Sanding..a must?

I have been told that sanding is a step before polishing, but is it possible to skip this step and still end up with shiny finish? I mean is there any clear coat/paint that is forgiving enough to level quite nicely so we don't have to bother take the twist and turn of sanding? Or is there any technique that you guys want to share to keep sanding at minimum level? Thanks.

Well in regards to polishing sanding is not always necessary. Many people including myself will not sand clearcoats. You could just use a rubbing compound until you have gotten rid of orange peel. This is actually a form of sanding but there is alot less risk of burning through the clearcoat instead of sanding, then compounding it. Its really a judgment call if you think the clear is too thin then compound and wax it smooth. To be safe I usually apply alot of clear coats especially to metallic colors. Depending on the orange peel I will compound it or use micromesh polishing pads and then wax it.

There is virtually no way to get out of sanding in the whole painting process. You have to sand mold lines and you have to get the body smooth. If you mean minimal sanding in color and clear coats then you need to take especially good care of the build in primer stage. Get the primer smooth, sand it with fine grit, even tooth paste works, wash it and make sure its dust free.

It is still possible to skip sanding and still achieve perfect finish. Here is what I do with Tamiya/Gunze spray cans to minimize sanding.

1. Heat up the cans in hot water to allow better flow, but make sure that the water is not too hot to touch, or it could blow up the cans!

2. Priming stage is everything, make sure that you check for imperfections before laying down the last coat of primer. I usually sand the last coat of primer with 2000 grit from Tamiya and make it somewhat glossy. Wait for about a week for the primer to dry and hardens (overnight if you have a handy food dehydrator).

3. Build up layers of paint with 3-5 mist coats, before spraying with medium coats. I usually only spray 2-3 medium coats at most and no wet coat. I normally wait for 15-30 minutes between each coats.

4. Spray 3-5 mist clear coats (my favorite is Gunze Sangyo's Top Coat Gloss, as it's more forgiving than TS-13 on decals).

5. Wait for the paints to dry before polishing with Tamiya Coarse, Fine, Finish, Meguiar Scratch X, and finally wax. I typically use flanel cloth for the polishing session.

Good luck and I hope that helps! It's great so see fellow Indos building models :D

How if I decant the clear for AB, will it still relevant to heat the decanted paint first before spraying?

I paint and polish almost exactly the way Tham describes, and I never sand a paint job to polish it.

Waiting overnight for the primer to outgas is fine. There's nothing wrong with waiting longer, but it isn't necessary.

The primer must be perfect before moving on to paint. If it isn't perfect, sand it out, apply more, sand, and repeat until it is.


How if I decant the clear for AB, will it still relevant to heat the decanted paint first before spraying?

No- but you should add plenty of compatible thinner. Lacquer sprays best when it is properly thinned, and if you decant from spraycans it can take a lot of thinner to get it right.