Removing scratches and seam lines from canopies

Tools 'n' Tips Article by Steve Bamford

 

Canopy from 1/48 Academy Su-27

 

Special thanks to Jeff Dick for showing me the stuff needed for this technique.

Like most modellers.....I have a respect....no....a FEAR!!! of canopies.  If it's scratched or scuffed......all is lost.  Recently, I've been buying kits with seams down the centre of the canopies.  This is due to the complicated nature of the shape of the canopies.  The seams obviously have to be removed...but how?  After storing these particular kits to avoid this problem, I figured it was time to ratchet up the learning curve a bit and face this head on.

Other modellers have said this is easy to fix......but then again what is easy for them could be freaky for me....I don't count myself as naturally gifted at this hobby.  

Fortunately, I'm working on a kit with my two preschoolers that has a very junky canopy, so experimenting on it was no problem as the end result could be no worse than the crappy canopy that came with this other wise nice little 1/72 Floatplane Cessna from Arii.

 

This is the forward canopy for the 1/72 Arii Cessna floatplane I'm building with my kids.  Considering it's horrible state right out of the box....I had no fears of making it any worse from experimenting.  this canopy was so bad I took a modelling file to it...then 400-grit sandpaper and then 600-grit before I started the process described below with the 1/48 Academy Su-27 canopy.  I ended up cracking this Arii canopy slightly.

What is needed.....

Above is a new product from Flexi-File directed at canopy repair.  It's a sanding stick very much like the ones found in cosmetic departments...but this sanding stick is designed for canopies and is VERY fine grit.  On one side there is a course grit (dark grey in picture above) and a medium grit (white in the picture above).  On the other side is the fine grit.......actually no grit to speak of....more like a very very very fine polishing grit. Price CDN$5.99 or US$4

To the right is a Plastic Polish from Bare-Metal.  This liquid is very straight forward.  I put some on a clean dry Kleenex and buffed the canopy.  This product has the same sort of smell as Brasso (brass polish) and some chrome polishes I've used.  So if you can't get this product where you live, you could experiment with some of the polishes for chrome or brass, but I'm only making an educated guess from the smell of this product.  Price CDN$4.99 or US$3

 

Addresses....
Bare-Metal Foil Company

PO Box 82

Farmington Hills, MI 48024

USA

 

Flex-I-File

c/o Creations Unlimited Products

Dept. P

Grand Rapids, MI 49525

USA

 

Here's the 1/48 Academy SU-27 canopy right out of the box......big intimidating seam down the centre of the canopy.  There is raised canopy frames that should be masked with masking tape or possibly scotch tape to protect them from the "sanding" process.  Also, the inside of weaker canopies should be filled with "Plaster of Paris", let to dry to add strength and prevent the canopy from cracking during the sanding process. 
This particular canopy is very strong, so I just went ahead with the sanding process without any "Plaster of Paris" inside of it.  After the course grit was used the canopy seam is removed and the canopy is foggy where it was sanded, but not really scratched.  So the course grit is not too course.....just course enough to do the job properly and quickly.  This stage only took a five or so minutes.
Now it is time to "sand" with the medium grit.  The canopy is almost perfectly see-through after I finish with the medium grit.  This job is going very quickly....and easily. 
Now it is time for the buffing with the ultra fine side of the "sanding stick".  This again went very quickly and brought the canopy almost to it's original clear state.  The canopy is about 97 to 99% perfect.....but there are still fine flaws to be seen if I hold the canopy up to the ceiling light.  This stage only took a few minutes. 

 

Two pictures of the canopy after using the Flexi-File sanding stick......I have yet to try the Bare-Metal Plastic Polish.

 

For the Bare-Metal Plastic Polish.....I simply put some on liberally a dry Kleenex and buffed.  I repeated this process 3 or 4 times.  In the end the canopy was as nice as it was originally....except there was no more seam line.  At this point you could dip the canopy in Future for better protection and shine or just use the canopy as is.  See R.J.Tucker's "Future" article in the Tools N Tips section here on ARC.

 

Before and after (before final polishing)....the effect is quite good.  I was not doing the whole canopy....just part of the canopy for this article.  
Before After

Final note: Some canopies crack doing this process, so fill the inside with sculpting  clay or maybe play doh to add a bit of added strenght.  The sculpting  clay or play doh can be removed by putting the canopy in water when you are done.  I did slightly crack the canopy on the 1/72 Arii Cessna Float Plane I was experimenting on, because I didn't fill the back of the canopy for support.

Disclaimer:  If you ruin your canopy....don't expect me to replace it.  :-)  Work very slowly and experiment on old canopies from junk kits or buy a cheap kit to experiment on.  Use caution and go slow and you'll be very pleased with how easy this process is.  Also....when I sanded the canopy I held it in one hand and sanded with the other hand.....this is not shown in the pictures due to the fact I only have two hands and can't take the picture with one hand while sanding with the "other" two hands.  So don't take the above photos 100% as they appear.   

If you'd like to use this article in a monthly club newsletter etc....all I ask is you e-mail me for permission and mention ARC's URL in the article and give me credit..

Steve Bamford

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford