How to Wet Sand Your Model Tank

Have you ever sat down to paint one of your modelYou will next need a sanding block for your paper. This
tanks just to have a lump of paint fall in just the wrongis a tool that will help you to hold the paper against the
spot? This can happen when painting by hand or evenarea to be sanded. It can be most anything that you
when airbrushing. If all the paint is not cleaned fromcan wrap the sanding paper around that will keep its
your equipment and the new paint properly mixed itshape when you add a bit of pressure. For wet
can come back to bite you. Now that it has happened,sanding purposes a small piece of semi-firm sponge
what can you do? Do you just paint over it? The bestwould be ideal. It can help hold just enough water to
answer to that question is to wet sand the part.keep the paper moist.
If you were to sand your model with dry paint you canThe sandpaper you will need to use should be
run the chance of ruining your model tank. By wetbetween 400 and 1000 grit wet sand paper. It should
sanding you can better control the removal process byalso be a mesh or cloth backed paper so that it
slowing down the amount of heat created by thedoesn't fall apart during the sanding process. Once you
friction. This will help you prevent the need for a majorare ready to begin sanding you should use a small
fix. By dry sanding alone you could possibly even havespray bottle to mist water onto the model from time to
to replace the model itself due to damage.time.
Before you can begin the wet sanding process youStart by rubbing slowly in a circle on the part you are
must first prepare the model. Using a damp cloth, wetremoving the paint from. You should work toward
the model in the area to be sanded. If you wish youaccuracy rather than worrying about speed. Keep
can use a bit of soap but it is not a necessary step.adding a bit of water as you sand to help keep debris
One thing you will not want to do is to submerge yourfrom accumulating. Soon you will find your model tank
tank. You could have to wait several days to dry out ifspot free and ready to begin again.
you do.