How to make a shiny car?

[Drpepeprz]

I want to start making cars, but i want them SHINY!!

How do you guys do it?

I got some coarse and fine tamiya compound and tamiya polish...what now?

Cheers!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

That would be your end game, but first you need to start with a gloss paint, or at least a gloss varnish.

But you need something like this:

http://www.elmcityhobbies.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_72&products_id=1774

or

http://www.elmcityhobbies.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_72&products_id=3565

first.

Use it wet, just a little bowl of water, with a drop of dish detergent to break the surface tension. The water help lubricate the paint and sand paper/pad so you don't burn through the paint.

Let the paper/pad to the work for you, you don't have to put much pressure on it. Once done, give it a rinse, and then apply your polishing compound. Make sure it is the "Finish Grade" like this one:

http://www.elmcityhobbies.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_72&products_id=2272

Careful on corners and high points, very easy to burn through the paint.

When you are doing it, you will get to about the 8000 grit paper/pads, and think that it looks pretty good and that is all you need, but trust me and do the 12000 grit as well. Smooth as a baby's behind!

 

[Drpepeprz]

Gotcha!

What are the COARSE and FINE compounds used for then?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Not sure, I guess if the paint is really orange peeled you could use the coarse one, but the sandpaper/pads do a much better job IMO.

 

[CTspeedshop]

Hello Jeff,

Go to Donn Yost's website and buy his DVD on airbrushing show quality model cars. You won't regret it. He goes in full detail from raw styrene to the end product. It helped me out tremendously! He is the shiny Master. ;D

http://www.oldmansmodels.com

 

[Drpepeprz]

Thx! I,ll look into that for sure!

 

[Lepper]

I found this to be helpful: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/perfect-paint/

 

[WebbyNZ]

Plenty of good tutorials on youtube as well.
Hunter Selby recently did a series of videos of a 5 day build that was super shiny.

The novus polishes are really good.
2k clear from hiroboy gives a showroom finish but u need a respirator and booth for it as it is not exactly good for you

 

[cargoman5126]

The surface is the secret. The smoother the surface is will set the rest of the finish. Start with 1200 grit polishing clothes and go up to 12000 grit polishing pad. Novus as stated earlier increases the polishings results but if you haven't sanded the surface b4 and after priming then the surface will still appeal lumpy or uneven.
enjoy

 

[Grendels]

I have been working towards this goal as well.

First the surface does matter, shiny paint will show any imperfections
Second, the paint itself matters. Tamiya gloss acrylics are hard to keep from orange peeling I have done it, but only in practice, not on an acutal car body yet.
Third, I have found that using a primer on gloss paint helps to increase the chance of orange peel. Every time I use Tamiya primer as the base, I get orange peel, when I don't use Tamiya primer, no orange peel.
Third, the tamiya polishing compounds are very good at giving you a good shine, even with orange peeled paint. Start with the course, then the fine and finally the extra fine. Use a clean soft cloth to apply.

And this is very very important: Wash the car body afterwards. The polishing compounds will continue to eat the paint and will remove it down to raw plastic given enough time. water will remove it and stop the process.

Third, make a drying box. A cheap plastic storage box with a tight fitting lid will work. Cut a hole in the lid, and insert your stand for painting through the lid. Paint the body and immediately close the box over the lid when done painting. The paint will cure, it will take a bit longer, but it will cure dust free. I have cats with very fine fur and if I don't do this, i get nothing but cat fur in the paint. No matter how careful I am.

I would experiment on some plastic card or spoons before I paint up the body of your first car.

If you do get orange peel, get some automotive rubbing compound, and use it to remove the orange peel. It works just like the Tamiya polishing compound, only it will remove a layer of paint. Wash the car body afterwards to remove it.

This is what I have found on my path to a shiny car finish.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

To eliminate the orange peel with the primer, sand you primer with some 2400 wet dry paper. Just to take the upper edges off of the primer, and the put your color coat. Either that or switch to a different primer.

I just airbrushed Vallejo Grey on a '69 Dodge, with the intentions of the Scale Finishes Dodge Butterscotch for the top coat. Only thing about the Vallejo primers, you gotta let it sit for 4-5 days before you can sand on it, as it will just peel up before it is cured. Although I have done it sooner than that, you just have to have lots of water for lubrication and hit with 3600 grit or so.