Updating plastic elements of a car with the help of special pastes. Grinding and polishing of plastic products

grinding and polishing of plastics.

Plastics, they are also polymers, are widely used in the manufacture of various products, one can even say that the objects around us in everyday life are mainly made of polymers (plastics). Moreover, for specialists, the terms "polymers" and "plastics" are not the same thing. In plastics, there can be a significant amount of various fillers and additives, and the polymer in them acts as a binder.

The peculiarity of plastics during machining and in particular during grinding and polishing is their relatively low melting point (60-150C), low thermal conductivity, viscosity, relative softness of the polymer (50-85 Shore D). But at the same time, those properties that are disadvantages in mechanical polishing and grinding, such as low melting point and low thermal conductivity, can be an advantage in other polishing methods.

The main feature of working with plastics is that they must not be overheated, i.e. sawing and polishing at high speeds. This can cause the plastic to ignite, melt and lose its properties.

All plastics have their own hardness, density and heat resistance. Therefore, the process of grinding and polishing can be different for different plastics (polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyester resin etc.) And also depend on the content of the filler, the degree of fullness and the type of filler.

According to all these parameters, a paste, circle, emery cloth or other abrasive is selected.

The last and important factor is the quality of the casting. If Silicone molds poor quality, then the plastic casting will require more costs on processing, including the entire process from rough peeling to finish polishing to a mirror finish.

For example, in Polystone and Polywood plastic there is a ceramic filler and glass balls. Ceramic filler gives Polystone abrasion resistance and pressure resistance, respectively, when grinding, use more aggressive wheels and pastes, skins.

Polywood is a relatively soft plastic and is difficult to sand and almost never polished. Although it is easy to cut and saw.

ProtoCast-80R (78 Shore D) and ProtoCast-85R (72 Shore D) lend themselves best to polishing, they are perfectly cut, processed with a milling cutter and a chisel, forming even chips. Perfectly polished with a soft white unstitched wheel or fluff with polishing paste. ProtoCast-85R due to its low hardness is easily processed by hand with a chisel and abrasives.

LasilCast and ProtoCast -150 are more difficult to polish due to their high hardness and density, but nevertheless can be processed both manually and with a drill (or on a polishing machine).

Polishing of plastics can be done in the following ways:

1. Mechanical
2. Thermal
3. Chemical

mechanical polishing.

When mechanical polishing of polymers, the main attention must be paid to the absence of overheating of the plastic, which can happen very easily with low thermal conductivity.

If you need to sand and polish a small area, given the machinability of plastics, it is best to sand and polish the plastic by hand, periodically checking the surface temperature with your finger. However, we will give the modes of machining (which for some may be a limitation of manual processing):

Peripheral speed - 12-15 m/s
Specific pressure on the treated surface - 0.2-0.1 kg / cm2

That is, when grinding and polishing polymers, the required pressure on the surface is 10 times, and the speed is 3 times less than when polishing steel. In the final stages of processing, the pressure should be the lowest.

Now about what tools to use for grinding and polishing.

With grinding, everything is clear, we take an ordinary sandpaper with a grain size of about 800 grit and finer, and we grind successively moving to a different grain size, as when grinding any other material. After grinding with sandpaper, the stage of polishing with pastes follows.

Sources report that for the processing of plastic parts, semiconductor crystals, polishing pastes are used that do not contain fats, such pastes are easily washed off with aqueous solutions (all LUXI pastes).
Various plastics have different ability interact with the components of the pastes, so the selection of pastes is always individual. Try different ones before you find best option polishing paste. As a rule, two types of paste are used for polishing. The first coarser (LUXI brown) levels the surface, making it smooth, but leaving a matte finish. Then, LUXI blue or beige is used for polishing. Someone stops at this stage, but who needs exceptional shine and gloss should be finished with a paste on a thinner corundum (LUXI white or orange).
Water-based pastes, after a simple wipe with a clean cotton cloth, can be easily removed.

With mechanical polishing, it is also important on which wheels the paste is applied.

For coarser pastes (LUXI brown, LUXI blue) a yellow or white stitched circle is used.

For thin finishing pastes (LUXI beige, LUXI white) white unsewn circle of cotton, flannel.

Grinding and polishing LasilCast 1-10 with Filler B (aluminum hydroxide) or Filler AL (aluminum oxide).

Edges, "flash" after the skin 220-460 gr, thinner skins 1000 or 1200 gr, or better Luxi black paste on a yellow stitched circle. Then use Luxi brown paste (on a white stitched circle Lux ol) to remove scratches, then to add shine - Luxi blue or beige paste. The speed is selected each time on its own different stages work. But on a polishing machine, no more than 800-1000 rpm.

