Wet Sanding

Any model can be improved with a little effort. Wet sanding the body takes some time, but it is one area that will improve your paint quality and make the model shine.

The trick is to sand with a good quality wet or dry paper of film. Your local hardware store will have it, and most will sell it by the sheet so that you don't have to buy a huge amount to get you started.

Get a variety of grits, from 220 all the way to 1,000 or more if you can find it. Be sure it is the black wet or dry variety as wood sand paper is water soluble and will fall apart on you.

On a new model start with 600 grit and under running water (just enough to wet the paper and wash off the residue)lightly sand the entire body. Be very careful around emblems and small raised detail you want to keep, because they will sand off.

You can hear and feel the sanding working, it will make less noise as it smooths out and the surface will be far slicker than when you started.

Rinse the model thoroughly after each sanding to remove and debris.

Spray each coat and re sand it once dry.the paint needs to be very dry or it will stick to the paper or your fingers and cause you to pull out your hair and start over.

Stick with 600 grit until you near the last few coats and then switch to finer and finer grit as you progress until the last coat you apply. The only reason to go back to courser paper is if you get a defect the finer grit will not remove.

After the last coat of paint STOP! What type of paint are you using? If it is enamel do not re sand it. If it is Lacquer paint you may want to hit it again with the finest grit you have, or, You can let it dry completely and polish it.

Any paint can be polished to shine it up, but it has to be completely dry first. We will talk more about polishing another day!

Remember, every time you sand it paint will be removed, so don't get carried away. Try to avoid over sanding high spots or you can sand right through the paint and ruin your progress. Only sand enough to smooth the paint out.

I began sanding the nomad last night,and it is ready for the first primer coat so I can begin the body work.

The camaro got some serious sanding to remove the defects in the last coat of paint, and is nearly ready for another coat.

Practice wet sanding and painting! It will be worth it.