Buffing Out Scratches From A Perspex Dial Any Ideas?

[Fray Bentos]

Hi, I have just completed a re cord and clean up of my Roberts R900 and put pics and results in the completed projects area of the forums. The only thing finally to do is removing some minor scratches or scuffing on the perspes dial like someone has gone over a few areas with some sort of abrasive cleaner and it has etched the surface. Its not too bad and only visible from certain views, but I seem to remember there was some way of removing scuffing and scratches from perspex and plastic watch 'glass' using a compound of some sort or even Brasso?? if remember correctly.

So over to you...any ideas or ways that have worked for you?

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

Richard.

[telstar]

Hi Richard. I remember that CPC had a plastics polish in their catalogue a few years ago, which was useful for perspex. I am not sure if it helped to remove scratches. Somewhere in my garage I still have a bottle, so I will try it out and let you know if that is useful. I am not sure if it is still available from CPC ?
Regards
Mike

[Geoff 555]

Hi Classic car suppliers Frost do a polish for repairing scratched and dull rear windows in folding roofs, works like magic. May be worth inquiring.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[paulsherwin]

You can polish out light scratches with cutting compound like T-Cut, but it's hard work. A big bottle of the Halfords own brand stuff lasts for years.

Paul

[Paul_RK]

Brasso has indeed always seemed to serve me well with Roberts and Hacker perspex-type panels, though for years now I've been using Silvo instead: very similar I think in its result on plastics, I just happened to pick up a litre of the stuff for £2.99. Not sure it's still available in liquid form, so I'll probably be in the market for Brasso again if I ever manage to use up what I have

Paul

[Mike Phelan]

If the scratches are too deep for T-Cut or Brasso, I start with cutting compound - available from motor factors in several grades. I use Gramos medium, then finish with T-Cut and finally Brasso.

[Zulu95]

800, 1000, 1200, 1600, 2000 & 3000 grit wet & dry paper used wet. You could also look for headlight polish by Mother's among others.

[Fray Bentos]

Thanks for all the great advice...been and brought some Silvo...still available!! Will post the results good or bad.

Regards.

Richard.

[russell_w_b]

Hiya,

I used a compound called 'Polywatch' on an 'Ultra' Transistor Six dial to good effect. It comes in a small tube and requires about thirty seconds elbow-grease and cotton wool, and is designed for use on watch crystals (the ones you look through, not control the frequency with!)

I obtained mine from a company who deals in watch bit's 'n' pieces, but I daresay you'll find it on t'internet. I have used jeweller's rouge as well, in the past, but it might be a wee bit abrasive for what you're doing.

[Fray Bentos]

The 'Silvo' worked, not sure how it does it but it worked a treat in conjunction with half an hours elbow grease.

One or two deeper scratches left but these are hardly visible now, the perspex dial now looks superb.

Thanks for all the advice.

Richard.

[BGmidsUK]

I have used Brasso in the past to recover unplayable CDs but hadn't thought it would actually give a good finish on scratched perspex, so thanks for this info.

I had assumed I had just rounded off the edges of the scratch sufficiently to reduce refraction enough for the lazer to maintain tracking, as the surface didn't look particularly good after my efforts!


BG

[Fray Bentos]

Hi BG,

I tried 'Silvo' before considering 'Brasso' due to further recommendation on the forum. If you can get hold of some I'd say try it (Silvo) first. I found some in one of those fast disapearing hardware type (Arkwright) shops, like the one in the Two Ronnies 'got any O's' 'four candles' sketch.

To me Silvo seems less 'thick and gloopy' than Brasso, so I thought it may be less abrasive.

Remarkably it worked and the abrasions and minor scratches on the perspex have totally gone. I sed an ols cotton T shirt as the cloth and about half an hours elbow grease, and the dial now looks superb.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

Richard.

[HamishBoxer]

Greygate chemicals come to mind,there stuff is used on fighter jets perspex cockpit covers

[Paul_RK]

Hi Richard,

Glad the Silvo's given you a result. Brasso has always seemed to work as well for me on dozens of Hacker and Roberts dial panels and perspex windows: the only reason I'm currently with Silvo is the one-off appearance of those cheap litre cans of the stuff Of course it's handy for metal too, if there's any dullness at all about your R900's chrome handle ends or telescopic aerial.

Paul

[howard]

Hello,

I use Brasso or Safecut on perspex dials. If possible I remove the dial first (and place it on a soft cloth) so I can polish consistently right to the edges. Don't polish in straight lines, that can leave visible lines, always polish in tight circles moving across the surface, with a soft cotton cloth and wash off any polish that's wandered down into any holes in the dial. Finish off with a light polish with Mr Sheen or Pledge.

Howard

[BGmidsUK]

I'm lucky, here on Narborough Road there are two such hardware stores, one of which only opened two or three years ago and is doing really well. You have to squeeze past the shelves to see what's round the other side, there's so much stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have Silvo in there. And if they haven't got any, they are happy to get some a proper Alladdin's Cave



BG

[Boom]

I remember once I scratched a tv screen and hid it quite well with 3 in 1 oil. Naughty I know but it got me out of trouble. next time I visited for a repair (6 months later) the screen was still wet from the oil ;-) Might be worth a try.

[RobinBirch]

Silvo/Brasso work well for light scratches. For the deeper stuff get in touch with a glider repair agent e.g. www.svsp.co.uk. They sell perspex cutting compounds at various grades for exactly this purpose.

I'll come clean - Martin at severn valley is a mate but there are several similar places such as Bob Macleans at rufforth that will help.

Robin