clear plastic

G

grdy83

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
RO Number
2473
Messages
13
i have solid clear plastic about 1/4" thick ,that hinge up or down ,on my dashboard that cover all the engine guages and switches as protection. one is perfectly clear, the other is all scratched up[looks like somebody tried a rough pad or cleaner in the past.is there anything i can use to remone these scratches and "foggy" spots on the surface so i can see the guages clearly? i have heard toothpaste with a small buffer wheel, but i dont want to experiment and make it worse. any help will be appreciated. thanks john l
 
There are several plastic polishes on the marker. Novus, 3M, etc. IMHO, they're too much elbow grease for not a great result. Replace it.
 
Home Depot or Lowes can sell you a piece of Lexan or Plexiglass. Lexan costs more, is slightly more flexible but is tougher than Plexiglass. They can cut it to size for you. The only challenge is drilling holes since it is very easy to split if you go too fast.

Mike
 
Won't split, it'll melt. After you get the final shape and sanded edges, hit the edges lightly with a propane torch for a nice smooth shiny edge.
 
How do you cut a curve in Lexan or Plexiglas (like around the steering wheel for instance) ? My last experiment doing that didn't do so well. As I remember, as my jig saw blade advanced, the plastic welded itself back together right behind it.
 
"As I remember, as my jig saw blade advanced, the plastic welded itself back together right behind it."

Wrong blade, wrong technique. Slow the blade speed, do not force the blade to advance, and perhaps you had the wrong blade to begin with. Most plastics distributors have downloadable files on "how to machine" their product. Do it the way they describe, and you will have little difficulty. ( Note that every type of plastic has slightly different specs, so get the specs for the one you have, rather than relying on "generic info". )

The only trouble I have had when machining plastic has been finding the correct blade at the Home Desparate, or Lousy's.
 
I've seen a product at auto parts stores to "de-fog" the plastic covers on head lights. I'd try that before I replaced them.
 
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=49 This website has good info.
 
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