Question on Rectangle on Center Plate

clmayfield

Active Hunter
So I decided to cut myself a piece of aluminum to go on the armor center plate. I didn't like it as is, so I sanded and polished and sanded and polished... and I ended up with something that was mirror reflective. And I figured out that I had gone too far. Anybody out there do this and what grit finish was the right amount? I went pack and sanded with 5,000 grit, which is still a bit too shiny. I might have to go back to 1,500 or less...
 
So I decided to cut myself a piece of aluminum to go on the armor center plate. I didn't like it as is, so I sanded and polished and sanded and polished... and I ended up with something that was mirror reflective. And I figured out that I had gone too far. Anybody out there do this and what grit finish was the right amount? I went pack and sanded with 5,000 grit, which is still a bit too shiny. I might have to go back to 1,500 or less...

Hmmm, I just used a piece of plastic, painted with good old Humbrol #11...
 
I got a mirror finish... but it doesn't feel right. I think 150 grit would not be mirror at all. Even 5,000 is not mirror. It is kind of scratchy. I can see my reflection in it, but it isn't as pure mirror as when I used jeweler's rouge and then aluminum polish.

But I am a knife guy, so I am picky about what a scratch pattern should look like.

My point is that the original doesn't look like a mirror finish, but it is definitely reflective, isn't it?
 
I got a mirror finish... but it doesn't feel right. I think 150 grit would not be mirror at all. Even 5,000 is not mirror. It is kind of scratchy. I can see my reflection in it, but it isn't as pure mirror as when I used jeweler's rouge and then aluminum polish.

But I am a knife guy, so I am picky about what a scratch pattern should look like.

My point is that the original doesn't look like a mirror finish, but it is definitely reflective, isn't it?

This is the closest image I was able to find in the gallery, compare it to mine done with Humbrol #11

Boba-Fett-Costume-MoM-121601A-158.jpgdiamond.jpg

The original may not be painted silver, but I don't think it's reflective.
 
This is the closest image I was able to find in the gallery, compare it to mine done with Humbrol #11

View attachment 103847

looking at that image it definitely looks like something was glued on there at one point. I use a strip of thin aluminum sheet metal and in every picture that I take of the armor, it looks identical to the bright square in the middle of the diamond in ESB. it isn't reflective so much but is bright from almost every angle.
b64ecdfee9d63e648c85edc00a078a01.jpg



Sent from my R2 unit
 
Jeremy, there's a thread somewhere here where this was discussed. There is definitely a rectangle that was glued onto the original. It's been confirmed.
 
Jeremy, there's a thread somewhere here where this was discussed. There is definitely a rectangle that was glued onto the original. It's been confirmed.

i thought I remembered seeing something a while back. wasn't sure though if i didn't just make it up in my head. like the ESB collar studs being white. oh wait, they are. dammit!


Sent from my R2 unit
 
Just to give a sense... here is what I have now, which is 5000 grit. And you can clearly see my phone while taking the picture.

Centerplate%201%20v2_zpsgeafsvfl.jpg


And here is one with a more satiny finish. I believe this is 600 or 1,000 grit. I thought this was not shiny enough, but I think I ended up overdoing it. I also decided after doing this piece that it was too large.

Centerplate%202%20v2_zps3v6od6rl.jpg
 
I cut a rectangle from some silver reflective red/silver caution tape (for cars/trucks) and applied it. With some weathering it's not too bright but it does still reflect under the right lighting conditions, especially flash photography.
 
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