How to Remove Scratches From a Model Canopy

Mask out the canopy frame that has already been painted with a suitable masking take or magic tape cut out on the ridge line of the frame. If the canopy has yet to be painted, proceed to Step 2.

Rub the canopy using wet 800 grit sandpaper in a circular motion, making sure not to rub off the frame's ridge line. You want to even out the surface where the scratches are but depending on the scratch area, you may need to do this across the entire canopy surface to achieve a consistent finish. Depending on the severity of the scratch, you can do the sanding for about two minutes or until you can no longer isolate the scratch from the rest of the sanded canopy.

Start the shining process using a higher 1000 grit sandpaper, also wet, to bring the sanded area to finer consistency. Follow this with another round of finer sanding using 1200 to higher sandpaper, also wet. You can do each round for just under 2 minutes.

Polish the canopy using a metal polish to remove microscopic scratches left by the sanding process. If the canopy is still cloudy, use a car wax to make a finer polish. You can do this for a few minutes, repeatedly applying the wax until you get the polish you want.

Dip the canopy in a small dish or bowl of liquid acrylic floor varnish as a final step to further clarify the canopy. Use a pair of tweezers to grasp the canopy where it will be painted or on the masked frame. After dipping and while still holding it with the tweezers, run a small brush under the canopy edge to soak up the excess acrylic floor varnish. While the clear varnish generally dries in less than an hour, leave it untouched for a day or two before handling and attaching the canopy to its place in the model. Be sure it dries in a clean place to prevent small particles from settling into the clear varnish coat.