How do I get scratches out of plastic?
Discussion
Ok, I crashed my bike on Saturday and I'd prefer to do as much of the repair work myself as I can. Below is a picture of some of the damage on the front (sorry its a bit blurred), so if possible I'd like to remove the scratches from the headlight and the fairing.
So my questions are:
1. Is it possible to remove scratches from clear plastic or at least make it look decent ( its not in the line of the light beam AFAIK)?
2. How do I prepare the surface of the plastic to be resprayed?
3. How should I finish the paint of the fairing? i.e. lacquer it?
Thanks
Etided to add better picture!
>> Edited by m1spw on Monday 6th February 18:06
So my questions are:
1. Is it possible to remove scratches from clear plastic or at least make it look decent ( its not in the line of the light beam AFAIK)?
2. How do I prepare the surface of the plastic to be resprayed?
3. How should I finish the paint of the fairing? i.e. lacquer it?
Thanks
Etided to add better picture!
>> Edited by m1spw on Monday 6th February 18:06
the headlight plastic is easily do-able, the only problem is, i'm not sure where you buy the stuff!
we use a plastic polish called novus in work, it comes in three grades, rough, medium and polish, and gives great results on most plastics.
it might be worth googling for it (try under aircraft consumables), or you should get passable results with chrome cleaner.
we use a plastic polish called novus in work, it comes in three grades, rough, medium and polish, and gives great results on most plastics.
it might be worth googling for it (try under aircraft consumables), or you should get passable results with chrome cleaner.
I'm lucky though as the scratches aren't that deep...eccles said:
the headlight plastic is easily do-able, the only problem is, i'm not sure where you buy the stuff!
we use a plastic polish called novus in work, it comes in three grades, rough, medium and polish, and gives great results on most plastics.
Novus available here:
www.moss-europe.co.uk/MossUK/ProductList.aspx?SubSubCategoryID=TR2_UKTRI-355
Sold to remove scratches from clear plastic rear windows on soft tops...
miniman said:
This might work:
www.renovointernational.com/products/p_wpolish.php
That stuff worked wonders on my rear plastic window, I guess it depends on how deep the scratches are tho as I doubt it's that abrasive.
thegreatsoprendo said:
the headlight plastic is easily do-able, the only problem is, i'm not sure where you buy the stuff!
we use a plastic polish called novus in work, it comes in three grades, rough, medium and polish, and gives great results on most plastics.
Novus available here:
www.moss-europe.co.uk/MossUK/ProductList.aspx?SubSubCategoryID=TR2_UKTRI-355
Sold to remove scratches from clear plastic rear windows on soft tops...
thats the stuff, its brilliant! the green bottle is the rough stuff, the red bottle medium, and the blue is great for general cleaning.
i've used it at home on the perspex windows on a mates race car, and a combination of the red and blue on a vintage watch glass, got rid of the scratches, and it came up like new.
You've never ridden a bike then... Hi,
As an ex bike courier I had plenty of time to work out how to get rid of scratches from plastic screens/visors and so on. Very heavy scratch start with Solvol Autosolve then liquid metal polish, then tooth paste, after polish with a silicon polish (Mister Sheen or same)
For your visor I always found that Mister Sheen would fill in the small scratches that you get and stop the visor misting.
Drifting
As an ex bike courier I had plenty of time to work out how to get rid of scratches from plastic screens/visors and so on. Very heavy scratch start with Solvol Autosolve then liquid metal polish, then tooth paste, after polish with a silicon polish (Mister Sheen or same)
For your visor I always found that Mister Sheen would fill in the small scratches that you get and stop the visor misting.
Drifting
drifting said:
Hi,
As an ex bike courier I had plenty of time to work out how to get rid of scratches from plastic screens/visors and so on. Very heavy scratch start with Solvol Autosolve then liquid metal polish, then tooth paste, after polish with a silicon polish (Mister Sheen or same)
For your visor I always found that Mister Sheen would fill in the small scratches that you get and stop the visor misting.
Drifting
CX500?
Starting with about 400 grit sandpaper, smooth the clear lens, water-sand, work down to 600, then 800 or 900, and then 1200 if you can find it. Then polish, finish with McGuire's plastic polish in the white and blue bottles.
On the fairing, find out what kind of plastic it is, then you can clean the area, probably just start priming (maybe with a touch-up brush) and then prime, let dry, then water sand, repeat till smooth. A good paint store can help you find out what kind of plastic or fiberglass you are looking at and supply the correct primers and paints.
If the color does not have metallic, you can do the final paint with a brush as well, you brush on, let dry, then "color-sand" to smooth. If done properly it will look as good as sprayed. Blending the edge is sort of a black art, you may or may not have much luck. If the final results don't satisfy, you have at least done the grunt work and a pro can finish the job for less money than if you didn't
On the fairing, find out what kind of plastic it is, then you can clean the area, probably just start priming (maybe with a touch-up brush) and then prime, let dry, then water sand, repeat till smooth. A good paint store can help you find out what kind of plastic or fiberglass you are looking at and supply the correct primers and paints.
If the color does not have metallic, you can do the final paint with a brush as well, you brush on, let dry, then "color-sand" to smooth. If done properly it will look as good as sprayed. Blending the edge is sort of a black art, you may or may not have much luck. If the final results don't satisfy, you have at least done the grunt work and a pro can finish the job for less money than if you didn't
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