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General Modelling Forum => Tips, Tools, and Techniques => Topic started by: NARSES2 on June 22, 2014, 07:40:21 AM

Title: Advice re sanding please
Post by: NARSES2 on June 22, 2014, 07:40:21 AM
I've always been a person who learns practical things by seeing it being done in front of me and that is why I bemoan the lack of a local model club both when I was growing up and now. There are probably many ways in which I could improve my techniques simply by having the various ways of doing things shown to me. Please note that I tend to have to be shown a couple of times as I've always been a theoretical rather then a practical person which is strange when you look at some of the craftsman in the family tree, but I do get there in the end.

Anyway enough meandering my question is this - When sanding a seam is it best to sand along the length of the seam or across the seam, or indeed does it matter at all ?

Thanking you in advance

Chris
Title: Re: Advice re sanding please
Post by: TallEng on June 22, 2014, 07:56:29 AM
Not necessarily best practice.... But
I mostly sand across the seam, where possible.
My favorite tool for that at the moment are the
Nail files that you can buy in chemists for doing
Ladies (I presume  ;D) finger nails. Normally one side
Is rough the other smoother with a kind of spongy layer
In the middle. And to finish off a nail buffer which brings
Up a nice shiny smooth finish.
Of course fingers and torn off bits of Wet and dry for those
"Difficult to reach" places.

Regards
Keith
Title: Re: Advice re sanding please
Post by: Hobbes on June 22, 2014, 09:42:32 AM
If I want to level a seam, I usually sand across the seam, because it's quicker (takes off more material in each pass). When I'm preparing the surface for painting, I switch angles a lot in order to remove scratches/prevent new ones from forming.
Title: Re: Advice re sanding please
Post by: PR19_Kit on June 22, 2014, 02:11:45 PM
I too go with the majority to start off, sanding across the seam does the majoity of the material removal. But then I find going along the seam afterward smooths things off a lot better.

I use the foam sanding blocks from my local DIY place (3 for 50p at the last count  :thumbsup:) and they come in various, but unquoted,  grit sizes. Nowadays I tend to use 320 grit to kick off, followed by 600 and then maybe 800, and I can tell which grit size is which just by looking these days of course.  ;D
Title: Re: Advice re sanding please
Post by: Gondor on June 22, 2014, 02:19:33 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 22, 2014, 02:11:45 PM
I can tell which grit size is which just by looking these days of course.  ;D

Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that's from old age Kit, tell them it's experience!

Gondor
Title: Re: Advice re sanding please
Post by: NARSES2 on June 23, 2014, 07:10:59 AM
Cheers lads  :thumbsup:

Transverse sanding it is then. I can actually see the logic in that if I think about it