PlasticProtoCast-85R it will be enough to polish in one step - with Luxi blue paste on a white stitched wheel, or if there are roughnesses, first sand Luxi brown on a yellow stitched wheel, and then polish Luxi beige and / or white on a white non-stitched wheel.

Thermal polishing

Thermal polishing consists in melting surface irregularities under the action of a heated gas, and is made possible due to the relatively low melting temperature of polymers. This treatment is only suitable for so-called thermoplastics - polymers that melt when heated.

Chemical polishing

The chemical polishing of polymers differs from the chemical polishing of metals, and consists in the action of a solvent on the plastic. Some car polishes for plastic work on this principle. The disadvantages of such solvent-based products include solvent vapors inhaled by humans and a fire hazard.

Do-it-yourself plastic polishing: restoring the surface

Plastic has become almost indispensable material. It is found in every home and office. Household items, dishes, toys, household appliances, car elements are made from it, and it is also widely used for interior decoration. Plastic has many advantages such as:

• ease;
• cheapness;
• ease of use;
• unpretentious content;
• resistance to temperature changes.

All these qualities allowed him to firmly gain a foothold in the goods market. However, plastic is exposed to external influences, as a result of which, scratches and scuffs often appear on it, the original gloss of the object is lost, which will certainly upset everyone. And such an item as a car headlight, if worn, significantly spoils the life of car owners. Replacing headlights is a rather expensive pleasure, and not every driver is willing to spend money on it. But in fact, the wear of plastic is not a reason for frustration, because returning your favorite item is practically original view, you can even at home with your own hands.

Where to begin

To begin with, we determine what exactly needs to be revived? After all, for different items made of plastic, processing may differ. Plastic polishing can be:

Depending on the nature of the abrasion, if there are deep scratches, it is worth grinding before polishing. If there are no deep scratches, polishing will solve all problems.

In fact, having high plasticity and low melting point, plastic is quite easy to both grind and polish. Therefore, if you approach this issue correctly, then polishing will breathe life into even the oldest items.

Sanding plastic

So, if you need to update an item that has been badly damaged by external influences and has many obvious scratches, prepare the material. It is necessary to clean the plastic from dirt, greasy traces, residues of special coatings.

It is worth noting that if the plastic is framed by another material, then it is worth pasting over it with masking tape so as not to scratch it while grinding the plastic.

After the material is ready for processing, take a waterproof skin, initially of a rather large texture, and start sanding. The main thing here is accuracy. Slowly, centimeter by centimeter, process the surface, making sure that the material does not overheat. It is very good to sand plastic in soapy water. If possible, you can use a special grinder, this will significantly reduce the time spent on this stage, but in this case you should refuse water!

When you see that deep scratches have evened out, it is worth replacing the skin with a smaller one and continuing in the same way. It is worth changing several varieties of the skin, moving from large to smaller ones, before you get the desired effect. In order not to miss errors, after each stage, wipe the plastic with a dry cloth, so you will see all the shortcomings and be able to correct them in time.

Plastic polishing

So, we got rid of scratches. The next step, no less time-consuming, will be polishing, which will make the product almost new. How to polish plastic so as not to spoil the thing with your own hands?

After grinding, the surface became smooth and matte, and when polished, it is necessary to achieve smoothness and gloss of the material. IN modern world many car dealerships and companies offer plastic polishing. However, a special paste is used for this, which can be bought at every car shop and simple devices. The choice of polishing pastes is quite large, the first thing to start from is the choice of paste specifically for plastic! Keep this in mind when you buy it, otherwise, due to inexperience, you can not revive the item, but completely ruin it. Contact the consultant in the store, he will certainly advise the one that suits you.

Also, many advise using GOI paste, which is used to polish the plaques on the belts of soldiers. But this option is more suitable for large items that do not require special transparency. For small details that require the highest quality of polishing, it is still worth using specialized pastes, because they are able to restore the gloss and transparency of the plastic.

There are many polishing methods themselves - someone does it with their own hands, someone with a drill, someone with a grinder.

Manual polishing of plastic

So, you have decided that you will polish the surface by hand. Option suitable for small surfaces and small parts. Let's start with the pasta we talked about above. Such a paste should be absolutely homogeneous, without any grains and impurities, to make it more glossy, you can add a little oil to it. Apply it better with a piece of felt or felt. Having covered the entire surface of the object, we begin to polish. With light circular movements, with a little pressure, polish the surface for 15-20 minutes. If the part was not badly damaged, then you will like the effect. But if the wear was significant, then it will take much longer to polish.

