Sandpaper for Plastic Mini's - What Grit?

[VendettaUF]

Hi CMON'ers,

I've gone through a few threads and found a couple of threads that suggested 600grit for sanding metal minis. I'm looking to smooth some plastics and was worried that what worked great for metal might be too harsh for plastic. Does anyone have a suggestion about what grit to use on plastic? Is 600 find or do I need to go higher? I've found up to 2000 grit online. Thanks.

 

[Grumb]

Sorry, can't help you mate. I never use sandpaper, use a set of precision files instead...

Grumb

 

[VendettaUF]

Hmm I may have a set of files lying around I was using for another project. Maybe I'll give those a whirl first

 

[In Chigh P.I.]

If your talking 'wet & dry' sandpaper I would say 360 to 1000 grade after scraping/filing.

2000 grade is a bit too fine i think

 

[ollieholmes]

I sometimes use 1200 wet and dry on seams. If i use anything coarser on my plastic aircraft i then prime them with this stuff to smooth it out, ive never tried it on Warhammer though, i might just do that someday and report back what happens:
http://www.modeldesignconstruction....9/54277/Mr Surfacer 1000 Spray Large 170 ml

If you want realy fine sandpaper look at this stuff, i use it for polishing clear plastic:
http://www.modelsforsale.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=252666

 

[Einion]

I've gone through a few threads and found a couple of threads that suggested 600grit for sanding metal minis. I'm looking to smooth some plastics and was worried that what worked great for metal might be too harsh for plastic.

Valid concern but 600 is a fine-grit paper so no worries there.

You might actually want to go up to coarser grit if you're looking to take off a fair bit of material but mostly I scrape and cut off mould lines etc. using a craft knife, then smooth off with a file and/or paper.

Hmm I may have a set of files lying around I was using for another project. Maybe I'll give those a whirl first

Well at least try 'em! Files vary a lot so yours might work well or they might not; they're pretty sure to cut the plastic adequately, but they may leave more file marks than you'd like - only way to know is to see the results firsthand.

Einion

 

[Tee999]

I use 400+ up to 1200 grit wet dry sandpaper for working with plastic mini's and poly styrene sheets.
depending on how much material you need to remove. I would suggest starting with 600 or higher and go up.
If you find 600 is not coarse enough try down to 400.

Also I tend to peel off small squares or small strips when sanding. it makes it easy to hold and get at
what you want to remove.

Most places have a 5 or 10 sheet mixed set of wet dry sandpaper
Example.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_291910-1069-4447_0_?productId=1081829&Ntt=sand%20paper&Ntk=i_products&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntk=i_products$rpp=15$No=105$Ntt=sand%20paper$identifier=

places like Lowes, Homedepote, Acehardware, and walmart tend to carry them.

 

[Chrome]

I use two kinds of sand paper along with my precision files (because sometimes files just can't get that smooth surface you need for the simple reason of them filing a too small area)

I use 240 grain for the heavy duty work and 500 wet and dry for the rest. Remember to not throw the wet and dry paper when it's starting to wear out, it's perfect for polishing the plastics afterwards. You really don't need finer paper than 500, when you use it wet it'll still get a much finer result than what was on the mini in the first place.

 

[Einion]

Remember to not throw the wet and dry paper when it's starting to wear out, it's perfect for polishing the plastics afterwards.

Good tip that - worn paper isn't quite what it was but it's better for some things.

You really don't need finer paper than 500, when you use it wet it'll still get a much finer result than what was on the mini in the first place.

I'll have to check to make sure but I think your paper must be different to mine; I'm pretty sure I need to go finer to get a surface equivalent to or better than the original cast finish.

Einion

 

[VendettaUF]

Thank you for all the valuable information. Sorry if I've been asking a lot of questions lately.

 

[ollieholmes]

Im sure i spek for others in saying the only stupid question youask is the one you dont ask.

 

[Chrome]

.../
I'll have to check to make sure but I think your paper must be different to mine; I'm pretty sure I need to go finer to get a surface equivalent to or better than the original cast finish.

Einion

Now that would be very interesting indeed! The paper I'm using is A-weight Silicon-Carbide P500. If the result is different between different kinds of paper with the same grit then that is definitely something to take into account...

Im sure i spek for others in saying the only stupid question youask is the one you dont ask.

This is very true.

 

[Wicksy]

I'm fortunate in that i worked for 3M for a while and got fine grades of abrasives by the roll. Trouvle is it doesnt technically exist.....but i have some 30um grit paper. which works brilliantly for minis. I also have some 7um stuff used as an automotive polisher. That stuff is pucker. Any good fine grade stuff will do it. No such thing really as too fine, just work down to it from a relatively coarser grit.

 

[matt15595]

Best thing to do would be to practice taking the writing off the actual sprues and see what works best for that (e.g for GW products it says something like 'GW 2003' on the sprues. Then you can see the results without ruining any models!