Getting scratches out of acrylic ??? - Page:1

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Forums > Help! > Getting scratches out of acrylic ???

.Morph.
SILVER Member since Mar 2002

.Morph.

addict
Location: Lancashire, UK

Total posts: 669

Posted:21st Jul 2003What is the best way of cleaning up small scratches & scuffs off of acrylic?

I've seen the contact ball polish, & also read that motorcycle polish does the trick. Any ideas on the cheapest & best way to do it?

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Evildman

member
Location: Oregon

Total posts: 46

Posted:21st Jul 2003The best way to clean acrylic is with a cleaner or polish designed specifically for acrylic. They do make compounds specifically designed to remove scrathes from most acrylic surfaces. Most plastic shops in your local area should have it for sale. If your not able to find it you could try the following from Infinite Illusions, http://www.infiniteillusions.com/jugprod/balls/polish.shtml
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As a side note, whatever you do, do not use any amonia based cleaners such as glass/window cleaner. These will cause your acrylic to fog up over time, and cannot be undone, at least not without resurfacing the entire item.

We are all atheists, some of us just believe in fewer gods than others. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
-Stephen F. Roberts

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ivan..

member
Location: Halifax, NS

Total posts: 165

Posted:21st Jul 2003turtle wax

thats right i look like an albino ape that has had a bad day.. go ahead say something stupid... i dare ya !

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Charles
BRONZE Member since Jun 2001

Charles

Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
Location: Auckland

Total posts: 3989

Posted:21st Jul 2003Evildman - Is that for actually filling in the scuffs and scratches like Firemorph was akign about or is it just for general cleanliness?

I'm guessing, if that product doesn't work, your local glass repair company (ie cracked windscreens) may be ablwe to shed some light on the subject. Pun intended

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Tyr
GOLD Member since Jun 2003

Tyr

Simplicity Convoluter & Cabbage Friend
Location: In the shadow of the wolf (som...

Total posts: 126

Posted:21st Jul 2003Hello fellow acrylic scratchers.
You won't believe me on this one cos I didn't believe it myself till I tried it on a ball I though was chuck material.
Braso - crappy suff you can by at the supermaket for pollishing your silverware. It has tiny filliments of metal in it that buff you contact up to looking new in a couple of minutes - will get out medium to large scratchs - just takes forever.
I only found this out recently cos a teacher of mine said he used it to pollish watch crystals.
Anyway share to luv.

P.s. Useing a light lubricant when doing multiple balls can massivly reduce scratchs - but makes them slippery, worth doing every now and again though.
Cheers and have fun.

�What are you creatures of Fantastica? Dreams, poetic inventions, characters in a neverending story.�
Gmork
�The Neverending Story�

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Evildman

member
Location: Oregon

Total posts: 46

Posted:22nd Jul 2003The acrylic cleaner I referred to from Inifinite illusions contains a light polish just for shining up your acrylic, as well as compounds designed to fill small to medium scrathes and then buff them out. It does a great job on anything that is caused by normal use.

As for the Brasso, I do not recommend using this, as it does have the same chance as window cleaner of causing your acrylic to go cloudy over time.

This is a case where the right method is just about as cheap as the home fixes, and IMO a bit safer with the pretty acrylic things your playing with.

We are all atheists, some of us just believe in fewer gods than others. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
-Stephen F. Roberts

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.Morph.
SILVER Member since Mar 2002

.Morph.

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Location: Lancashire, UK

Total posts: 669

Posted:23rd Jul 2003Thanks for the ideas, I'm off to chemist corner to experiment

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j3ckyl
SILVER Member since Apr 2007

Member

Total posts: 2

Posted:19th Apr 2007I know this is a really old thread but I discovered something that is simpler and more effective than all of the above for light scratches and scuffs. To get rid of or at least reduce them try this: Take a pad or ball of cotton wool and apply something like hand lotion or washing up liquid to it, add a tiny amount of salt and polish in a circular motion 'til the ball is good as new, can take a little elbow grease but it works a charm and doesn't cloud the ball. Doesn't get much cheaper than that. smile

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PK_
BRONZE Member since Dec 2001

PK_

Lambretta Fanatic

Total posts: 4991

Posted:21st Apr 2007I disagree... I'm a metals polisher and thus works in the same way with plastics.

Silicon based polishing paste is what you need together with a angle grinder or desktop fixed grinder with a "sisal disc" (morbid type) mounted you can polish out any scratches and make your contact balls like new, any discolouration is due to wrong technique, polishing works with a cut and colour process, if the sisal is going anti clockwise when you look at it in front of you then moving it to the left will cut and to the right will colour... cut basically leaves it discoloured, which is why probably the wrong choice in house hold products leave them discoloured as the correct polishing technique was not applied.

Always pay attention to all safety information and take precautionary measures when using any power tools and always wear safety and other protective clothing etc.

PK.

"To be an angel, one need not have wings.
In giving love there is an equal grace.
Nor need one seek the aura in the face,
As love unveils the beauty of all things."

*Francois Couperin.

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