How to Finish Your Wooden Model Car

Do you love woodworking? Have you built woodenvarnished.
model cars and they look beautiful for a bit and thenYou will likewise want to make sure the model itself is
they begin to discolor? If so then you should considerclean and dust free. If you need to clean it before hand
adding a finish to your model car by applying varnish.a tack cloth is the recommended method. It will
While there are two main types of varnish here weremove any debris without leaving behind lint. Now that
will discuss one only. Traditional varnish can be slowyou are ready make sure to stir your varnish well.
drying, and extremely hard to clean up. Water basedOnce you do so then pour some of it into your
polyurethane varnish however is much easier todisposable container. Recap your varnish and set it
handle as it cleans up with water. It also drys veryaside. By using your other container you will make it
quickly. Varnish must be brushed in, allowed to dry, andeasier to prevent spills it will also help you to prevent
sanded down. It must be repeated so that you get acontaminating your original can of varnish with dust or
uniform coating to the part that on which the varnish isdebris.
being applied.When you begin to paint the water-based
Some things that you will need together before youpolyurethane varnish onto your model make sure that
begin are your water-based polyurethane varnish inyou are using very smooth and even strokes. You will
the shade that you want your model car to be, somealso want to follow the grain. By holding the brush as
sandpaper that is either 220 grit or finer (if you arevertical as possible you will be able to prevent some
unsure how to tell what the grit is just ask a salesuneven strokes. Another thing to keep in mind is that
associate to help you), a tack cloth to prevent spills, ayou should allow each coat of varnish to dry
synthetic bristle paintbrush that is easy to handle andthoroughly. You will know it is dry when it feels dry to
not too large or too small for the work you will bethe touch. Much of the drying time depends on the
doing, and a small disposable container.temperature and the relative humidity.
When you go to buy the varnish just keep in mind thatAfter you have left the first coat to dry you should
it, like paint, is available in a variety of finishes. Whetherthen sand the surface with your sandpaper and then
you choose flat, matte, satin, semi-gloss, or high-glossclean the model with a tack cloth once more to
will just depend on what your want your model to lookremove any additional sawdust that has built up after
like when it is finished. Flat has no shine to it at all andsanding. Keep repeating this process until you reach
does not fair extremely well over time, high-gloss,the look you are wanting. Once you do then let the
however, is very bright and and is a good deal tougher.piece set for one week for the varnish to cure. If you
You should make sure that you are going to bewill then rub your model car with "0000" steel wool and
painting your wooden model in an area that dust freeclean it with a tack cloth you will be able to apply a
and well ventilated. Dust will adhere to your model andpaste wax. This can give you the best looking wooden
show up quite clearly after the model has beenmodel car possible.