{"id":1524,"date":"2011-10-01T07:00:27","date_gmt":"2011-10-01T15:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rightonreplicas.com\/blog\/?page_id=1524"},"modified":"2011-10-01T11:47:00","modified_gmt":"2011-10-01T19:47:00","slug":"revell-monogram-micro-mesh%e2%84%a2-2x2-sanding-pad-assortment-rmxr-88-7047-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.rightonreplicas.com\/blog\/?page_id=1524","title":{"rendered":"Revell-Monogram Micro-Mesh\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 2×2 Sanding Pad Assortment RMXR #88-7047 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Twitt\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>

RoR ToolRevs 20111001* \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Revell Monogram Micro-Mesh\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 2×2 Sanding Pad Assortment RMXR #88-7047 Review<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0
\n\"Fig<\/a>
\nClick Here to Buy This Tool -><\/span> Micro-Mesh Pad 2×2 Variety Pack Asst (6)<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>Review and Photos by Stephen Wilder\u00c2\u00a0\"SRW\"<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Tools and finishing accessories are now a part of the Revell Monogram lineup.\u00c2\u00a0 I decided to give their sanding pad assortment a try on a recent build.\u00c2\u00a0 This review gives a walk-through of how these little square pads can improve the finish on your next project.<\/p>\n

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\"Fig<\/a>
\nThe familiar Revell Monogram combined logo has returned to the hobby as an integral part of the red-and-blue packaging of this tool line.\u00c2\u00a0 Figure 1 shows the 2×2 pads package alongside my trial subject, a Revell Ferrari 458 Italia.<\/p>\n

Obtaining a smooth, shiny finish can be a challenge.\u00c2\u00a0 Some paints will have a bit of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153orange peel\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a wrinkling of the surface \u00e2\u20ac\u201c no matter how hard I try to prevent it.\u00c2\u00a0 Trash and dust also have tendency to become attracted to wet, sticky paint.\u00c2\u00a0 Sanding and polishing the surface is a sure way to get a smooth, showroom-quality finish.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some preparation is required for the relatively harsh process of polishing.\u00c2\u00a0 I prefer to use automotive paints for this process \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they tend to harden faster than some hobby paints and seem to be more durable.\u00c2\u00a0 Another key is to lay down enough coats of clear so that the polishing process doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t burn through the clear coat, or worse, the color or primer coats.<\/p>\n

\"Fig<\/a>
\nRevell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s assortment starts with 1500 grit, and gets progressively finer with 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, and 4000 grit pads.\u00c2\u00a0 I began with the 1500 grit, sanding in a 90\u00c2\u00b0 criss-cross pattern, as shown in Figure 2.\u00c2\u00a0 After sanding, the blue finish is replaced with a dull gray.\u00c2\u00a0 The sanding isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t complete until this gray color is uniform, indicating that all dips and recesses in the finish have been leveled out.<\/p>\n

\"Fig<\/a>
\nFigure 3 shows the difference between the unsanded PlastiKote finish on the left and the sanded finish on the right.\u00c2\u00a0 Note how the finish is dull, but level after sanding.\u00c2\u00a0 After each grit, I rinsed off the sanding residue with a wet towel.\u00c2\u00a0 I then moved onto the next finer grit, working in the same criss-cross pattern.\u00c2\u00a0 This process was continued through all 6 grits, until the entire car was sanded down.<\/p>\n

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(Note:\u00c2\u00a0 I chose to dry sand my car, as I found it easier to monitor progress and prevent burn through.\u00c2\u00a0 These pads can be used for wet sanding as well.)<\/p>\n

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\"Fig<\/a>
\nAfter sanding, the car is still dull.\u00c2\u00a0 Restoring the shine requires polishing, which is where the benefits of the sanding process really show through.\u00c2\u00a0 I used Meguiar\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Ultimate Compound, followed by Meguiar\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Swirl X and their Ultimate Polish.\u00c2\u00a0 The results of this work are shown in Figure 5, where the sanded bonnet is shown on the left, with the polished, final finish on the right.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall, it took about four hours to sand and polish my Ferrari 458.\u00c2\u00a0 The process isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t complicated, and a car can be done in a few evenings while watching reruns on TV.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Fig<\/a>
\nFig 4<\/p>\n

I found these sanding pads very easy to work with.\u00c2\u00a0 I previously used 2000 grit sandpaper and had some issues with burn through and not keeping the finish level.\u00c2\u00a0 The foam inner core of these pads helped prevent both of those problems while still being flexible enough to conform to the compound curves of the Ferrari.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll definitely use these again on future projects! \u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

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*All Registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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