Product Review: Crazy Modeler Sanding Sticks
MPWR
11-22-2006, 02:26 PM
Lately I've been trying out a set of Hobby Dragon/Crazy Modeler Super Abrasive Sticks and Super Polishing Sticks. I've been playing with them all for several weeks now, and can report some conclusions.
http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/3645/cm301copysy7.jpg
These are the sanding sticks. They're sold in sets of five, or in sets of three without the finest and roughest sticks. They're color coded, the purple being the roughest grit and the white being the finest. The packaging insert contains a color key to explain.
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/4422/cm310ys5.jpg
The polishing sticks are sold in three packs, and they're all identical. They each are two sided, a green cleaning/buffing side and a white polishing side. Use them in order, green then white.
So, what's different about them? Well, first of all they're huge.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/3231/cm309copyne9.jpg
Each sanding stick is a full 1 x 7 inches. The smaller one is one of the sort I've been using for years.
Second, they're very thick.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/5687/cm308copyqu3.jpg
They're each nearly a half inch thick, and as you can see nearly all of that is padding. The small one by comparison is closer to 1/8".
So what does this mean? The abrasives are obviously very cushioned. This certainy makes for a disadvantage for some uses- but it's wonderfully helpful for others. If you want a tool to sand off the mold lines on your brake calipers or strut springs, this probably isn't it. But if you want to sand a body prior to painting, they're perfect.
Whenever I start a new kit, the first thing I do is the bodywork- specifically I go over every square centimeter of the body and sand it. This does a number of things, among them removing mold seams, leveling unevenly molded surfaces, and providing tooth for primer and paint to stick to. Obviously any filling and puttywork is done at this point, and it receives sanding as well. A large well cushioned abrasive stick is an ideal tool for this kind of work. Often mold lines are placed at the highest points of curved surfaces. As a result, these curves are often flattened a bit when the mold likes are sanded off. (Think of the mold lines running the length of the headlight humps down the front of a 911.) Stiffer sanding tools create flat spots quickest- they 'impose their shape' onto the plastic. Flatten the humps a bit and it tends to be visible- especially if you manage a high gloss paint finish on them. It's very difficult to satisfactorily get a flat spot removed once it's formed. But with padded abrasives, the abrasive surface tends to conform to the curve. The mold seam is attacked first instead of the shape of the curve.
Additionally with large padded sticks, much more abrasive surface is used. Your sanding strokes are longer, but there are fewer of them. And because the stick is wider, a greater sized area is sanded. It actually saves a fair amount of time and effort, and leaves a nice, even and unfaceted sanded surface.
The packaging suggests that the sticks can be cut into smaller pieces. This is something I was sure I would try. But the more I used them, the more I liked them full sized. I've sanded two bodies for painting with them now, and really wouldn't change them.
Here's Fujimi's 355 GTS. Note the mold lines running down the buttresses?
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1193/cm302copymw1.jpg
They can both be sanded at once as they are planar with each other. The sticks feel huge at first- if a standard sanding stick feels like using a nail file, these feel a bit like sanding the body with a surfboard.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3331/cm303copyyf2.jpg
The very large abrasive surface area attacks the mold lines quickly and easily.
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/4338/cm304copysv4.jpg
These pics each have well less than a minute of work between them. I'm using the roughest grade (purple stick).
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1533/cm305copyin4.jpg
Then a quick bit of work with the medium grit sticks to even everything out. Ready to be washed and painted. Surprisingly quick and easy.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/669/cm306copypg0.jpg
The polishing sticks obviously can be used to bring a bright shine to palstic. This is the side of the Tamiya Lotus Super 7 I'm building. Gone from this side is the large wing fender (no, didn't sand it off- but I did sand off the remaining bumps). Starting with an even surface, a shine like this can be gotten with 5-10 seconds of sanding with each successive grit and then both sides of the polishing stick.
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/6558/cm307copypi3.jpg
Honestly I don't often have need to polish plastic like this (clear parts occasionally). But I've found the polishing sticks to be most useful as I'm painting a body. In between coats of lacquer they're great for removing dust and orange peel (give the lacquer 30-60 min between coats before sanding). I haven't found polishing sticks to be particularly useful for polishing a body after it's painted, but if you sand out dust and texture as you're painting the final coats can go on very smoothly.
After weeks of use, they're holding up very well. When they get clogged with sanding dust I simply wash them with dishsoap water. None are showing any wear yet.
So in conclusion- will they replace other sanding tools on my bench? No, I still use smaller and stiffer sanding sticks and files for detail sanding. But they are easily the best tool I've used for body sanding. As that's a significant and important step with every kit I build, I wouldn't be without a set. And as usual Crazy Modeler seems to have them priced very competitively with other sanding sticks I've seen.
http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/3645/cm301copysy7.jpg
These are the sanding sticks. They're sold in sets of five, or in sets of three without the finest and roughest sticks. They're color coded, the purple being the roughest grit and the white being the finest. The packaging insert contains a color key to explain.
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/4422/cm310ys5.jpg
The polishing sticks are sold in three packs, and they're all identical. They each are two sided, a green cleaning/buffing side and a white polishing side. Use them in order, green then white.
So, what's different about them? Well, first of all they're huge.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/3231/cm309copyne9.jpg
Each sanding stick is a full 1 x 7 inches. The smaller one is one of the sort I've been using for years.
