
Now, my local model shop is pretty poor really, sells very few things of worth.

What bits of kit do I want to be using for polishing paintwork? Some fine grit paper? Cutting compound?

Where can I get me mits on these in the UK?

Get yourself down to Halfords and buy some 1500 wet and dry paper for sanding the paintwork and Autoglym Paint Renovator for polishing. These are what i use now and to good results. I used to use T-cut but changed to Autoglym on recommendation of Guiddy, its much better. You can use the 1200 grade W+D if u want but i prefer the finer 1500 as the results are better and there is less risk in sanding through to primer.

Note, u cant use the autoglym on Tamiya sprays or enamels so only use it on auto laquers - once again Halfords come up trumps with there range of aerosols.

Expanding on what FOTW said, only Tamiya polishing compound works well on Tamiya lacquers. Tamiya polishing compound also works sort of well on other paints like Model Master's enamel.

Thanks for the advice, I'll get down to Halfords at some point.

I've never seen Tamiya polishing compound :confused: only their modelling wax.

Originally posted by Noz

I've never seen Tamiya polishing compound :confused: only their modelling wax.

I've never seen it and i dont think u will find it. My local model shop won't sell it coz they think its too expensive, so they may all have that view???

Originally posted by turmio
Toothpaste works just fine.
Toothpaste?? If so, what brand?

Originally posted by flyonthewall


I've never seen it and i dont think u will find it. My local model shop won't sell it coz they think its too expensive, so they may all have that view???
Amazing that they dont sell it...over here its only a few dollors for the tube.

Originally posted by primera man

Amazing that they dont sell it...over here its only a few dollors for the tube.

Its the same sort of attitude the distributers of Fujimi and Aoshima have in importing their car kits. Absolutely no Aoshima and only a handful of Fujimi (likely to be GT40, Mini etc) come into the UK , because they say there is no market for them.

Tamiya compound is like 120-150 yen from HLJ, which is like $1.24 in American, and I imagine under a pound in England..

I just ordered 3 tubes of Tamiya compound from HLJ as I was making an order anyway (bought a 1987 Supra Turbo, I'm such a sucker with the creditcards) so we'll see how it performs when it appears.

All came to just under £12, not bad.