waxing? clear coating?

[David_]

first off, which one is shinier?

and secondly, when should i do it? after paint dries? after decals? after panel lines? after windows added?

and if i add both clear coat and wax.... what would i get? super shine or not much diff?

also, one last q. i heard that wax makes ur paint rub off... if i put in about 4-5 coats, would i see any shell colour? or would it be nice and smooth rubbing off?

edit: also, do gundam markers leak? coz i ordered one from hlj... and i sure hope it doesn't leak all over my kits...

[David_]

17 views and no replys? cmon. help!

[Zturbo]

i've been asking the same question!!!

[Jonno]

I usually clearcoat, then cut & polish and wax. The extra few coats the clearcoat puts down should stop rubbing through the paint.

I usually either apply decals than clearcoat, or clearcoat, apply decals, and clearcoat again, to protect the decals.

I cut and polish before wax, and sometimes need to give it a light sand with 2000-12000 grit sand papers to smooth out the paint.

All this should be covered in the FAQ though...

[David_]

i read the faq on waxing... no order there...

but yea, thanks for ur help.

what is cutting?

[Zturbo]

Originally Posted by David_

i read the faq on waxing... no order there...

but yea, thanks for ur help.

what is cutting?

using a cutting compound like "t-cut"
I think

[Jonno]

Like, cut and polish for real cars, it is a compound that cuts through a thin layer of paint and leaves a shinier coat from undeneath. Like what you would use on a real car.

[dag65]

When someone says cutting or compounding what they are talking about is a polishing compound to remove orange peel and level the paint surface. Compound really can be thought of as super fine liquid sand paper. No its not always necesary if your paint is realtively shiny to begin with. Some compounds or glazes as they are called can be painted over, make sure the label says its paintable. Mequires has one that is available at Auto parts stores. As an alternative I also use Novus or Meguires plastic polishes which work great and can be used on the clear parts like windows.
Wax can't be painted over so it should be the very last step. Wax is for protection and enhances the shine. Some waxes are called " cleaner waxes " and do some cutting. These are usuallly used on old oxidized car finishes to restore the finish, the work real nice on models.I use Megiuires myself.
Hope this helps to clear up some confusion for you guys
Oh yeah for the ultimate shine I apply the decals , clear coat, polish ( compound ) and follow it up with 3 or 4 coats of good carnuba wax

[Hawk312]

I color coat, let dry, wet sand if solid color, clear coat, wet sand, cut, polish. I think the results are ok.

[dag65]

Hawk those are really nice paint jobs

[Hawk312]

Thanks!

[hobbes874]

Compound can also remove the scratches made by sanding right?

[RallyRaider]

Originally Posted by hobbes874

Compound can also remove the scratches made by sanding right?

If you are 'scratching' the surface of the paint then you are probably using too coarse a sandpaper. In my experience the compound will only work if the final surface is smooth to start with.

[dag65]

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

If you are 'scratching' the surface of the paint then you are probably using too coarse a sandpaper. In my experience the compound will only work if the final surface is smooth to start with.

You are correct, when sanding only go as rough as is needed and work your way down. The surface should be smooth and free of visible scratches before polishing.
One alternative that I use are the polishing kits that ae avilable for $15 ( US )
They are a small cloth sandpaper that can be used wet or dry. My set is comprised of a 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 12000 grit sheets. I usually only use the 3200 for primer and bare plastic. If used carefully you can achieve one heck of a shine and never use any chemical products

[David_]

hmmm... so basically clear coating just protects... and then, if i want, after that i can wax or cut... (this is all after panels, decals, everythign... i assume clears as well)