NEW Canopy Polishing Discovery

[chuck540z3]

Like most of you when I prepare a canopy, I usually do the top seam removal followed by Future routine, which works great most of the time. Even when a seam is not present, I still used Future because it hides all the small scratches, but it can distort the clarity of the "glass".

I'm making a 1/48 Tamiya Lancaster at the moment, which has a very complicated window frame, but no seams to sand off and it's pretty clear OOB. After masking and painting and getting a hundred finger prints all over it, I used a product I've been using for years on the rear plastic window of my wife's convertible to get rid of small scratches. I am now SOLD on using this on every canopy from now on. Here's a pic of the results- remember, this canopy has no Future on it.....

.. and a pic of the product. It has the same feel and smell as a lemon furniture polish and it won't harm paint.....

Ironically, this product was first made for real aircraft windshields, but you can use it on any plastic. You can buy it on-line at many places like Amazon, ebay and many automotive sites. Here's the Plexus website....

http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/frames.html

I would use it on all canopies after they have been polished using the usual methods, because Plexus won't get rid of large scratches, but it will get rid of all those tiny ones and it leaves the plastic very smooth. BTW, I have no affiliation with Plexus and I get nothing for this plug.

Edited April 20, 2010 by chuck540z3

[tragik]

If i may ask a dumb question... how do you use it on your model? I see it is a spray can like a window cleaner.. do you spray it on your canopy and then wipe it off? dip it? Amazing canopy and painting by the way!!!

[chuck540z3]

If i may ask a dumb question... how do you use it on your model? I see it is a spray can like a window cleaner.. do you spray it on your canopy and then wipe it off? dip it? Amazing canopy and painting by the way!!!

Very simple. Spray it on, then wipe it off with a soft cloth. What's great about it is that you can do this at the end after painting without leaving a shiny finish on the paint, which Future would.

[GGoheen]

Great tip and the canopy looks amazing. Thanks for posting!

Greg

[ventura_kelley]

That canopy looks really good.

What did you use to mask it?

[chuck540z3]

That canopy looks really good.

What did you use to mask it?

Thanks guys. I don't know if anybody else does it this way, but I cut Tamiya masking tape into thin strips and used a sharp knife to cut it as I placed it along the seams. Be careful! I then filled in the interior with liquid mask, the green stuff in the pic below. It worked pretty good, even on some of those tiny windows.

[mhoupt]

Where did you get a single bottle of the stuff? The link you gave us has an order now spot, but only by the case of 24 or more.

[Av8fan]

I found a place in Ontario Canada if that helps

Eshine

Never heard of them or this before.

Very interesting.

Thanks for posting

[chuck540z3]

Where did you get a single bottle of the stuff? The link you gave us has an order now spot, but only by the case of 24 or more.

Amazon.com and ebay are your friends. Just Google "Plexus" and you'll find all sorts of distributors.

[sapguy]

I ordered some from Amazon a few minutes ago... if nothing else, I can use it to polish the plastic on this..

[gtypecanare]

It's great stuff, I "borrowed" some from my brother, he uses it for the windscreen of his Yamaha R1 and visor.

[tempestwulf]

I personally use a 3 stop process. I use Micra which (here in New Zealand) is a ceramic oven top cleaner. It's a coarse substance that's great as a mid grade polisher to remove those minute scratches. After a good rub down with a cotton bud I then use Tamiya polishing compound (fine) and buffing compound. Wait...it's 4 step, the canopy is then doused in future, that's way important. Had to sand back a 1/72 Revell canopy due to it's mis molding (old molds by now) and no worries.