Helipilot16 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 After using Novus for months, I recently decided to try something different. My new method is to first sand with 1500 grit wet sandpaper. I then use Turtle Wax polishing compound. I follow with Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Car Wax. The result on any paint job is sheen just short of that achieved with urethane clear. In my opinion it looks more realistic. It is vastly superior to Novus. The best part of the polish is it can be used over Reynolds Wrap foil. The wax will last in the bottle for years, so one bottle should be all I need for life . It's also true of the polishing compound. How do I know this? It's because I pulled mine out of my garage where it had been for several years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowriderphil Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 After using Novus for months, I recently decided to try something different. My new method is to first sand with 1500 grit wet sandpaper. I then use Turtle Wax polishing compound. I follow with Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Car Wax. The result on any paint job is sheen just short of that achieved with urethane clear. In my opinion it looks more realistic. It is vastly superior to Novus. The best part of the polish is it can be used over Reynolds Wrap foil. The wax will last in the bottle for years, so one bottle should be all I need for life . It's also true of the polishing compound. How do I know this? It's because I pulled mine out of my garage where it had been for several years. you sound like me, I hit the bodies with the polishing compound then some meguirs step 3, and if need beed a quick rub of the meguirs scratch x as sometimes there might be very faint swirl marks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryvr12 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 are there any other polishes you could use (like the ones you can find at home) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryvr12 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 you think megiuars would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf15 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 you think megiuars would work? Zack , You have to be careful here. Testors enamels don't hold up under automotive polish. The novus works great , automotive waxes and cleaners are just too harsh . You first need to test it out on a piece of plastic that you have painted with the brand /color that you planned to use on your model. The Old Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Lonewolf's got it right! If you want to rub out any paint don't use hobby enamels as they'll wear away in no time! Lacquers or acrylic enamels are the best. Personally, I've been using Meguiar's Car Cleaner Wax for at least 20 years and I get an excellent shine from it. The Impala in my sig, was rubbed out with it along with 3600-12000 grit polishing cloths beforehand. Do yourself a favor and get to your local auto supply store and get a chamois cloth. I've found it's the best thing in the world for polishing out paint on model bodies as it won't leave any scratches like flannel or a T-shirt can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Creative Explorer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Bill, what is Chamois Cloth? If possible can you show a picture? So I can try and find a European equivalent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Zoom Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Bill, what is Chamois Cloth? If possible can you show a picture? So I can try and find a European equivalent. Google Image Search: Chamois Cloth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharr7226 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Do yourself a favor and get to your local auto supply store and get a chamois cloth. I've found it's the best thing in the world for polishing out paint on model bodies as it won't leave any scratches like flannel or a T-shirt can. MrObsessive, do you wash the chamois cloth after using it? If so, does it retain it's softness while it's dry. When I've used chamois cloths on my car, they dry into a stiff object until they're placed in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf15 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Lonewolf's got it right! If you want to rub out any paint don't use hobby enamels as they'll wear away in no time! Lacquers or acrylic enamels are the best. Personally, I've been using Meguiar's Car Cleaner Wax for at least 20 years and I get an excellent shine from it. The Impala in my sig, was rubbed out with it along with 3600-12000 grit polishing cloths beforehand. Do yourself a favor and get to your local auto supply store and get a chamois cloth. I've found it's the best thing in the world for polishing out paint on model bodies as it won't leave any scratches like flannel or a T-shirt can. Bill , The Novus system works great with Testors enamels as does Final Detail 's Treatment Wax, It's the automotive industry waxes and compounds that are a big no no when it comes to the enamels . The Old Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Zoom Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Bill , The Novus system works great with Testors enamels as does Final Detail 's Treatment Wax, It's the automotive industry waxes and compounds that are a big no no when it comes to the enamels . The Old Man Actually Meguiars Scratch-X is quite agreeable with hobby enamels. It's a polish, not a wax, doesn't have the chemical base that eats soft enamel paint like some of their other products. I can usually tell by the smell of a polish if it's safe on model paint. Meguiars Scratch-X and Kit Scratch-Out work pretty much just like Novus #2. When I first heard about The Treatment I got a tube of it; and even it was a bit too strong for some of my enamel paint jobs; I already had Novus by then so I stuck with that for many years. I'm pretty sure Scratch-X is safer than The Treatment. I've tried it on enamel and it's just fine (even though I rarely shoot enamels anymore). Tamiya compounds are also good on enamel. These polishing compounds won't etch the paint, the only way they do anything to the paint is from the friction of buffing. What's especially nice about Scratch-X and Scratch-Out is they are commonly available almost everywhere (Wal Mart, Target). If you don't have a LHS or want to mail order, it will work on pretty much any paint you can use on a model, from the hobby stuff to the automotive stuff. My favorite combo is Tamiya TS sprays and their own compounds. They work amazingly well together, often so well that wet sanding the final coats with Micromesh is unnecessary, or just a quick scuff with 3600/4000 and then right to the compound. Turtle Wax must have changed something; I tried their polishing compound and wax in years past (we're talking 20+ years ago) and it was waaaay too strong for hobby enamels. I suspect that some of those older compounds are also too harsh on modern clearcoat paints so perhaps the formula has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf15 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Bob, I would certainly have to agree with your last statement . Compounds have gotten friendlier over the last while back ! They have no choice . Back when we were kids , paint was meant to stand up to a beating and did ! The new stuff , yeah , right ! Breathe on it wrong and factory paint will wilt. Once upon a time , Kids , when you bought a car , and it came with orange peeled paint from the factory , the dealer's body shop would reshoot the panel . For that matter , they would paint the whole car if need be . Back then , orange peel was not accepted in any way , shape , or form . Now , it's a given when viewed by the industry ! Now , in my shop , it's as hated and unacceptable even more so than it was back then . The Old Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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