Plexi scratches, dont be afraid! It's easy to fix!

[blu_fuz]

Guys, with the help of brother Jimmy with some tips I was able to get one of the ugliest tuner plexi windows polished up to respectable condition!!!!



DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TRY IT!


Took about 10 minutes total and my plexi had some really deep scratches. I used the 3M headlight restoration kit and some 2000 grit wet sand paper. I didn't use the 500 or 800 grit wheels from the headlight kit either. Started with the 2k wet paper, then the 3k wet pad for the drill, then the compound on the foam pad for the drill. Amazing results.

Here is what I started with:

2000 grit wet sand in straight lines (not a swirl pattern) from left to right, then from top to bottom. (not included in the 3M headlight kit). Use a sponge to hold the paper better. Gives a more even pressure than just your fingers would. KEEP IT WET! After a few passes, wet it again. Can never have too much water. Use until you are happy with the deep scratches that have been removed.

3000 grit wet pad for the drill. Follow the directions of about 10-12 passes. KEEP IT WET! After a few passes, wet it again. Wipe down and check the progress of getting some of the 2k sanding marks out and that it looks a little less hazy.

Foam pad, no water, dime size dab of compound. Work it flat and even using the weight of the drill back and fourth. After about 6 passes OR less if the compound is drying up, wipe it off and check the clairity. If you think it needs more polishing then do another dab of compound and work it over again. I only did 2 dabs of compound and got awesome results.

Then put some kind of automotive wax over the buffed area to protect and seal the plexi.

Enjoy your fresh new polished plexi! Should work for cassette doors, tuner windows, etc....

 

[redbenjoe]

thanks joe -
what was in the 3M kit ??

 

[blu_fuz]

Drill attachment
Foam pad
Polishing compound
3000 sanding pad
800 sanding discs
500 sanding discs

and instructions.


Mine was $14 at a local store.

3M 39008 HEADLIGHT LENS & PLASTIC RESTORATION KIT

They are on ebay too.

 

[redbenjoe]

ok -- then you skipped the 800 and 500 -- right ?

and what was your drill speed ?? ( approx )
---plastic MELTS FAST !!!!

 

[blu_fuz]

Correct, I did not use the coarse 500 or 800 grit sanding discs they give you. Starting with the 2000 wet sanding paper that I bought seperate was enough coarse-ness to work out 90% of my scratches. I had DEEP gouges from a screwdriver that I just had to leave in the plexi. Too deep to even want to try and get out.


They tell you the drill speed in the directions (1200 RPM or something like that).


RPM isn't that important if you aren't winding it out at full speed for extended periods. Keep your plexi and the 3000 disc wet and don't push hard. Honestly I was probably doing about 1/2 trigger speed the entire time and maybe went full speed 1/2 the time on the final polishing step with the compound.

 

[redbenjoe]

ok --got it - thanks again -

perhaps i will experiment on a bunch of ramons grails -
prior to fking up mine

 

[blu_fuz]

Good call

 

[monchito]

ok --got it - thanks again -

perhaps i will experiment on a bunch of ramons grails -
prior to fking up mine

no we are trying it on yours first u have 200 boxes to chose from

 

[bklyn sound]

excelent job joe looks great .......

 

[skippy1969]

Awesome post Joe........
Thank you......

 

[blu_fuz]

Thanks BRO's. I thought this might help the other guys that take on resto projects .

 

[Gluecifer]

Super, Joe!! Really awesome, and definitely is a technique MANY of my radios will benefit from.

Time to hunt one of these kits down.

Thanks a bunch



Rock On.

 

[Scottyt]

Great tip. I can do my WRX headlights while I am at it lol. I have only been collecting boomboxes for a week and coming here for a couple of days and I am so impressed with all the techniques you guys have for restoring these things. I got a lot of work to do on the 4 I have so far.

 

[BoomboxLover48]

Super job Joe! Good information!

 

[Reli]

Ira, that box you sent me a couple months ago, looks like someone tried this method and failed

 

[blu_fuz]

Good luck guys! It is exciting to be able to be able to fix all parts of your own project boomboxes and this is a make-or-break kind of a deal on most boxes. Fogged up or scratched plexi is so annoying! :annoyed:

 

[ledmeter]

So good. I was super pleased when I discovered that things I learnt as an apprentice painter detailing cars and removing deep scratches that I could use the same techniques at home on my fave things! Or bring them to work
I find with deep scratches and gouges in plastic if I wet-oscillate them with 600, 800, 1000, 1200 then 1500 grit, keeping it super wet all the time, then I use the mini oscillator (buzzer) with 2000, 2000 abrasive sponge, 3000 sponge and 4000 sponge, I almost don't need to polish it... But I do oscillating or buzzing is favored by me as it leaves no streaking lines like hand sanding does.
Next project will be a sharp GF9000 which needs a tuner window made for it. That will be tricky.

 

[kraftmatic]

Wow, that's an amazing restoration of that plexi. I had no idea you could use those headlight kits for this. I'll be checking those out. Thanks!

 

[Ken]

Next project will be a sharp GF9000 which needs a tuner window made for it. That will be tricky.

Not really. The hard part is getting all the old plexiglass out without damaging the window frame.

I replaced the tuner glass on my GF-777 with a piece of plexiglass from the local art supply store. I cut it to shape with my jigsaw, buzzed the edges on a belt sander, and voila! tuner glass.

I'm sure there's a better way that can be come up with that involves making it look all nice inside, but it really isn't neccessry...I needed something right away 'cause it arrived with a broken window...looks so good, I havn't bothered.

Great thread, Joe. 'Gonna look for this kit as I could really put it to work on some of mine.

 

[Alberto]

This is so cool!! Thanks!!