- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
Acrylic Restoration
- Thread starter Wolverine57
- Start date
- Location
- NY
The grit starts at about 1200 and works up from there. It goes up to about 8000, 9000 & 10000 grit.
The effort it will take to clean up the amount of scratches you've got there is going to take days to do. There are about 5 or 6 progressive steps you have to do to properly remove them.
IMO it's a sump, let it ride.
swimmer
The effort it will take to clean up the amount of scratches you've got there is going to take days to do. There are about 5 or 6 progressive steps you have to do to properly remove them.
IMO it's a sump, let it ride.
swimmer
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
Thanks Deano
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
Thanks, already send Wingo an email
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
This product, might be the answer and the quickest! Thanks
bad coffee
Inept at life.
- Location
- Location: Location:
I've used the novus stuff as well. You can get it at T&T plastic land on church st.
IIRC it's only $6 a bottle. So $30 for three bottles is a bit steep.
B
IIRC it's only $6 a bottle. So $30 for three bottles is a bit steep.
B
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
$6 a bottle sound a lot better
rangehat I'm going to look for the number and see if they have it in stock! Thanks Bad coffee, good lookin out!
MightyMike
Member
- Location
- Jersey City
In the past Paul, (Kimoyo) has steered me toward http://www.novuspolish.com/ and micro-mesh https://www.micro-surface.com/ although I've not yet tried them ... let me know how things turn out for you, I've got some scratches on my tank i'm going to work out before setting it up too.
Cheers - Mike
Cheers - Mike
Soak then wash it in vinegar, you will be 30% happier.
Sanding as described by master is the only way to get deep scratches (any scratch that can catch your nail as you run your finger on them) out, I would start with 800 if you have a lot to remove.
I polished out an 180 gallon tank before, I would never buy another acrylic tank.
Sanding as described by master is the only way to get deep scratches (any scratch that can catch your nail as you run your finger on them) out, I would start with 800 if you have a lot to remove.
I polished out an 180 gallon tank before, I would never buy another acrylic tank
.
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
I've tried some amateurish buffing on a 55g acrylic and let me say that, I went as far as hazing a panel cause I was an amateur.
- Location
- Washington Heights, NY
There are really 3 ways to get scratches.
1.Novus
2.Sandpaper then buffer
2.Sandpaper then micromesh (or just sandpaper)
All of them are just really sandpaper. The novus is just really fine liquid sandpaper thats why it doesn't work for deeper scratches. If you started with sandpaper first then went to novus it could work. When you use the buffer you sand first then buff which is just soft/liquid sandpaper that you use with a buffing wheel. But buffing introduces heat if your not careful which can lead to crazing. The best is micromesh but with all these methods the first sandpaper you use will do 70% of the work. Thats why the first sandpaper has to be coarse enough to get the scratch fully out. Then u work up thru the finer sandpapers. If you skip a series like going from 400grit to 800grit you just have to do more work and use up more sandpaper. So the easiest way is to really just go thru the series. I can tell you from experience that its a lot of work.
The problem with doing any of this is you change the thickness of the sheet in the area you sanded. So it will be clear when you look straight thru it but when you go to the side it gets distorted. Its better when there's water in the tank but still noticeable. Depending on the size of the side with the scratches and how bad they were it might just be easier to sand the entire surface.
Wolverine57, like others have said its probably easier for you to just wash it and leave it alone.
Mike - Hey Mike, how you been? I'd like to help you with that, I'll send you a pm later.
1.Novus
2.Sandpaper then buffer
2.Sandpaper then micromesh (or just sandpaper)
All of them are just really sandpaper. The novus is just really fine liquid sandpaper thats why it doesn't work for deeper scratches. If you started with sandpaper first then went to novus it could work. When you use the buffer you sand first then buff which is just soft/liquid sandpaper that you use with a buffing wheel. But buffing introduces heat if your not careful which can lead to crazing. The best is micromesh but with all these methods the first sandpaper you use will do 70% of the work. Thats why the first sandpaper has to be coarse enough to get the scratch fully out. Then u work up thru the finer sandpapers. If you skip a series like going from 400grit to 800grit you just have to do more work and use up more sandpaper. So the easiest way is to really just go thru the series. I can tell you from experience that its a lot of work.
The problem with doing any of this is you change the thickness of the sheet in the area you sanded. So it will be clear when you look straight thru it but when you go to the side it gets distorted. Its better when there's water in the tank but still noticeable. Depending on the size of the side with the scratches and how bad they were it might just be easier to sand the entire surface.
Wolverine57, like others have said its probably easier for you to just wash it and leave it alone.
Mike - Hey Mike, how you been? I'd like to help you with that, I'll send you a pm later.
Last edited:
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
Looks like I got lots of options here! Thanks
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
kimoyo (Paul) thanks appreciate your feedback and expertize! Actually I appreciate all input here!
- Location
- Tobyhanna, PA
Just wanted to share an update on the restoration process.....Used so far Grit #400, #600 and #800. Got all the scratches out!
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