[Cardinal]

I'm reasonably competent at making minor repairs to 'damaged' diecast although have been prone to some spectacular disasters ... That said, I must share a simple technique that is widely known in the modeling community (and to some extent on this forum) regarding canopies and how to get them 'shiny bright' and 'crystal clear'.

Some time ago I received a 1/72 GA Bf109 (Galland) that was well made apart from a canopy that was 'murky/scratched' on one side - this was a source of some irritation until I tried the 'floor polish' technique.

Firstly, after carefully removing the canopy, I gently used a cotton bud with toothpaste to lightly polish the affected area. I then rinsed the canopy and let it dry, noticing that the toothpaste had not helped that much although there was some improvement. When dry, I dipped the entire canopy into Johnson Klear (Future) floor polish, removed it and let it dry. All I can say is that the results were akin to magic - the canopy is clear and literally 'dazzles' when compared to other aircraft on display . Truly a simple technique that has superb results (use at your own risk though .)

[Epapazian]

I recently did approximately the same thing with the canopy of an IXO BF-109K. In this case, however, I had to gently sand off some incorrect frames before applying Future Floor Polish. As you so aptly noted, it works wonders.

[dilligafocau]

Will pick up a can of this stuff during the week, the dining room floor needs a going-over anyways.

Thanks for the tip Cardinal

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by dilligafocau

Will pick up a can of this stuff during the week, the dining room floor needs a going-over anyways.

Thanks for the tip Cardinal

In Oz, I believe it's Johnson 'Klear' whereas in the US it's 'Future' (I think) - comes in a bottle (not can) and is translucent with a slight yellowish 'tint' ...

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

In Oz, I believe it's Johnson 'Klear' whereas in the US it's 'Future' (I think) - comes in a bottle (not can) and is translucent with a slight yellowish 'tint' ...

Future is correct for the US market.. This is what I use when modelbuilding and it is fantastic!!! It is also great for clear coating models prior to applying decals which helps get rid of the silvering and makes decals look more like tampo graphics..

[dilligafocau]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

In Oz, I believe it's Johnson 'Klear' whereas in the US it's 'Future' (I think) - comes in a bottle (not can) and is translucent with a slight yellowish 'tint' ...

What..what..what?? You mean to say its not an ozone depleting/dolphin netting/whale harpooning/harp seal clubbing....aerosol????

Okie doke, I will have to make-do with a bottle then

[Cruver Collecter]

I read about using Future floor wax on canopies quite a few years back when I was making doing a bit more model building. I never thought of using it for correcting a problem on the diecast models canopies. It makes for a pretty good diecast repairt tip.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

This technique is a new one on me . . . so to be clear (no pun intended) . . . how do you apply this to a diecast canopy? Apply gently with a Q-tip swab -- lightly with very little/no pressure?. Won't this stuff 'shine-up' the matte paint on the canopy rails -- or worse -- remove the paint? Do I have to remove the canopy?

I'm just asking, as during my modelling daysI used to use the toothpaste technique before painting with somewhat mild results.

JPN

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneNuttz

This technique is a new one on me . . . so to be clear (no pun intended) . . . how do you apply this to a diecast canopy? Apply gently with a Q-tip swab -- lightly with very little/no pressure?. Won't this stuff 'shine-up' the matte paint on the canopy rails -- or worse -- remove the paint? Do I have to remove the canopy?

I'm just asking, as during my modelling daysI used to use the toothpaste technique before painting with somewhat mild results.

JPN

I'm somewhat of a novice at this but, to the best of my knowledge, the best approach is to remove the canopy and dip the whole thing into a small container filled with Future/Klear polish. Take it out and allow to dry (don't touch).

(It will 'shine-up' the matte paint on the canopy rails/frame but it's really not noticeable.)

I suspect that you can also put it on with a brush if the canopy cannot be removed, but you would have to make certain that none gets on the actual model - unless you want it 'shiny'.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I'm somewhat of a novice at this but, to the best of my knowledge, the best approach is to remove the canopy and dip the whole thing into a small container filled with Future/Klear polish. Take it out and allow to dry (don't touch).

(It will 'shine-up' the matte paint on the canopy rails/frame but it's really not noticeable.)

I suspect that you can also put it on with a brush if the canopy cannot be removed, but you would have to make certain that none gets on the actual model - unless you want it 'shiny'.

Whenever I can, I remove the canopy and dip the whole thing into a container of Future. Later, when the canopy has dried, I match the paint on the frames and redo them in matt mode, using a fine liner. When the canopy is difficult to remove---which often happens on IXO models---I use a small headed, soft brush, under magnification, and apply Future only to the panes to the best of my ability. If there is a small spill over on a frame, I retouch it later using matt paint with the help of a steady hand and liner.