polishing lexan

There is a package available called Micro-Mesh that's used to polish aircraft windows and it might work but if I remember correctly Lexan is a polycarbonate and the makers of Micro-Mesh say it can't be restored to optical clarity because it's too soft. Here's their product for polycarbonate:

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

I have hed very good luck with Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish $4.99. I inspect crops and use 2 GPS units and the screens get scratched up this stuff has removed all but the worst damage

One way to make lexan clear again is to clear coat it with Krylon. Lightly polish out the scratches with 1000 grit wet or dry paper and wipe clean with alcohol. In a very dust free area spray on multiple very light coats of the Krylon. Try it on a scrap piece for practice You could remake the parts out of acrylic which would be easier to buff out in the future.

If the scratches are on the outside don't worry, the water will fill them in and they will disappear. If you want to make new end caps use Plexiglass. I went with lexan for the same size housing at first because of it's strength. But it bends easier and because of the thickness I used I had sealing problems. Meguiar's makes a polish that will work and it can be purchased at almost any auto parts store. If you decide to make new ends, Plexiglass (acrylic) is avalable in thicker sheets, is stiffer, harder, clearer, and polishes better. Just don't use any kind of oil when fabricating acrylic. ERS

I was worried about the plexiglass shattering, is there a chance of this, as I understand it lexan can't break it will just flex. The 1/2" lexan I used for 2 8" disk cost me near $100.00 dollars, plexiglass would be cheaper. How would you polish the plexiglass in any case.

Please go into your options and turn off posting in HTML. It makes your post very hard to read here and many of us won't even receive it.

Ted

Polish same way as lexan. Mequiar's. Or the place you buy the plastic should sell some polish. Try Tap Plastics. Of course acrylic will shatter if exposed to too much pressure. Ask the plastic supplier for the specs on the plastic and then make the plate thick enough. Once again, do not use any oils at all on the acrylic. Oil will cause eventual cracking and shattering. Especially in tapped holes. Ask me how I know. ERS

Just a thought -- how about a thin piece of plexiglas as a (replaceable) scratch-protective layer on top of the primary lexan window? I don't know if you would encounter any optical problems with such a setup, but it might be worth considering.

Bert

"habbi" wrote:

I've had good results on plexiglass using Ebony car polishing compound and a Milwaukee buffer with a soft buff and slow to medium speed on the buffer.

Note: it can be had cheaper from most plastics vendors or commercial hardware suppliers than direct... just Google.

It seems to be made for acrylic (plexiglass) Polycarbonate (Lexan) is totally different. I am going to try the Maguire's plastx and so what happens.

On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 16:21:39 GMT, "habbi" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Just a question. Does the lexan sheet have to be across the full width of the pipe? If you could make a stainless steel plate, and only have an aperture large enough to let the vidcam work, you could save a lot of money and maybe use some glass instead of plastic.

I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not.

Nice to see another Islander here on the list :-)

James Crombie

Summerside PEI

Hoo boy - 'tis islander we is talking about. I hail from Digby island off the west coast of BC - hard by the 'quaint' city of Prince Rupert. The left coast - the best coast! Regards. Ken.

When you check the results, look at something in a bucket full of water and have the one surface wet. I think you will only need to really polish the inside surface.

One of the researchers at Lockheed came up with a system of making lenses that uses liquids as well as various glasses to achieve better color correction. One of the advantages was that the glass surfaces that interfaced with the liquids did not need a really polished surface.

Dan