Polishing canopies - what do you use?

[nmayhew]

Hi,

 

I am starting to tire of the mixed results from using Gauzy Agent (a ‘Future’ like liquid), particularly in regard to having to drain off the edges.

 

I know some of you polish canopies and use a non-fogging CA glue, but what materials do you use and how exactly do you do it?

 

Is it just progressing through the various grit grades (starting at...and finishing at...), and / or do you use polishing pastes and compounds (if so which ones)?

 

Kind regards

Nick

Edited July 14, 2019 by nmayhew

[RonGUSA]

Hey Nmayhew

  If you have to sand you need to start with a rougher grade say about 600/800 grit. This would be used to say remove a seam. Progress through various grades up to say 10,000 grit then I use Tamiya polishing pastes coarse, fine and then finish.

Ron G 

[PhilB]

Thread I did some time back Nick.

I finished off with dunking in Future but you can still get a good result using polishing pastes after sanding/buffing.

Toothpaste works very well too.

 

 

https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/30048-removing-canopy-seams/

[nmayhew]

Thank you both.

[John1]

I gave up on Future.  I now use Novus plastic polishes.   This stuff is the shiznit!    

[Out2gtcha]

28 minutes ago, John1 said:

I gave up on Future.  I now use Novus plastic polishes.   This stuff is the shiznit!    

 

 

The Novus plastic polish works great!

 

I still use both actually, as ultra thin CA and capillary action are my preferred MO for attaching windscreens and canopies. 

While the Novus polish works awesome by itself, I use the Future to protect the clear plastic from the CA fumes.

 

 

[GrahamF]

I never got Future to work as well as was supposedly possible so gave up on it entirely and just use T-cut and a soft cloth, never failed yet and you're in total control.

Graham 

[Out2gtcha]

I failed at Future lot too, until started doing 3 things; 1. using a soft brush on the canopy or windscreen while it's being dunked into the Future as a lot of what I thought at first was contaminants, were actually super tiny bubbles, and the brush kills all that. 2. Taking a paper towel or micro cloth to the edge of the clear part to wick any excess Future off.

3. Keeping my still curing clear parts in a Tupperware container lined with a paper towel & with the lid cracked to let it dry. 

[nmayhew]

1 hour ago, GrahamF said:

I never got Future to work as well as was supposedly possible so gave up on it entirely and just use T-cut and a soft cloth, never failed yet and you're in total control.

Graham 

 

What is T-cut?

[GrahamF]

It's a car paint polishing and cutting compound, as old as the hills.

Graham 

[nmayhew]

2 hours ago, GrahamF said:

It's a car paint polishing and cutting compound, as old as the hills.

Graham 

 

Thanks Graham!

 

I just watched a hilarious YouTube vid with a Welsh chap who has a super shiny Ford Focus! 

 

But yes, seems simple enough - all the things I am learning after 25 years+ in the hobby 

 

Right, off to my local garage this morning 

 

Thanks again,

 

Nick

[ade rowlands]

Remove any seam mould lines with a new scalpel blade. Sand it out with regular sanding sticks going through the various grades. If I see some scratches after that out comes the Micromesh pads. Then final polish up with the Tamiya polishing compounds applied with some Tamiya sponge type stuff that came with the order of the 3 Polishing compounds though any soft cloth will do. I only use Future/Klear now if theres going to be any super glue near the canopy to prevent fogging. 

[Iain]

I use wet and dry sanding sticks - starting at 800 - then 1200 and 2000 - onto Micromesh and Novus (as below) for mould seams.

 

If just polishing - Micromesh pads - followed by Novus Plastic Polish (fine).

 

Novus is available in the UK - I get mine off eBay.

 

I much prefer Novus to T-Cut - as I've had T-Cut actually fog some clear plastics!!

 

Iain

[Out2gtcha]

On 7/15/2019 at 7:31 AM, ade rowlands said:

 I only use Future/Klear now if theres going to be any super glue near the canopy to prevent fogging. 

 

 

Yep!  I can easily get near the same level of shine with polishing alone, yet I feel I still get strange "looks" when I say I still use Future for can-O-peas.  I love using ultra thin CA and capillary action to wick the CA around a good fitting winds screen, as its by far the best way I've found to do it personally.

 

The secret Ive fount to a crystal clear Future dip after polishing is to have a super soft, clean brush on hand while dipping the canopy or windscreen, and push the Future around with the brush while/during dipping it. Sounds strange, but the brush releases any residual surface tension that is holding micro-bubbles that resemble debris in the Future, and can prevent a perfect finish. 

[nmayhew]

Thanks Iain

 

re Novus, do you go through all three grades, or just use the finest grade?