Rubbing Out Clear Coat?

[Modelbuilder Mark]

While you can work 2K clear a lot sooner, it does have a slight shrink effect over the first couple weeks. Some great painter I know that get fantastic results, state they go back and polish them out again 2-3 weeks after the first round, which to me seems like double the work. Because of that, I have been waiting that 2-3 weeks after the clear before I even polish/buff 2K the first time.  

[Dpate]

10 hours ago, eldo60 said:

where did yoy get these, i have a small rotary tool also.

i mite get better results than hamd rubbing.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HT1QC2C?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details for the pads but you'll need this also for the shank which comes with 2 and lot of cool extra's. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FXDP7S6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

[Dpate]

3 hours ago, Modelbuilder Mark said:

While you can work 2K clear a lot sooner, it does have a slight shrink effect over the first couple weeks. Some great painter I know that get fantastic results, state they go back and polish them out again 2-3 weeks after the first round, which to me seems like double the work. Because of that, I have been waiting that 2-3 weeks after the clear before I even polish/buff 2K the first time.  

Can you even remotely tell a difference doing that? I guess it could shrink more if you're not baking them, but just imagine waiting 2-3 weeks just to polish/buff some clear to accidently burn through lol.  I just don't think you could notice the different on such a small scale.  Very interesting though about the clear.

[RSchnell]

I always wait a week or two before sanding & buffing. I'd be wary of using those buffing pads. You run the risk of burning through the paint especially on edges. 

Using the schedule I posted on this thread I can compound & clean(wipe down with some Meguiars Quik Detailer to get the buffing haze & lint off) an average 1/24-1/25 scale body in 10-15 minutes by hand. Forgot to mention- I use old cut up cotton T-shirts to compound & wax with. Usually freebie ones I got from the Automotive paint store! LOL

Edited October 7, 2022 by RSchnell

[Dpate]

2 hours ago, RSchnell said:

I always wait a week or two before sanding & buffing. I'd be wary of using those buffing pads. You run the risk of burning through the paint especially on edges. 

Using the schedule I posted on this thread I can compound & clean(wipe down with some Meguiars Quik Detailer to get the buffing haze & lint off) an average 1/24-1/25 scale body in 10-15 minutes by hand. Forgot to mention- I use old cut up cotton T-shirts to compound & wax with. Usually freebie ones I got from the Automotive paint store! LOL

Recent car body i had to strip because i burnt through a spot which was my own fault.  Accidently got my thumb in the clear coat so i after it was cured i tried getting the mess out which lead to over sanding.  When i burnt through it was on the polishing stage and it was on that one spot where i over sanded which i knew would happen, but i still went for it anyways.  If you have to sand and don't over sand it's impossible to burn through unless you just don't know what you're doing.  I'm getting better at laying 2K down with zero orange peel to the point where I'll start just compounding if needed or straight to polish and wax. Honestly if i wouldn't of went over board with the compounding (1 round instead of 2) when i don't think it was really needed i wouldn't of even burnt through that rough spot i had over sanded(Less mill of clear in that spot than the rest of the body).  I had a show room quality finish on the toyota 2000GT body man it was gorgeous nothing i could ever do by hand.  This next go round i wont get my thumb stuck in the clear coat LOL.

[OldNYJim]

On 9/28/2022 at 2:17 PM, Plowboy said:

I use all three Jim. I've polished around forty models with them and still have enough to do several more. Trust me, it's the best money you'll spend! I don't buy the applicator cloths. I use a high thread count cotton cloth to apply and remove it.

Only just started playing with these compounds, but you’re not wrong - they work well!  

This body only had the first couple of compounds (the course and fine) so far, but the results are impressive…it’s not quite ready for the third stage yet, I don’t think, but it was dark and I’d like to give it another round of both in some natural light.

Thanks for the recommendation!  

