Polishing Problems

I painted my NSX using the information given on how to paint model car bodies on this site. The main colour was Tamiya Metallic Blue and a Semi Gloss Black Roof. I gave the car 4 coats with the first one being light and got the orange peel effect you guys mentioned. But is the orange peel effect supposed to be like rough spots on the paint? I am getting a texture like rough sandpaper in small areas on the paint after I am finished spraying. I left the paint for a good week before I started the cutting and polishing so it was nice and hard. I started polishing and checking like you guys mentioned but the paint didn't get as smooth as I thought it would and I eventually rubbed down to the primer underneath. This has happened twice now and I am going to respray the car and try again. Is the car supposed to be mirror shiny and smooth or will it still have tiny lumps and bumps in it? Also when I polish I notice that the white compound stays in rough patches of the paint. Any tips on how to fix these problem will be greatly appreciated.

Color must be shine and gloss how much it can be.
Light orange peel can be removed with polishing. Hard orange peel is very hard to remove.

Yes, orange peel and egg shell are terms for the rough finish that paint sometimes dries to. The purpose of polishing is to level the paint, which can be done in certain cases with a cutting compound only. One thing to keep in mind about Tamiya metallics, pearls and mica's is that they don't gloss very well and work best with a clear top coat. A clear top coat will do two things for you, firstly give it way more gloss and secondly, give you more layers of protection from polishing through to the primer. I would advise you to get a polishing kit that consist of the polishing cloths, usually 3200 thru 12000 grit. This type of polishing is the best way to eliminate the rough surface that is beyond what the compound is really made for. Just hang on to your patience and practice on and extra body that you may have lying around.:D

I usually wet sand the rough spots before using the polishing compound. This work well on Tamiya sprays. Any sandpaper between 2000-4000 should remove orange peel just fine. The key is to keep plenty of water on the model, sand lightly, go slow, and continually check your progress (by briefly wiping it dry). Then use the polish and you'll see a world of difference. Hope this helps! :bandit:

Should i spray clear right after i spray the body or wait ten minutes or so,i was thinking right after spraying the body but i might be wrong

Go here for the clear coat info...
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65609&highlight=tamiya+clear :bandit: