Return-Path: Received: from pop.centurytel.net ([209.142.136.253]) by truman.olsusa.com (Post.Office MTA v3.5.1 release 219 ID# 0-52269U2500L250S0V35) with ESMTP id com for ; Fri, 29 Oct 1999 11:01:42 -0400 Received: from pavilion (ppp085.pa.centurytel.net [209.142.129.227]) by pop.centurytel.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id KAA20378 for ; Fri, 29 Oct 1999 10:05:21 -0500 (CDT) Message-ID: <002e01bf221f$2decfde0$e3818ed1@pavilion> From: "J. N. Cameron" To: "Lancair List" Subject: Plastic polishing Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 09:59:31 -0500 X-Mailing-List: lancair.list@olsusa.com Mime-Version: 1.0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> For polishing plexi, I routinely use two different methods. For parts you can hold in your hand, I use a cotton buffing wheel (2 pads on the spindle, actually) from which several rows of the stitching have been removed so it fluffs more and is not so hard. With the wheel I use a blue buffing rouge that I get from the Eastwood Company, P. O. Box 296, Malvern, PA 19355, 800-345-1178 (they sell a lot of things for restoring classic cars - like the plexi side curtains in an Austin Healy 100-6 I had about a hundred years ago). The blue rouge will buff out almost anything, even deep scratches, but you do have to watch the heat buildup. If the scratched area is really bad, wet sand it first with 400, then 600. For hard to get at small places or large stuff I can't hold under the buffing wheel, I use plastic polishes from Novus, Inc., in Minneapolis. They make three products, numbered 1 through 3. Nos. 2 and 3 are polishing creams, the #3 pretty coarse, and #2 a fine grit. Both can be used by hand rubbing with a soft cloth or with cotton buffing wheels (in a Dremel tool, e.g., but be very careful about overheating at the high rpm of a Moto-tool). The No. 1 is a cleaner with maybe some fine polishing action plus an antistatic ingredient. All work very well and have no nasty side-effects on the plastic. They are available at a lot of plastics dealers, but the back of the bottles says you can call 1-800-548-6872 for the nearest distributor. Jim Cameron (once & future ES) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair