plexiglass

[lukester]

Hi everyone,this is my first post and I have been reading for some time hear and I just want to say I think this sight is AWESOME.I have 2 questions I was wondering if someone could help me with....1) what would you recommend after watersanding plexiglass with1500 microfine paper to bring the plexiglass back to its natural clarity.2) what would you recommend for a brand new black Crossfire that has those tiny surface scratches all over the hood,just want to give it the very best start I can.Thanks in advance and I will wait for your thoughts

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Plexiglas

Originally posted by lukester
Hi everyone,this is my first post and I have been reading for some time hear and I just want to say I think this sight is AWESOME.I have 2 questions I was wondering if someone could help me with....1) what would you recommend after watersanding Plexiglas with1500 microfine paper to bring the Plexiglas back to its natural clarity.2) what would you recommend for a brand new black Crossfire that has those tiny surface scratches all over the hood,just want to give it the very best start I can.Thanks in advance and I will wait for your thoughts

Hi lukester,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Hang on a second as I type something up...

I've buffed out a lot of Plexiglas in my life, Corvette back windows, A.C. Cobra wing windows, Classic Thunderbird wing windows, helicopter bubbles, auto instrument plastic gages, watch faces, boat windshields, motorcycle windshields, I was even asked to go up on the roof of a house and buff out the scratches in a skylight after some roofers scratched it up.


Mike

[Mike Phillips]

Buffing Plexiglas

Plexiglas is typically very forgiving and very easy to remove scratches out of using the wet-sanding process and the appropriate products and pads on a rotary buffer. There are two reasons Plexiglas is easy to work with,

• 1)Plexiglas is soft
  2) In most cases, Plexiglas objects are thick

All of the Plexiglas objects I've ever encountered have been relatively soft as compared to plastics like Lexan, and even many basecoat clear coat automotive finishes. This makes it easy to wet-sand, and easy to remove your sanding marks using a rotary buffer.

Most Plexiglas objects are thick at least when compared to other common things we remove defects out of such as automotive paints which are quite thin. This extra thickness provides plenty of material to work with without the fear of removing too much material. You do however have to be conscience of the fact that if you're working Plexiglas that is used for looking through, such as a windshield, if you remove too much material in one area you will create a visual blank, (Can't think of the word right now -Mike).


The procedures for working on Plexiglas will not work for Lexan or coated plastics as Lexan is to hard and often times coated. If you sand or buff coated plastics you will remove the coating and ruin the object.

After wet-sanding plastic, use the below products and pads to remove your sanding marks and restore gloss and clarity.

Medium-Cut Cleaner
M-03 Machine Glaze
Meguiar's W-8006 foam polishing pad




Remove sanding marks with the #1 Medium Cut Cleaner with a dedicated W-8000 or W-8006 foam polishing pad, then re-polish the area with #3 Machine Polish with a new, clean dedicated W-8000 or W-8006 foam polishing pad.

Afterwards, hand apply an application of Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Polish



You can actually do this by hand also using the above products and a piece of terry cloth towel.

Another option that can by hand applied is Meguiar's PlastX.



PlastX contains a microscopic diminishing abrasive that will easily remove #1500 grit sanding marks out of Plexiglas when applied with a piece of terry cloth towel and a little effort on your part. sometimes we show this in our Saturday Detailing Classes.

The below motorcycle windshield was sanded down on both sides with Meguiar's Nikken #1500 grit Finishing papers and then in one circle on both sides, the sanding marks were removed by hand using PlastX.



Important Note: When machine buffing Plexiglas don't ever keep your buffing pad in one place or you will overheat the plastic and warp it. This is especially true on thin plastics. Keep your buffer moving and check the temperature with the face of your hand often. If you have to, stop buffing and allow the Plexiglas to cool then continue.

Mike

[lukester]

Thanks Mike, you have been a great help in answering my question and I will give it a try,by the way any thoughts on the new black Crossfire would be appreciated with the light scratches on the hood...lukester

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by lukester
Thanks Mike, you have been a great help in answering my question and I will give it a try,by the way any thoughts on the new black Crossfire would be appreciated with the light scratches on the hood...lukester

My favorite way to go after these is with the #80 Speed Glaze on a W-8006 foam polishing pad with the G100 Dual Action Polisher. The hand approach with ScratchX also works. Apply two thin coats of your favorite wax after either of these and then maintain by washing with a high quality wash mitt like a real lambs wool mitt an a quality car wash like Gold Class.

Also, invest in a Grit Guard for your wash bucket.



We have a gentleman driving down from the San Francisco area for our CorvetteForum Class this weekend who describes the finish of his Corvette much the same way. He works for a hot rod shop with a number of proficient detailers and has also checked with some other reputable detailers but so far no luck. We're going to see if we can find a way to remove his scratches and if we can I'll be sure to post the method and the before and after photos. It's an 04 Corvette by the way.

Page through the Detail Days at Meguiar's here, Detail Days at Meguiar's and you will find many before and after photos with the products used in the process.

Mike

[lukester]

Thanks Mike for all the tips and I will try to post some pics of my car when I get to the other side of detailing it ...Lukester

[Mike Phillips]

Sounds good, by the way, what are you working on that is made out of plexiglas?

Mike

[lukester]

The truth is,is the plexiglass thing is for a buddy that I work with.I had mentioned to him that I had joined Meguiars online and he does not have a computer at home,and he asked me to do him a favour and ask a specialist,he treats me well so I said I would ask.all I know is that he carved something into it and then watersanded with the 1500 and now he is stuck so I will pass along your advice and he can go from there.Thanks again....Lukester

[saltydog]

Good info!
I will have to try this on my boat`s center console. I have a plexiglass windshield with some monor scratches on it.

[the other pc]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
... if you remove too much material in one area you will create a visual blank, (Can't think of the word right now -Mike)....

The optics and imaging world commonly uses the words*:

distortion.
anomaly
aberration
degradation

Each works well depending on the context. In this case I'd probably use distortion.


PC.


*(and you know how I am about words, Mike )

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by the other pc
The optics and imaging world commonly uses the words*:

distortion.
anomaly
aberration
degradation

Each works well depending on the context. In this case I'd probably use distortion.

PC.

*(and you know how I am about words, Mike )

That's it... distortion!

It was just one of those night when I knew the word I wanted to use but the harder I tried to think of it, the more elusive it became so I finally gave up!

Thank you!



Mike