polishing techniques and products for tamiya paint.

[phil-east]

Hi all, I am looking for some help with products to use for polishing tamiya acrylics (the X and XF ranges not the rattlecans). What do you guys use for polishing and buffing ? i have tried a polishing compound from Halfords (auto shop) but it seems to take the gloss out of the paint and eat through it if left on for a short time.

Thanks in advance for any help and advise - Phil

[Snake45]

Wright's Silver Cream will polish anything and has NO chemical element in it to damage paint or plastic of any kind. Ask for it by name.

[phil-east]

fantastic, thanks Snake is this the right one ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wrights-Silver-Cream-Polish-Oz/dp/B000WHXQWK/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465544798&sr=8-1&keywords=wrights+silver+cream

i looked on amazon.co.uk and they have this and then some that looks the same but is priced at £47 ($ 67.88) I would think its just somebody trying to cash in as it is imported or something but just want to make sure the cheaper one isnt something slightly different.

[BigTallDad]

That's the correct stuff but a horrible price! I recently purchased some at my local grocery store for about $5 USD.

That same compound can be used to polish out minor scratches in windshields (windscreens) etc. I've even used it on my eyeglasses.

Edited June 10, 2016 by BigTallDad

[Snake45]

fantastic, thanks Snake is this the right one ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wrights-Silver-Cream-Polish-Oz/dp/B000WHXQWK/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465544798&sr=8-1&keywords=wrights+silver+cream

i looked on amazon.co.uk and they have this and then some that looks the same but is priced at £47 ($ 67.88) I would think its just somebody trying to cash in as it is imported or something but just want to make sure the cheaper one isnt something slightly different.

That's the stuff. A tub of it will last you a LONG time and can be used to polish clear plastic too. I also use it to polish colored plastic bodies when I find one in a solid color I like. I find it works best with an old cotton T-shirt, not the sponge thing that comes with it.

[phil-east]

Brilliant thanks guys, i'm used to the higher prices over here so i'll get over it ! At least 1seller is being reasonable. This hobby would be a lot easier on the wallet if i moved across the pond !

[Snake45]

Two tips on working with Wrights:

1. After you've polished your paint, you can go back and do it again with your polishing rag wet. This makes the grit finer and gives an even smoother/glossier finish.

2. When you're all done, you'll have residue in every crack in your body. This washes right out under warm running water. An old soft toothbrush makes this go even faster.

Wright's is lovely stuff to work with!

[phil-east]

Thanks Snake I look forward to getting going with it, tips like those are really helpfull. I'll post my results and thoughts here when i use it.

[BigTallDad]

As Snake45 mentioned, an old toothbrush will remove residual polish in creases/panel lines.

A pediatric toothbrush is as soft as you can buy over the counter, and some dentists actually give them away.

[Snake45]

I don't think you can even buy a "hard" toothbrush anymore--at least not at Walmart. They have a whole aisle of toothbrushes, Soft, Extra Soft, Ultra Soft, etc.

I've used "hard" toothbrushes for this in the past. No damage to paint or plastic. And of course the residue is the same stuff you just polished with, so that's not going to hurt anything, either.

[Can-Con]

I wetsand with Micromesh cloths up to 12000 grit and finish with Tamiya's own polish. 

The black and clearcoat on this truck is Tamiya bottle acrylic thinned with rubbing alcohol and finished in this manner. Works for me.

[phil-east]

Thanks a lot for all the input guys.