Tools needed for polishing paint?

[AMT Pacemakers]

Getting read to try and polish an Enzo Ferrari, what tools do you folks use? Q-tips, rags, etc..

Thanks

CCSS

[jbwelda]

what exactly do you mean by "polishing"?

if you mean waxing or rubbing a finished surface, then probably soft rags and q-tips

but if you mean truly polishing the paint, abrading it until ultra smooth and all orange peel is gone, then buy a polishing kit of descending grades of polishing cloth. read and follow the directions though you dont usually have to start with the coarsest cloth unless the paint is really bad; generally i start with 4000 or 6000 grit and work my way through to 12,000. trickest part is to polish all surfaces evenly and not break through the paint to primer coat...or more usually the way i do it, dont break through the clear to the color coat. thats easily detected (though not easily avoided) by constantly checking to make sure you dont see color on your cloth, meaning you are through your clear somewhere. this can of course turn rapidly into a repaint if youre not careful.

its after you do the latter that you then do the former, eg: applying some final shine with wax or similar.

Edited November 18, 2009 by jbwelda

[CAL]

was a non-believe for a long time but Future and an airbrush....

[Smart-Resins]

I ahve done my first car in future and I must say, I am rather impressed. It is so good, I am going to buy a polishing kit when I am done applying decals and more future and polish that baby up! Most of the guys I know use Novus. That perhaps will be what I try? Jody

[jbwelda]

this illustrates what i was implying above rather well:

>I am going to buy a polishing kit...Novus"

Novus is a creamy paste or liquid very light abrasive used for semi final and final finishing.

a "polishing kit" is the series of polishing cloths i was referring to above.

i like the finer Novus product for final gloss on a finish.

not sure about polishing/waxing Future though, it already shines a lot as it is.

[E St. Kruiser50]

For me, Novus #2 works beautifully, followed up by 3M Finesse-it ll Finishing Material, that I get at a local auto paint and supply store.

After a week, as per the manufacturer, I wax with Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze.

For a cloth, I go to Tap Plastics here on the West Coast, they have a chain from Calif. to Wash, and get several of their polishing clothes made specifically for polishing plastic, which paint is.

The finish will amaze you , if you take your time on each step .

Edited November 19, 2009 by Treehugger Dave

[CAL]

I have gone down the polishing road.

Several sheets of micro mesh, car past cleaner, car past swirl remover, Novus 1, 2, 3, and a model polishing kit, a Dremel with wooden dowl cotton swabs, and diaper cloth and micro fiber. It's labor intensive, but you can get a great finish in countless hours.

Future is quick and easy, and is good over everything, BMF, clear parts even to attach small PE, and had a deep high gloss finish in a coupe hours and very easy to work with.

I don't polish anything any more, just Future it.

Future over the clear (glass) and everything

Edited November 19, 2009 by CAL

[CAL]

  jbwelda said:

this illustrates what i was implying above rather well:

>I am going to buy a polishing kit...Novus"

Novus is a creamy paste or liquid very light abrasive used for semi final and final finishing.

a "polishing kit" is the series of polishing cloths i was referring to above.

i like the finer Novus product for final gloss on a finish.

not sure about polishing/waxing Future though, it already shines a lot as it is.

Polishing Future doesn't work out well.

The whole trick to Future is knowing how to work it with an airbrush

[AMT Pacemakers]

Thanks for the answers, have used Future with good results also. This Enzo I painted with Tamiya paints, it had a very mirror like finish while the paint was wet, but when it dried it got a bit dull.

Thanks again.

CCSS

[CAL]

  Coker Creek Speed Shop said:

Thanks for the answers, have used Future with good results also. This Enzo I painted with Tamiya paints, it had a very mirror like finish while the paint was wet, but when it dried it got a bit dull.

Thanks again.

CCSS

I found that to be the case with Tamiya sprays.

The red Cobra was Tamiya topped with Future.

The Porsche was Testors Enamal gloss topped with Future.

The Starliner was Testors custom mix - flat topped with Future.

So even flat base finish can be brought to a high gloss finish with Future.

[jbwelda]

or tamiya clear.