Thanks to Red Frog Hobbies! The best selection, service and shipping!
Sanding. The one word that can strike terror through the heart of many a modeler. Have no fear! We at the Vehicle Assembly Building know what you're feeling, so let the Finish Expert give you a few pointers...
"Hey, Finish Expert, why cant I just go to the hardware store and grab any can of paint that looks good and isn't too expensive?"
FE: Nobody's stopping you Dumbass (thx to Red Foreman) you can put any old can of spray you want on your model.. But if you want it to look good and stay shiny forever, you have to know how to Sand and Polish.
DA: "Sand and Polish?", "What kind of sick joke is that?"
FE: "Calm down Dumbass, Thats Polish, as in shoes..."
DA: "O.K., I get it, but I don't..."
FE: It's all about making things smoother... here, lemme show you. If you were painting a house, you would probably start out with a low grit sandpaper like an 80 grit perhaps. The higher the number on the paper, or 'Sanding Medium', the smoother it will make your finish, because smoothness will make a good finish look even better, but it will never be a remedy for poor product choice.
DA: "Product Choice...?
FE: Yep. When you know what finish type you are going to use, you then use one brand to ensure consistency of product. That means No Buying Paint Thinner at The Corner Hardware Store! I cant stress this enough. What you put on your model is the most important decision you can make.
DA: Well, that all sounds good Mr. Moneybags...
FE: Hang on there, it isn't about cost, it is about consistency. Sure, you can go out and buy the absolute best model finishes there are, but if you use the wrong, or off brand mixing agent(s), I guarantee you that finish will run for it's life, or eat right into your painstakingly constructed masterpiece. I use good, working finishes from Mr. Hobby (Shameless Plug), which, after finding a dealer in the U.S. ( Thank you Red Frog Hobbies! (Shameless Plug #2), turned out to be a remarkable finish, with a consistency that works across all of their products lines at a very competitive price, even w/ shipping costs factored in.
DA: I thought we were talking about sanding, and your talking about primers and paint...
FE: Exactly. See, if you choose the wrong finish, you may not even be able to sand it, much less polish it to its intended lustre... But with the right finish for your purpose, sanding can be easy, even... Fun.
DA: Fun!? Yeah, like sanding is ever... fun.
FE: Sanding..., well, that's never fun, but Finishing; that IS fun.
DA: Finishing?
FE: The difference between sanding and finishing, between an ok paint job and an exceptional paint job, without ever spraying one mist coat too many.
FE: I used a fine 'grit' Lacquer Primer/surfacer, which was sanded with 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit combination of paper and sanding sponge, the lacquer is able to stand up to wet sanding without harming the underlying materials (cardboard tubes). the same methods will be used for the white and black topcoats, where the ultra fine grits will actually make the surface so smooth, it will shine like a gloss topcoat, and will give a great surface for the decals to set up on, then all will be covered with Mr. Super Clear matte finish to provide a coat over the decals, and prevent any fingermarks from marring the paint, and can be washed with a simple damp sponge. And that, DA, is how you apply a rock hard finish to your rocket that will look good for a very long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment