Polishing Polycarbonate
Joe Hovel
Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
Hell the stuff marks easily.....
I've just completed a new canopy and just handling it (on and off and on and
off to mark, cut, mark cut.... in the process of making and fitting it) left
me with quite a few marks in an otherwise brand new lid.....
--
Joe Hovel
===========================
http://www.hitech.net.au/jhovel/
Nigel Field
Joe Hovel wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
> scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
> Hell the stuff marks easily.....
Joe, Had pretty good luck with metal polish sold here under brand name
"Brasso". Its a very fine abrasive suspended in a liquid. Rub out the
scuff with the Brasso on a clean soft cloth then buff with a good car
wax, works on paint also.
Nigel Field
nightjar
Nigel Field <Nigel...@pwgsc.gc.ca> wrote in article
<34DF92...@pwgsc.gc.ca>...
> Joe Hovel wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
> > scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
> > Hell the stuff marks easily.....
>
> Joe, Had pretty good luck with metal polish sold here under brand name
> "Brasso". ....
Polishes for brass are comparatively coarse abrasives. I would not use them
on any plastic I want to look through. There is a strong risk of adding
more, if finer, scratches to a soft plastic and creating halo effects. The
real answer when handling polycarbonate is to leave the protective adhesive
plastic on both sides until the very last moment. Obviously it is too late
for that in this case.
I would first look to plastics supply companies to find out if they offer
polishing materials specifically for this job. Failing that I would not
consider using anything coarser than jeweler's rouge, plus LOTS of elbow
grease. Even then, do not polish any larger area than you need to.
Colin Bignell
dan
Maguires auto products sells a plastics polish. It is used for plastic
convertible windows. You might also want to check a tropical fish store.
Many of the new aquariums are made of acrylic and they probably sell a
scratch remover and polish.
Dan
nightjar wrote in message <01bd35ad$06107c80$7d83f2c2@default>...
John Robinson
>Joe Hovel wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
>> scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
>> Hell the stuff marks easily.....
lexan windshield of my racecar. I've had deep scratches on it, and
they will polish out, it just takes time and following the
directions.The directions are OK, however, I would recommend spraying
a little water on the plastic, in addition to applying the paste,
that'll make the abrasive last longer, and it seems to work better.
The kit comes with velcro pads for use on a variable speed drill, and
four different grades of polish.
Nigel Field
nightjar wrote:
>
>
> Polishes for brass are comparatively coarse abrasives. I would not use them
> on any plastic I want to look through. There is a strong risk of adding
> more, if finer, scratches to a soft plastic and creating halo effects.
He wants to take out scuff marks fer gods sake. You need to remove
some material to do that fer cryin out loud. As I said you finish it
with car wax, Turtle wax to be specific, to remove the slight haze
left by the brasso. Been doing it fer many years dad burn it. Can see
fine through my polycarbonate canopy thank you.
> The real answer when handling polycarbonate is to leave the protective adhesive
> plastic on both sides until the very last moment. Obviously it is too late
> for that in this case.
RTFQ. It is scuffed already.
>
> I would first look to plastics supply companies to find out if they offer
> polishing materials specifically for this job. Failing that I would not
> consider using anything coarser than jeweler's rouge, plus LOTS of elbow
> grease.
Use the brasso first and save yourself lots of work, then buff it with
car wax, shesus. Try it, you'll like it, said the bishop to the actress.
Nigel Field
nightjar
Nigel Field <Nigel...@pwgsc.gc.ca> wrote in article
>
> He wants to take out scuff marks fer gods sake. You need to remove
> some material to do that fer cryin out loud.
You can remove material in two ways. With hard materials you can take off
lots of material fast with something coarse and use progressively finer
materials to finish off. On soft materials the only sure way is to start
off fine and work at it for a very long time. One company I know makes
safety glasses from polycarbonate. It takes them several days of continuous
polishing using crushed walnut shells to achieve an optical quality finish.
If there was a quicker way they would much prefer to use it. When I make
1/4" diameter stainless steel mirrors for use in laser surgery I can start
off with a relatively coarse 400 grit abrasive and work down.
> As I said you finish it
> with car wax, Turtle wax to be specific, to remove the slight haze
> left by the brasso. Been doing it fer many years dad burn it. Can see
> fine through my polycarbonate canopy thank you.
We may have different standards for what constitutes acceptable visibility.
I don't use car waxes on my car because I want to avoid getting them onto
the windscreen. I suspect that it may be impossible to get a plastic screen
to the point where it is invisible when you look through it but I try to
achieve it on the glass in my car.
>
> > The real answer when handling polycarbonate is to leave the protective
adhesive
> > plastic on both sides until the very last moment. Obviously it is too
late
> > for that in this case.
>
> RTFQ. It is scuffed already.
However there may be others out there who might want to avoid the same
problem.
> Use the brasso first and save yourself lots of work, then buff it with
> car wax, shesus. Try it, you'll like it, said the bishop to the actress.
Try it on an offcut first to see if you are willing to accept the result
you get.
Colin Bignell
Bruce A. Frank
There are polishing kits available from most of the catalog parts
suppliers-even Sporty's has solt them. They are progressive sand papers
and grits which will take the surface back to the original look. They
are not fast. You might want to wax the Lexan for a little protection
afterwards.
--
Bruce A. Frank, Editor "Ford 3.8L Engine and V-6 STOL
BAF...@worldnet.att.net Homebuilt Aircraft Newsletter"
| Publishing interesting material|
| on all aspects of alternative |
| engines and homebuilt aircraft.|
*------------------------------**----*
\(-o-)/ AIRCRAFT PROJECTS CO.
\___/ Manufacturing parts & pieces
/ \ for homebuilt aircraft,
0 0 TIG welding
While trying to find the time to finish mine.
Joe Hovel
Thank you very much everyone for all the options of polishing out the
blemishes in my canopy!
I have a fair few cut-offs to try them all! Someone else suggested recently
to use a CD repair kit (for removing scratches from CDs and CD ROMs) - and I
will try that as well.
There is also a very fine polish called "Silvo" - finer thatn "Brasso", same
company - which I also have and will try.
The protective cover on this particular brand of poly was totally opaque -
which is why I had to remove it to make this canopy (I needed to see through
it to mark where to cut it....).
The next one - when I have top replace it - will be dead easy to copy from
this one and protect until use.
I'll post the results of my test pieces when available.
All the best,
Joe
Paul Westcott
>There are polishing kits available from most of the catalog parts
>suppliers-even Sporty's has solt them. They are progressive sand papers
>and grits which will take the surface back to the original look. They
>are not fast. You might want to wax the Lexan for a little protection
>afterwards.
The Micromesh polishing system supplied by Sporty's, Aircraft Spruce,
etc., recommends not using it on Lexan or poly carbonate. They say
the surface is too soft for satisfactory results. I tried it on a
door of my Avid Flyer and wasn't satisfied. I haven't found anything
yet that works well on Lexan.
Paul Westcott
Avid N87PW
Larry Gadbois
You might try a mixture of a new car autowax and a small quantity of jeweler's
rouge (plus a generous quantity of elbow grease!)
Good luck...
Joe Hovel wrote:
> Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
> scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
> Hell the stuff marks easily.....
Randy Van Voorst
I talked to a skylight manufacturer who builds both plexiglass and Lexan
skylights. He admits that it is tough to "clean up" Lexan. He also
suggested car wax. If that does not work, he suggested toothpaist mixed
with water. Be careful though! If you rub too hard or too fast, it could
make it worse. If you use a buffer, be careful not to generate too much
heat.
Good luck.
Randy
>
> Joe Hovel wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have any suggestions for polishing minor scratches and
> > scuffmarks out of a polycarbonate (NOT Plexiglass) canopy?
>
Ted Edwards
I have polished motorcycle face shields (polycarbonate) in three steps:
1) Crest toothpaste (it has some abrasive)
2) Mirror Glaze brand cleaner
3) Mirror Glaze brand polish
I'm not sure of the order of the last two but you can tell pretty quick
when you get them
Ted