[W Humble]

RRR,

I have patience (77, retired) but not the time -- obviously!  I don't use lacquer clears, but PPG JC660 or 661 with hardener.  It rubs out too, same techniques, natch, but isn't too difficult.  Easy to put too much on, tho; gets out of scale.  Recently I tried UPOL rattle-can clear, and it worked very well indeed.  About $20-ish per.  One has to let these finishes cure/oxidize a bit longer than lac clear. oc.  I don't shoot for show finishes, but at the last IPMS show, I heard a group talking about the gloss I was getting, and wondering how!

On the other hand, being an ex-PPG store employee, I get the counterperson to pour me off a few ounces of flatting agent for a dull finish.  This takes some experimentation on the model kit scale to get the right dullness.  The flatting is just like thick paint, but has tiny chips (of silica, I'm sure) in it.  Just reading about this makes my arthritis start to ache!   And I still cut and buff out a 1:1 car occasionally!  Wick

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Here is my recent process using Scalefinishes.com factory correct Turbulence Grey basecoat with automotive 2K clear. Shiny is nice, but not at the expense of realism so I try to shoot my 2K clear much thinner than some others I have seen to maintain as much of a scale fidelity as possible. This still went on a smidge thicker than I would have liked, but the 1:1 also has a very deep/wet look so I am OK with what I have here.

This was only wet sanded where there was some muck in the paint and a fish eye. I started with 3,000 grit foam pad, followed by 4,000 grit through 8,000 grit polishing clothes. I then buffed the entire model starting with the mild cutting Turtle Wax T-415 Premium Grade Rubbing Compound, followed by Meguiar's M0916 Mirror Glaze Swirl Remover, then Meguiar's M0716 Mirror Glaze Show Car Glaze. After I complete final assembly, I will top top it off with Wizard's Mist N shine for that final wet look and to help prevent dust/fingerprints. (I also use this on the inside glass before mating to frame) The main thing look for here are products that do not contain silicone as to not mess up my hobby room/paint area causing future painting problems. There are still a few places in this finish I would go back and redo if I wanted a show winning finish, but for a curbside I am pleased. While there are several products listed here, this process described was maybe an hour one evening, after the body sat for nearly a month after clear coat. 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Modelbuilder Mark

[W Humble]

No flies on that job!  But y'know, even tho my retirement job was working in my favorite PPG store, I was never sure which final-finish products had silicone or not.  Meguirars, Mothers, and some others simply don't always 'state' what is in their magic brews (for fear of formula snitching, I suppose) and so with the non-abrasive later processes, I usually am very circumspect.  I do use sometimes Meguiars plastic buffing stuff, but not if I think any other painting would be going on.  I have what we used to call Ditzler 330 Wax & Grease remover, which can be useful, but more often I fall back on just plain old alcohol -- and if that doesn't do it, I rub it on the car body too!  Maybe it'sh all jusht luck?  Wick

[Modelbuilder Mark]

13 hours ago, W Humble said:

No flies on that job!  But y'know, even tho my retirement job was working in my favorite PPG store, I was never sure which final-finish products had silicone or not.  Meguirars, Mothers, and some others simply don't always 'state' what is in their magic brews (for fear of formula snitching, I suppose) and so with the non-abrasive later processes, I usually am very circumspect.  I do use sometimes Meguiars plastic buffing stuff, but not if I think any other painting would be going on.  I have what we used to call Ditzler 330 Wax & Grease remover, which can be useful, but more often I fall back on just plain old alcohol -- and if that doesn't do it, I rub it on the car body too!  Maybe it'sh all jusht luck?  Wick

James, I spent a lot of time researching and validating what is body shop safe. I know a lot of model builders use Novus which does contain silicone unless you contact the fir directly and order their non-silicone version, but that becomes far too expensive. I too used it for years until myself, and friends that I have that build and do far better paint work than myself started running into problems. I would say that if you look into products that are Body Shop safe, you should be fine. I will admit that there are multiple types of silicone, some problematic, some not, but looking around online you will see body shop guys, and surprisingly a LOT of guitar forums that discuss what they use and like. Those products that I have listed above where what I landed on, and have found to be very cost effective.