Polishing Lexan

[bencmaster]

Having spent a merry three days polishing lexan, or trying to, I offer some conclusions..for what they are worth:

Using Novus 1 and 2 Polish

Ideally you would use a powered polisher, but this very rapidly causes its own trouble. Too fast/ too dry will heat the lexan and cause bubbly, wavy blemishes. So if you do, keep head well lubricated with polish and slow. It will still take an age on deeper scratches.

Don't even bother with scratches easily felt with finger nail..the time may be better spent reading a good book.

Removing haze etc is well within the bounds of possibility, and swirls.

Buff off polish coats with very soft, clean cloth... lexan is so soft! Polish lightly ..increasingly so as end approaches. If not, you will be for ever chasing scratches.

Use a strong light source at different angles to test how good the job is. You might think you've won..until you take aircraft out in dayligt or low sunlight.

Avoid the dreaded Dremmel. It might seem like a good idea, but you'll need more skill and patience than a brain surgeon. I am still trying to remove the swirls caused by using too high a speed.

Using very fine wet and dry (micromesh)? I have tried it and it does remove the bigger scratches and obviously replaces them with smaller ones. I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

Any properly knowedgeable lexan polishers out there?

[Rob Swain]

I have heard that Plexus Plasic Polish is supposed to be quite good at hiding light marks.

Admittedly this is more an everyday plastic screen polish rather than a renovating one, but it might help!

[bencmaster]

Hi Rob

Plexus is a polish rather than any kind of abrasive restorer..it is similar to Novus 1 which is just a finishing item.

My point is there are no easy routes here and my efforts, lasting many hours..with the best products...look pretty poor when exposed to daylight.

The moral is treat lexan with kid gloves or else!!.

[Gary M]

http://www.lpaero.com/documentation.html
Very useful pdfs - tuck them away.