Rubbing Compounds

[Zman]

Just wandering other than Novus polish, is there any other products that work on plastic? Thnaks.

[Cato]

All the automotive products will work.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Even the white toothpaste is a mild abrasive and will polish plastic and soft paint. It works well on fully cured Testors enamels.

For harder paints and bare plastic, I've had excellent results with 3M Prefect-It "Ultrafine Machine Polish" #06068. After a final colorsanding with 12,000 grit wet, the 3M will bring the gloss all the way up. It takes some rubbing, by the way. Some folks seem to think polish is a wipe-on, wipe-off material. That's WAX, not polish. Polish takes some actual effort to be of any value.

Many of the "rubbing compounds" made for real cars are simply too course to use on model paints, and will burn through edges in a flash.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[cobraman]

I read somewhere ( maybe here ) that Scratch-X works pretty good.

[Cato]

This one works very well, cuts but does not kill:

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g17216-ultimate-compound/

Like any compound, you've got to mind the edges but it's not savage.

And yes the Perfect-It system works very well too.

[Harry P.]

Just wandering other than Novus polish, is there any other products that work on plastic? Thnaks.

All "rubbing compounds" are mild abrasives and work on anything. They don't know what they're being used on–an abrasive is an abrasive. There are literally dozens of different products out there, from highly aggressive rubbing compounds to much gentler polishing compounds... but regardless of the product, they all work on whatever surface you use them on to an extent. Obviously, the harder the surface, the less they will have an effect... but on soft surfaces like polystyrene (or painted polystyrene) they will all work.

[935k3]

Go to your nearest Harley Davidson Dealer and by a tube of Simichrome Polish made in Germany. Good for paints too.

[jaymcminn]

This one works very well, cuts but does not kill:

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g17216-ultimate-compound/

Like any compound, you've got to mind the edges but it's not savage.

And yes the Perfect-It system works very well too.

+1 on the Meguiars Ultimate Compound. It's fantastic stuff for your scale and 1:1 needs.

[Cato]

^^^Works great on 1:1 headlight covers too, after 2400 to 4000 grit.

[Harry P.]

Meguiars make good stuff, period. All of their products are top notch.

[sportandmiah]

ScratchX is great once sanding is done.

[Deathgoblin]

I've been using Turtle Wax scratch and swirl remover. It's been working really well.

[Jantrix]

After sanding to 3600 grit to fix a flaw in the clear, I used this http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g18116-polishing-compound/.

In just a few minutes I has an excellent shine. I followed it with some polish and had an excellent finish. I was shocked how easy it was.