Alclad

[Guest -EnC-]

Hi, recently, while surfing throught the posts, i found out some people lightly sand their primer coat with micromesh, ultrafine steel wool, etc. I wanted to know if sanding it would produce a better finish or what not.

Thanks in advance~

[Paul T]

What the primer coat will do is fill in any minor imperfections ,light scratches,minor blemishes etc. Sanding lightly will then smooth things over,and at times show areas that require a little more sanding and blending in of seams and the like. It also creates a smoother finish of the metalic over coat. Depends in the end on how anal you want to get. I myself pretty much prime everything I paint,although not a necessity,but has its merits.

HTH

Paul T

[nspreitler]

Smoothing it out is a good idea. I use wet 1500 to 2000 grit sandpaper for the big areas and a sanding stick for the rest. Usually takes 10-15 minutes for a single engine 1/48 kit.

Nathan

[Steve Filak]

Absolutely - it produces a much smoother finish than leaving the primer unfinished. Depending on how smooth the surface is, sometimes you can just get away with buffing the primer up with a sheet of paper towel. It really makes a big difference in the overall appearance of the finished model.

[Guest -EnC-]

Thanks for all your replyz guyz...

but one final question. HOw much do we sand it? DO we sand it till we see bare plastic or sand it till the primer coat getz very thin?

BTW thanks

[Paul T]

Sand until smooth ,like glass or close.I use rubbing pads ,made by 3M about the same as 0000 steel wool but a much better product.The gray or maroon colored pads are about 600 grit . You can find them at woodworking supplie stores.

Paul T ;)

[Guest -EnC-]

;) thanks Paul!