Help: How to polish an unpainted model?

[asaenz]

I know it seems kind of wacked but you have to understand I use my models for drawing reference and they do not need car show shines or paint.

How/what is the best way polish plastic (no paint or primer) to get a reflective appearance?

Does one just use the normal polishing techniques and compounds for painted surfaces?

Thanks for your time.

Al

[americanmuscleman]

howcome u wanna polish them if they dont have to be shiny?

[Icebox]

for drawing the light lines???? idk....anyway..what kind of models are they? build your own..or buy them built?

[asaenz]

Originally Posted by americanmuscleman

howcome u wanna polish them if they dont have to be shiny?

I said they didn't need car show shines. I still need some shine as to see the body lines due to most kits being cast in light colors. I need to see other things too. I am photographing them. Also I read somewhere on the web a few years ago about polishing kits instead of painting to get a nice shine (ofcourse nothing you want displayed).

Thx

for drawing the light lines???? idk....anyway..what kind of models are they? build your own..or buy them built?

Ok, sorry for not posting more info guys. They will mostly be Revell plastic kits. I am just going to glue them together polish them up (to see lines, hues, horizion reflections, and etc) and then photograph them to be used for drawing references. I will then reference other pictures from magazines/photos on the web and such to get the colors I want. I need them for line drawings.

Thx

[99civichic]

If you're going through the trouble of polishing them, it wouldn't hurt to throw down a clearcoat on the plastic, or maybe just a coat of Krylon color. Then wetsand it and polish it with some kind of automotive polish. For what you're looking at though, your best bet would probably be a diecast, or even a snap-tite; those come either prepainted or molded in color and are already pretty shiny.

[360spider]

Just polish them with Novus plastic polishing 1-2-3 system. There will be plenty of shine.

[asaenz]

Thx Civichic and 360Spider.

I thought about diecast but the detail isn't like plastic kits except for Autoart, but those are expensive. 1:18 are nice but they are big then I have to worry about storing them plus they cost more than 1:24 plastics.

I will try the polishing compound.

Thank you

Al

[99civichic]

If you're lucky, you can get 1:18 by Maisto at Walmart or Walgreens for around $15. I think that for the price Maisto is really good on detail. But yes, they are bigger, and a pain to store sometimes (I have an extensive collection)

[freakmech]

Novus or any other plastic cleaner/ polish.

[Scale-Master]

I like Blue Magic brand polish.
You can get it at most auto supply chain stores.
A tube, or a tub like bottle, (I have it in both types of containers), will last years... - Mark

[asaenz]

Originally Posted by 99civichic

If you're lucky, you can get 1:18 by Maisto at Walmart or Walgreens for around $15. I think that for the price Maisto is really good on detail. But yes, they are bigger, and a pain to store sometimes (I have an extensive collection)

Good point on the Maisto (they are cheap in cost).

Thx everyone for the tips.

Al