Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

I asked once before about how to scrub some of the shine off a flex-n-flat painted surface that had not come out flat, and some of you guys mentioned using 000 steel wool.

Now that I have finally gotten around to being ready to actually do something about this, I have another question : do you guys use it dry, or use it with water / soapy-water, or rubbing compound, or wot ?

Thanks,
Gordon

kirkj

My Feedback: (61)

i use 4/0 (0000) dry. then a coat of paste wax after that to bring it back a little, and seal everything. works great.

ianober

My Feedback: (12)

I used 000 dry to remove enamel paint from the panel lines when I am painting them. I do believe there is a flattening agent you can add to 2060 though Gordo to make it dead flat. I may actually have some.

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks guys - I'll try it dry and see how that comes out.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Is this for the SEPECAT?

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Unfortunately, no ... I've been too busy with work etc to do anything on the Jag since about May. Hopefully over my 'forced week off' over Xmas -> New Year I can start on the Jag again.

This is just for the Hunter. When I originally did the clearcoat, I got serious fish-eye over one of the big roundels on the wing (guess I didn't clean it enough). I sanded through the mess, put a new roundel on, and squirted the flex-n-flat again on that wing. For whatever reason, this second layer came out shiny. (One or two other guys reported the same issue when you lay flat over itself - dunno why). So, the Hunter has been flying with one dull wing and one shiny one.

As a first step back into my garage I figured I'd sort the Hunter out for next year's flying season. I put in the reworked retracts that Sean Reitmeyer did for me (works great - thanks Sean !), flushed the tanks and replaced loads of fuel tubing, did some general tidy-up, and then figured it was at long last time to try to make both wings appear similarly dull.

I've found that the steel wool does a nice job in some areas ; in other areas where I have a little orange-peel (did I mention I'm a lousy painter ?) it just exaggerates the orange peel by dulling the high spots and leaving the low spots glossy. In those areas I've experimented with some cutting compound on the steel wool to kind of 'fill the voids' with something abrasive. Won't win me any top-gun awards, but that's fine.

Gordon

mselby

My Feedback: (1)

On orange peel you may be better off with 1000 grit wet sanding. With the steel wool try staying with 0000 and go easy when you rub. The scratch pattern on 000 can catch you by surprise. Depending on paint steel wool does not always produce the dulling effect you might want, it can actually create a semi gloss shine. One other trick is to steel wool and then work in some ground up medium gray pastel, this can be rubbed in with a tissue. It would have to be sealed with a very light overspray of clear coat.
Mike

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

I use a scotch brit pad, Red, On an F=15 I built for a guy that came out too shiney, worked great. Diddn't remove any paint like Steel wool would. Just dulled the finish.

flyexperimental

I would use a white scotch brite with surface prep (mild detergent with a small amount of abrasive available at auto paint supply) If still too shiny go to a grey scoth brite.Red scotch brite is about 320 grit,pretty rough by my standards.White scotch brite is the most mild of the three.This is done wet.
Joe

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks for all the info guys. I will see what the currently reworked surface looks like in sunlight, and maybe try a Scotchbright if I am not yet happy with the results.