Second, they're very thick.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/5687/cm308copyqu3.jpg
They're each nearly a half inch thick, and as you can see nearly all of that is padding. The small one by comparison is closer to 1/8".
So what does this mean? The abrasives are obviously very cushioned. This certainy makes for a disadvantage for some uses- but it's wonderfully helpful for others. If you want a tool to sand off the mold lines on your brake calipers or strut springs, this probably isn't it. But if you want to sand a body prior to painting, they're perfect.
Whenever I start a new kit, the first thing I do is the bodywork- specifically I go over every square centimeter of the body and sand it. This does a number of things, among them removing mold seams, leveling unevenly molded surfaces, and providing tooth for primer and paint to stick to. Obviously any filling and puttywork is done at this point, and it receives sanding as well. A large well cushioned abrasive stick is an ideal tool for this kind of work. Often mold lines are placed at the highest points of curved surfaces. As a result, these curves are often flattened a bit when the mold likes are sanded off. (Think of the mold lines running the length of the headlight humps down the front of a 911.) Stiffer sanding tools create flat spots quickest- they 'impose their shape' onto the plastic. Flatten the humps a bit and it tends to be visible- especially if you manage a high gloss paint finish on them. It's very difficult to satisfactorily get a flat spot removed once it's formed. But with padded abrasives, the abrasive surface tends to conform to the curve. The mold seam is attacked first instead of the shape of the curve.
Additionally with large padded sticks, much more abrasive surface is used. Your sanding strokes are longer, but there are fewer of them. And because the stick is wider, a greater sized area is sanded. It actually saves a fair amount of time and effort, and leaves a nice, even and unfaceted sanded surface.
The packaging suggests that the sticks can be cut into smaller pieces. This is something I was sure I would try. But the more I used them, the more I liked them full sized. I've sanded two bodies for painting with them now, and really wouldn't change them.
Here's Fujimi's 355 GTS. Note the mold lines running down the buttresses?
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1193/cm302copymw1.jpg
They can both be sanded at once as they are planar with each other. The sticks feel huge at first- if a standard sanding stick feels like using a nail file, these feel a bit like sanding the body with a surfboard.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3331/cm303copyyf2.jpg
The very large abrasive surface area attacks the mold lines quickly and easily.
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/4338/cm304copysv4.jpg
These pics each have well less than a minute of work between them. I'm using the roughest grade (purple stick).
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1533/cm305copyin4.jpg
Then a quick bit of work with the medium grit sticks to even everything out. Ready to be washed and painted. Surprisingly quick and easy.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/669/cm306copypg0.jpg
The polishing sticks obviously can be used to bring a bright shine to palstic. This is the side of the Tamiya Lotus Super 7 I'm building. Gone from this side is the large wing fender (no, didn't sand it off- but I did sand off the remaining bumps). Starting with an even surface, a shine like this can be gotten with 5-10 seconds of sanding with each successive grit and then both sides of the polishing stick.
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/6558/cm307copypi3.jpg
Honestly I don't often have need to polish plastic like this (clear parts occasionally). But I've found the polishing sticks to be most useful as I'm painting a body. In between coats of lacquer they're great for removing dust and orange peel (give the lacquer 30-60 min between coats before sanding). I haven't found polishing sticks to be particularly useful for polishing a body after it's painted, but if you sand out dust and texture as you're painting the final coats can go on very smoothly.
After weeks of use, they're holding up very well. When they get clogged with sanding dust I simply wash them with dishsoap water. None are showing any wear yet.
So in conclusion- will they replace other sanding tools on my bench? No, I still use smaller and stiffer sanding sticks and files for detail sanding. But they are easily the best tool I've used for body sanding. As that's a significant and important step with every kit I build, I wouldn't be without a set. And as usual Crazy Modeler seems to have them priced very competitively with other sanding sticks I've seen.
rsxse240
11-22-2006, 03:28 PM
great write review! I'll be looking for them as soon as I get a chance.
JBS103
11-22-2006, 10:06 PM
Great write up! Just the right amount of information. (Just like everything else you bothered to PM me; if you remember who I am in the first place! Im still alive!).
I haven't given enough consideration to whats out there besides sandpaper. This is definitely something Ill look to purchase. Do you recommend purchasing each color or are there a few you don't seem to use (I relize you haven't had a long while with them just yet)? I guess thats a silly question considering there are 100 different applications for these things and I am sure they are cheap.
Maybe I'll send you a little PM with an update on where I've gotten with all that advice you gave me. Sadly its not very far, I've been busy! :disappoin
I haven't given enough consideration to whats out there besides sandpaper. This is definitely something Ill look to purchase. Do you recommend purchasing each color or are there a few you don't seem to use (I relize you haven't had a long while with them just yet)? I guess thats a silly question considering there are 100 different applications for these things and I am sure they are cheap.
Maybe I'll send you a little PM with an update on where I've gotten with all that advice you gave me. Sadly its not very far, I've been busy! :disappoin
MPWR
11-24-2006, 11:30 AM
So far I've found the rougher grits to be more useful than the finer ones. When prepping a body I'll do most or all of it in rough and then the whole thing in medium- so I've gotten more use out of them. But then the finer grades are very good for smoothing primer before painting. It's useful to have the whole range.
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