Dry Paper #180 O9B

Mineshima Dry Paper, grit 180

Abrasive paper from the Japanese brand Mineshima intended for dry sanding. A grit of 180 lies at the coarser end of the modeling scale, which makes it a paper for the first stage of the work, not for the final finishing of the surface. You will use it where material has to be taken off quickly and a surface leveled.

When to reach for it. Typically for sprue nubs left after a part is nipped off, for mold parting lines and flash, for leveling dried filler and for roughening a smooth surface before gluing. Just before painting, on the other hand, a coarse grit has no place, as it leaves scratches that will show through the coat.

How to work with it

• Do not push. The grit should do the work, not the force of your hand. With pressure you are more likely to smear the plastic and heat the surface.
• Knock the paper out regularly. Clogged abrasive stops cutting and starts to polish and smear the surface.
• On flat surfaces put a flat block or a small board behind the paper. Sanding with your fingers easily rounds what is meant to stay flat.
• Sand with feel at edges and rivets; this is exactly where detail is worn through fastest.
• After coarse sanding, move on to finer grits and only then dust off the surface, degrease it and spray the primer.

Dry sanding. The line is intended for dry work, so do not count on soaking it in water. Dry sanding means more dust, so work over an extracted surface or at least over a damp cloth and do not inhale the dust. With resin parts, respiratory protection is always in order.

Who it is for

For modelers who want a coarser grit at hand at the start of the work and then a smooth transition to finer ones. Finer grades are also available in the Mineshima line, so you can put together a step-by-step sanding sequence as needed.

The dimensions of the sheet, the number of pieces in the package and the backing material are stated on the box.