Polishing Plastic?

[Flashback]

I have seen several refer to polishing plastic parts,
such as my 53 horn button. What is the best product,
and procedure?

Tex E. Grier

[Hippie]

For minor scratches or dulling good old toothpaste and a soft cloth works pretty well. I have used jeweler's rouge and a soft buffing wheel with excellent results. There are also many commercial plastic polishes on the market now.

Analog man in a digital world.

[41 Frank]

No endorsement here Tex, but I bought a Meguiars product called "Plastx" says it works on headlight covers convertible windows and hard plastic surfaces. Says it will remove fine scratches, cloudiness and stubborn oxidation. Have not had a chance to use it yet though. Available at most FLAPS.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[Gunslinger]

Griot's Garage also sells an excellent Plastic polish as well as a plastic cleaner. I've used both and they do a great job.



Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

[Guest]

Crest toothpaste

Jim

[BobGlasscock]

I used Plastx on my eyeglasses to no avail at all.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Chris Pile]

A far as "soft rags" go, make sure they are 100% cotton, or other all natural fiber - an old T-Shirt with some rayon or other man-made fiber WILL scratch the plastic.

I used to work in the guitar repair biz, and learned fast when buffing out scratches. I bought an old beaver cowboy hat (nice and floppy), cut it in squares. I used different grades of Meguiars polish, and never used a rough grade square when polishing with fine grade. Didn't want to contaminate them. Served me well.

Chris Pile
Midway Chapter SDC
The Studebaker Special

[wmsteve]

I've started using 3M's "Final Finish" swirl remover on my plastic, by hand and with a foam buffing ball on a battery drill. I have used this stuff for years for the final buff on paint (works great) but just recently used it on some '94 Dodge headlight covers that were "foggy"...worked great, and is the best yet!! Or you can try...

For 10 years I've used "Plexus" plastic cleaner for all (plastic) aircraft windscreens,marker light lenses and the cheep "reader glasses" I buy from the dollar store. It's made by: B.T.I. Chemical Co., Oak Park, CA. 91377.

Hope this helps 'ya!

[JBOYLE]

NAPA sells a kit of pre-moistened pads with an attachment that goes into your power drill for cleaning plastic and removing scratches.

It did a great job on the soft plastic of my wife's Mini Cooper's tail lights..
(The headlights must be made out of better plastic because they were okay, but the tail lights were terrible after a winter where they got coated with slush & grime).

I've also had great luck with Meguires plastic polish #3...bought for my Miata's rear window and used with great success on the windshield/cabin bubble of a Bell 47 helicopter.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Silverplate]

I have been a dedicated user of Zaino products for several years. Thier plastic polish is very good.

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Z-12&Category_Code=Zaino&Product_Count=16

[wmsteve]

Sorry for any confusion but, the 3M product I was refering to is now called: Finesse-It II Machine Polish.

[showbizkid]

Novus makes a set of scratch-remover/polishing sprays that work well together. Any bulk plastic supplier or fabricator will have them - ask for Novus #1 & #2.


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Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[Flashback]

Thanks everyone, I am going to try some of
these on a 55 horn button, and then maybe
my 53. when you use crest, do you only hand
rub, or buff.

Tex E. Grier

[JBody]

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Novus makes a set of scratch-remover/polishing sprays that work well together. Any bulk plastic supplier or fabricator will have them - ask for Novus #1 & #2.


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Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

I concur. I've kept Novus 1 & 2 on hand for years. It is good. A little goes a long way. I've used it with a soft clean cloth for detailing gauge and light lenses. I bought mine from a local company that manufactures retail displays and machine guards or whatever you want, out of clear plastic.