Preparing white metal

[mad_dr]

Hi all,

Just been browsing on the MFH website and found an assembly guide to a Ferrari and I'm very keen to understand how to go from this: http://www.modelfactoryhiro.com/mfh/making/img/k272-312f1/312f1-007.jpg

To this: http://www.modelfactoryhiro.com/mfh/making/img/k272-312f1/312f1-008.jpg

Without simply sanding away all of the details...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Andy

[Modelmartin]

Don't use sandpaper. I would use steel wool or similar initialy and then switch to a polishing compund and cotton cloth. They are other ways to polish it also but those are simple and easy and cheap.

[Harry P.]

Ditto to what Andy said. Steel wool will polish the surface while at the same time "going around" the surface details without flattening them, as sandpaper would tend to do.

Also keep in mind that once you polish the surface, the metal will not stay that way. It will eventually oxidize and go back to the dull gray look it had before polishing, so if you want to keep that shiny look you'll have to seal the polished metal with some clear.

[mad_dr]

Excellent - thanks for the advice guys. I'm new to all this but it's very clear that there are many ways to build these kits:

1. The way I'd probably do it: basic prep and put it together.

2. The way MFH did it: fine preparation on ALL parts until they're gleaming, to get a flawless finish.

I'm very impressed that they can go from this:

to this:

I'm sure there are some paints/finished being used there but the preparation is definitely what helps get it to this finish.

Thanks!

Andy