Removing scratches from Perspex?

[threeseven]

The Perspex cover on a record player I'm restoring is scratched, only surface marking nothing severe.
Looking for recommendations on the best technique to remove them or improve them to an acceptable standard.

[cmjones01]

I've had good results using Brasso and a soft cloth on Perspex (acrylic) including on the lid of a Technics SL-1200 which was quite badly scratched. Just make sure the cover isn't some other kind of plastic first: polycarbonate, in particular, reacts very badly to Brasso. Try on a small, hidden area first, as they say.

Chris

[kellys_eye]

Yes, depends very much on the scratch depth and even seemingly surface scratches can actually be a lot deeper than you imagine.

I've had success using 1200 grit wet&dry paper used dry (car accessory shops) followed by T-cut. The trick with w&d is to keep the sanding motion circular and low speed. You should be able to sand to a smoothness that doesn't show any marks - te persex just goes opaque to some extent.

[Radio Wrangler]

An old trick with fine wet & dry paper is to wet it and apply a little soap.

David

[Bazz4CQJ]

Rather like car paintwork; depends on whether you've got relatively deep scratches or just swirls and haze. For the latter, I too have found that T-Cut is cheap and works well (though I don't use it on modern paints). I've also heard favourable comments about toothpaste.

B

[Junk Box Nick]

An advisory on my last MOT told me that the plastic lenses on my headlights were deteriorating with potential loss of light output. I used the fine wet and dry paper technique going progressively finer and then polished up with T-cut. It was a bit disconcerting at first as under action from the paper the lenses started to look opaque but then the T-Cut brought back the clarity and sparkle.

There is a liquid sold by motor factors specifically to polish up plastic headlight lenses. How different this might be from T-Cut I don't know.

[G6Tanuki]

As others have mentioned, Brasso applied using a new, clean duster is a good place to start - that's what I've used in the past to 'improve' the Perspex windscreen of a late-1940s racing car.

the plastic lenses on my headlights were deteriorating with potential loss of light output.

And a lot more glare to others.

Brasso and a soft cloth as mentioned is a good start, aterwards some silicone polish like Mr Sheen does a super job.

[Courtney Louise]

I am a member on another thread that uses Novus polish. It comes in different grades and is used for polishing Pinball machine tables to a mirror finish..

[Bazz4CQJ]

Originally Posted by Junk Box Nick

There is a liquid sold by motor factors specifically to polish up plastic headlight lenses. How different this might be from T-Cut I don't know.

Judging by the colour of T-Cut, I've always believed that it's essentially no more than "Jewelers Rouge", i.e. fine particles of iron oxide in suspension. I believe that by the standards of more modern products, it's actually fairly coarse. As per headlights, that's the appllication where I gather toothpaste has proven good; I think most toothpastes have fine powdered silica in them to give them both consistency and cleaning properties.

[radioman]

I use Greygate plastic polish :- http://www.greygate.com/product-cate...lastic-polish/

HTH

Andy

[HamishBoxer]

Just going to say Andy,Greygate does the stuff used on fighter aircraft cockpit perspex.

Having used it and found to be excellent.