Elecraft

scratchs on display

Classic

List

Threaded

11 messages Options

Wayne Suite

scratchs on display

I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else 1st to
be sure.

Wayne
Kd5spx
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Ron Manfredi

Re: scratchs on display

Novus plastic polish, comes in three grits/coarseness levels. You
probably need their #1, or 2 followed by 1.

https://www.novuspolish.com/

On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:

> I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
> massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else 1st to
> be sure.
>
> Wayne
> Kd5spx
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Ron Manfredi

Re: scratchs on display

In reply to this post by Wayne Suite

Sorry, I forgot to sign the first post.

Novus plastic polish, comes in three grits/coarseness levels. You
probably need their #1, or 2 followed by 1.

https://www.novuspolish.com/

Ron

WA2EIO

On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:

Don Wilhelm

Re: scratchs on display

In reply to this post by Wayne Suite

I think Brasso is too corse - it will polish metal, but the plastic is
much softer. Just my opinion. If the scratches are deep, that may be
the way to go, but you will need something less abrasive to polish it.

Back in the dark days when I was repairing IBM typewriters, we had some
plastic polish, but it worked only slightly better than a bit of oil on
a cloth - rub with a bit of pressure and scratches can disappear - as
long as the scratches are not deep. The friction does the job.

Go to your auto parts store and ask about plastic polish.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:
> I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
> massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else 1st to
> be sure.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

EricJ-2

Re: scratchs on display

I've used toothpaste for years to polish plastic. Works fine. No harsh
or potentially damaging chemicals. Leaves your rig minty fresh.

Eric KE6US

On 4/14/2020 5:26 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> I think Brasso is too corse - it will polish metal, but the plastic is
> much softer. Just my opinion. If the scratches are deep, that may be
> the way to go, but you will need something less abrasive to polish it.
>
> Back in the dark days when I was repairing IBM typewriters, we had
> some plastic polish, but it worked only slightly better than a bit of
> oil on a cloth - rub with a bit of pressure and scratches can
> disappear - as long as the scratches are not deep. The friction does
> the job.
>
> Go to your auto parts store and ask about plastic polish.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:
>> I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
>> massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else
>> 1st to
>> be sure.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email] .

Michael Walker

Re: scratchs on display

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm

You will find that Colgate Tooth Paste has very fine Ash in it (or, it used
to).

I was shown that by an Aircraft Military Mechanic and they used it on
Canopies.

Mike va3mw

On Tue, Apr 14, 2020 at 8:27 PM Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I think Brasso is too corse - it will polish metal, but the plastic is
> much softer. Just my opinion. If the scratches are deep, that may be
> the way to go, but you will need something less abrasive to polish it.
>
> Back in the dark days when I was repairing IBM typewriters, we had some
> plastic polish, but it worked only slightly better than a bit of oil on
> a cloth - rub with a bit of pressure and scratches can disappear - as
> long as the scratches are not deep. The friction does the job.
>
> Go to your auto parts store and ask about plastic polish.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:
> > I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
> > massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else 1st
> to
> > be sure.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

Grant Youngman-2

Re: scratchs on display

i you have DEEP scratches, one or two grades of abrasive won’t do the job. You risk ending up with a “divot” around the scratch, which can be worse than the scratch. The entire surface in the area of the defect, not just the scratch, needs to be taken down.

For small jobs, this, in my opinion, is the best option — it can take many layers of increasingly fine abrasive to get a smooth, flat, original finish.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/micromeshprof.php

Grant NQ5T

>>
>> much softer. Just my opinion. If the scratches are deep, that may be
>> the way to go, but you will need something less abrasive to polish it.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Elecraft mailing list

Re: scratchs on display

Check out the various kits for polishing automobile headlamp lenses. They are all made for this type of work. The more expensive kits have more grades of grit. I would start with tooth paste though as I have used it in the last on watch faces with good results, glass and plastic.

David J. Wilcox K8WPE’s iPad

> On Apr 14, 2020, at 10:17 PM, Grant Youngman <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> i you have DEEP scratches, one or two grades of abrasive won’t do the job. You risk ending up with a “divot” around the scratch, which can be worse than the scratch. The entire surface in the area of the defect, not just the scratch, needs to be taken down.
>
> For small jobs, this, in my opinion, is the best option — it can take many layers of increasingly fine abrasive to get a smooth, flat, original finish.
>
> https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/micromeshprof.php
>
> Grant NQ5T
>
>
>>>
>>> much softer. Just my opinion. If the scratches are deep, that may be
>>> the way to go, but you will need something less abrasive to polish it.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Richard Perry

Re: scratchs on display

In reply to this post by Wayne Suite

Wow - something I know something about!

In real life I'm an A&P (aircraft) mechanic, and this sort of scratching is
not uncommon on small unpressurized aircraft. Novus is great stuff
particularly for painted surfaces, but if you have the time and really want
to do clear acrylic "right", get a Micromesh kit.

For example, I've used this kit (
https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Mesh-NC-78-1-Acrylic-Restoral-Kit/dp/B00EKLU5QY )
professionally more times than I can count. That said, I'd recommend this
for a onetime use (
https://www.amazon.com/SANDING-SHEETS-INTRODUCTORY-Peachtree-Woodworking/dp/B000H6HIK2
)
it's a lot cheaper, but it has all the same grits.

Instructions are here:
http://micro-surface.com/images/products/inst_88STPinstr.pdf

The key to using Micromesh, however, is commitment. When you use the first
grit (use a small amount of water and a back and forth motion) it will
scare the living bejezzeus out of you, as the whole surface will now be
scratched, but just keep going until the original scratches are gone (the
surface is uniformly scratched up), then repeat 8 more times with smaller
grits. About the third or next to last grit, it will really look good, and
by the 9th, it will be optically clear.

Anyway, I've found that to work better than Novus for acrylic - the price
is about a wash, but MM takes more time. But when you charge by the hour....

... and that ALL having been said, I'll bet you that the cost of a
replacement cover from Elecraft is cheaper still :)

Good luck, let me know if I can help.

73 DE AJ0V/Richard

>Sorry, I forgot to sign the first post.
>
>Novus plastic polish, comes in three grits/coarseness levels. You
>probably need their #1, or 2 followed by 1.
>
>https://www.novuspolish.com/
>
>
>Ron
>
>WA2EIO
>
>
>
>On 4/14/2020 8:07 PM, Wayne Suite wrote:
>> I heard that you can use brasso and a soft cloth and lightly apply it by
>> massaging to remove light scratches I would try it on something else 1st

to
>> be sure.
>>
>> Wayne
>> Kd5spx

--
Regards -

Richard T Perry
[hidden email]
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Mark Goldberg

Re: scratchs on display

It was about $24 with tax last summer, but I was able to pick it up, so
tax, but no shipping.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 2:12 PM Richard Perry <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> ... and that ALL having been said, I'll bet you that the cost of a
> replacement cover from Elecraft is cheaper still :)
>
> <[hidden email]>

>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

n0uk

Re: scratchs on display

In reply to this post by Richard Perry

Thanks everyone for all of the great suggestions.

--
Chris Cox, N0UK, G4JEC
[hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]