Dremel for Polishing

[StevenGuthmiller]

Anybody use a variable speed Dremel for polishing bodies? Steve

[W-409]

I tried it once on a spare trunk lid and it worked. The paint job turned out smooth and shiny, but with a Dremel it's really easy to polish through the paint. And when polishing larger areas, like a roof on a model car it might be hard to get a smooth and even finish.

Edit: I want to add this: Personally I would not try this on a nicely painted model car body... It is so easy to go wrong with it.

Edited January 3, 2015 by W-409

[Ace-Garageguy]

... with a Dremel it's really easy to polish through the paint. And when polishing larger areas, like a roof on a model car it might be hard to get a smooth and even finish.

It's also very easy to burn the paint (and instantly dig through several layers, right down to the plastic) depending on the exact speed of your unit, the shape of your particular buff, the material it's made of, and what compound you're using.

Practice first. One tiny slip or moment of inattention can ruin a beautiful paint job.

[Snake45]

I wouldn't even think of doing it.

[JohnU]

Don't want to step on any expert toes here, but there's a polishing tutoral in Tips and Tricks using a string polishing mop for a Dremel. I found the mops on Amazon and just tried it on some well cured enamal. At the slowest speed using Novus polish it worked great! I worked slow with a fairly light hand and kept moving. It didn't burn through. Definitly tape off the chuck once the mop is mounted to prevent nicking the paint! Also, be careful arround roof pillars and window vents. The mop wants to grab as it spins and pull arround these small features.

[Snake45]

Any paint that's rough or orange-peely enough to make this idea attractive, I'd rather knock it down to flat and smooth with #1000-#2000 Wetordry sandpaper, wet, and then take the hand-polish from there.

But that's just me.

[bobthehobbyguy]

I'd say its courting disaster. If you could get an oribital action then it would make sense. You also run the risk on burning through any edges. If you are doing it to save time you have to acept the possibility of ruining the paint and having to redo it. It would be better to put the effort into getting smooth glassy finishes that don't need to have a lot of poloishing.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Don't want to step on any expert toes here, but there's a polishing tutoral in Tips and Tricks using a string polishing mop for a Dremel.

Don't worry about toe-stepping. Nobody here got to be good at what they do by ignoring techniques other people have developed. It's ALWAYS good to be shown something new, or pointed in a helpful direction.

[GeeBee]

I used to use my Minicraft variable speed drill and cotton polishing mops to polish out my models, but these days I use fine flatting papers and different grades of polishes and do it all by hand, it takes a little longer, but does get a better finish.

This was the last model I used the Minicraft drill and polishing mops on ....

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks guys. I was just curious more than anything. I've been using "Micro-Mesh" polishing pads for quite a while & occasionally have a bit of an issue with getting out fine scratches after polishing with them. They're not too hard to remove, but it does require some elbow grease & I thought if anybody had good luck with doing a light final polish with the Dremel, I might give it a shot. I am a little nervous about it as there are a lot of things that could go wrong so I'll probably just stick to the old elbows! Steve

[GeeBee]

If your still getting fine scratch marks in the paint after using the flatting papers, you need to carry on with finer grades until they have gone, I've just bought myself some 8000 and 12000 grades, and they have made a great difference in the polishing process

[Pete J.]

Walk in the park Kazanski! Do it all the time. Here are the rules

1. Be sure you get enough paint on to polish. Thin spots will show up more quickly than when you are doing it by hand.

2. Tape off the edges and do them by hand after you have done the large areas.

3. Same thing with raised detail like scripts and door handles.

4. Get variable speed battery powered tool. Too much power can be a problem.

5. Pay attention to the rotation of the tool near edges. I have had them grab an edge and scrape up the paint with the chuck.

6. Use plenty of water to keep things cool.

7. Use the cotton polishing wheel and fluff it up with the point of an Xacto blade.

8. A light touch it best.

9. Practice, practice, practice!

[JohnU]

Should have mentioned that I do knock down the orange peal with varying grades of paper first. The mop polishing comes in for the liquid polish. For me it seems to work better at getting into the tight hard to reach spots I struggled with using a rag. Again, what I use for polishing is a string mop with 1/8 dia. shaft to fit my dremel not cloth. Check the tutorial in tips and tricks someone posted a link to Amazon showing exactly what I'm referring to.

Edited January 3, 2015 by JohnU

[StevenGuthmiller]

If your still getting fine scratch marks in the paint after using the flatting papers, you need to carry on with finer grades until they have gone, I've just bought myself some 8000 and 12000 grades, and they have made a great difference in the polishing process

I use pads usually starting at about 3200 to sand away any orange peel & then working my way up to 12000. The problem seems to be the heavier grits. Sometimes I'm missing deeper scratches from the 3200 grit that are not really noticeable until I've gotten through the finer grits. Not wanting to go all the way back through the process, I'm usually able to get them out using liquid polish. But it requires a little rubbing. That's why I thought a little polish on a polishing wheel for the Dremel @ 10,000 RPM, (5,000 is too slow) might save me some work. Steve

[Guest]

I use pads usually starting at about 3200 to sand away any orange peel & then working my way up to 12000. The problem seems to be the heavier grits. Sometimes I'm missing deeper scratches from the 3200 grit that are not really noticeable until I've gotten through the finer grits. Not wanting to go all the way back through the process, I'm usually able to get them out using liquid polish. But it requires a little rubbing. That's why I thought a little polish on a polishing wheel for the Dremel @ 10,000 RPM, (5,000 is too slow) might save me some work. Steve

I used to have the same problems. I start with 6000 grit now. I have to sand longer with the 6000 grit. But, it's no more time than starting with 3200, then 3600 and then 4000.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I used to have the same problems. I start with 6000 grit now. I have to sand longer with the 6000 grit. But, it's no more time than starting with 3200, then 3600 and then 4000.

I start with the finest grit possible Roger. That usually is the 3200 depending on how much orange peel or other imperfections I need to remove. I know some guys are okay with a little bit of orange peel but it drives me crazy! I have to get it down as smooth as I can before I shine it up. That might be part of the problem. Steve

[Guest]

I start with the finest grit possible Roger. That usually is the 3200 depending on how much orange peel or other imperfections I need to remove. I know some guys are okay with a little bit of orange peel but it drives me crazy! I have to get it down as smooth as I can before I shine it up. That might be part of the problem. Steve

So do I. That's why I start with 6000 and sand until all of the orange peel is gone. Then go to 8000 and finish with 12000. It saves me from having to try to rub out the 3200 scratches. It also saves me from burning through the paint.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I hear ya. I just don't have the patience for the 6000 to start. That's pretty fine. Especially now that I'm using the Duplicolor clear. The Duplicolor seems to be a lot harder than the Testors clears. It takes long enough as is to grind it smooth with the 3200. With 5 coats of color & another 4 or 5 of clear, I don't worry too much about burning through the paint. Although it can still happen. Steve

[Snake45]

I know some guys are okay with a little bit of orange peel but it drives me crazy!

If I'm going for an original factory paint job, I deliberately leave a little orange peel. Real cars had/have it. Very difficult to achieve it in scale but I try for it sometimes.

[StevenGuthmiller]

If I'm going for an original factory paint job, I deliberately leave a little orange peel. Real cars had/have it. Very difficult to achieve it in scale but I try for it sometimes.

Yup, I know some like it that way. Just call it a "bugaboo" of mine. I just can't do it! Steve