What panel to buy to practice rotary on?

[twopu]

I need to pick up a panel to practice my rotary techniques. I was thinking it would be great to also use it to show customers before and after work. It would be great having a Corvette hood hanging but then I realized how expensive/large it could be. What panel do you suggest getting to practice on and how much should I expect to pay?

 

[dternst]

Any panel would be good for practice. I've usually purchase black, blue, or green trunk lids and hoods. You can go by a body shop and ask if they have any hoods or trunk lids in good enough shape to use for practice. Sometimes, they will give you the hood or trunk lid. Reason being... it saves them time from having to run to the junk yard to dispose of it themselves.



The panels I've had to purchase usually run $100 (give or take).

 

[Big Leegr]

For practicing, I'd also go with a hood or trunk lid. Lots of surface area and mostly flat (no intricate curves etc.). Try to get one that has a ridge in the middle, that way you can see how easily the paint can be buffed off of edges, while still allowing you enough area to practice buffing edges without burning through.

Also, dark colors will let you see the results more readily than, say, white would.

 

[Accumulator]

Yeah, stick with dark colors (better to see holograms too) and get one flat horizontal panel and another that's not so flat and is vertical. That way you can practice both the basic and the complicated aspects of doing an actual vehicle. You'll quickly get the hang of doing hoods and trunklids, but doing the sides of a curvy fender properly will take a little more work.

 

[twopu]

Any thoughts on a cool looking hood or trunk that I can display after I'm done playing? How much?

 

[Accumulator]

Heh heh, for a cool hood, I'd get one with some kind of hood scoop/cold air intake. No idea what it'd cost though.