How to polish plastic with a drill bit.

The second method - polishing with a drill, implies the presence of this very tool in your arsenal. If there is a drill, it works, and you know how to use it, then feel free to go to the store for a special polishing nozzle. Such a nozzle is quite inexpensive and it is not difficult to buy it. However, do not forget to tell the seller that polishing will be done using the nozzle. It is easily attached to the drill and allows you to quickly achieve desired result. With this technology, it is possible to polish the most miscellaneous products, and most often it is used for car headlights, which makes them transparent and smooth. In this case, it is also worth using special pastes, because it is they, in combination with do-it-yourself processing, that give the perfect result.

On this option, you can save some money by replacing the grinding nozzle with a piece of felt that is inserted into the drill chuck. Felt polishing is very effective, but you need to fix the material well enough, otherwise the fabric will pop out and cause you a lot of inconvenience.

Polishing plastic with a polishing machine

And the third option is polishing polishing machine. Not every home has such a device, but the thing is quite useful and convenient. It will always come in handy for car enthusiasts for do-it-yourself polishing of plastic and headlights. And in the house you can always easily polish any object, spending only a few minutes on it. Therefore, if your budget allows and you are sure that this thing will come in handy for you, that is, you will have to polish it often, you should buy such a machine. You can find it at any power tool store.

Before final polishing, it is worth walking through plastic surface with a damp nozzle of the polishing machine, so you get rid of the remaining dirt and prepare the surface for the final step. On the final stage special pastes and a special foam rubber circle should be used. Polishing plastic. This process takes 2-3 minutes, so you are guaranteed to save time and effort.

Polishing

After each type of polishing, it is worth covering the surface with a special polish for plastic. Using any of the devices, apply the polish to the plastic in a small layer and rub it well with a nozzle or cloth, and then walk over the surface with a tool. This little nuance will allow you to complete the process and consolidate the result. After all this, you will be satisfied with the result.

It is also worth remembering that if a plastic object is exposed to water, then the layer created by the paste and polish is washed out over time. Therefore, polish the plastic with your own hands as soon as you notice that the object has begun to fade. This will help keep the effect for a long time.

Like this, using simple fixtures, special tools and a little skill, you can give a second life to many plastic items. One has only to responsibly approach this issue and take into account all the necessary nuances. Polishing allows you to save sometimes quite a decent amount of money, and if you have time, even earn money. 'Cause now you know how to polish required item and you can do it not only for yourself, but also for others.

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How to remove scratches from plastic, interests every person, I assure you! Every home, every family has a huge amount of plastic items that you use every day. Outer case refrigerator, Appliances, a mobile phone, even the interior and bumper of a car - all this is made of plastic. Therefore, today's article will be of interest to absolutely everyone - from housewives who are puzzling over how to restore their former shine to the refrigerator cover, to avid motorists who want to remove a scratch from the bumper with their own hands.

On the modern market There are many ways to remove scratches from plastic material, but they are only effective if the damage is not too deep. The most common of them:

• polishes to remove scratches;
• special pencils;
• paste to fill the damage.

Dear hostesses and their attentive husbands, you need to use these products strictly according to the instructions. These funds can be colorless and colored.

If the scratch is quite deep, then it is better to choose a color tool, since the depth will need to be filled with a suitable shade.

Remember that a deep scratch often looks lighter than the main background, so don't put off this "operation" until tomorrow. It is better to fill it in and paint over it in a timely manner.

And now useful information for your husbands, and for you, of course, dear ladies, if you are happy owners of a car! Minor damage and scratches are most effectively removed with car body polishes. They may be:

• rough, textured with abrasive particles;
• finishing, with a soft silicone texture.

So here it is for plastic used in everyday life, choose only finishing polishes so as not to further damage the restored surface.

Whichever remedy you choose, is applied to the damaged surface with a soft flannel cloth. An ordinary diaper is ideal for this mission.

And now I want to tell you about a little trick. Extreme craftsmen remove scratches with a lighter. “How is this possible?” you ask. And here's how: the flame of a lit lighter should be brought to the scratched area, but no closer than 5 - 8 mm, well, then very carefully and with jewelry precision lead the flame along the scratch. The plastic will melt a little and thereby tighten the scratch. If you managed to “sew up” the scratch in this way, then do not touch the plastic element for about 30 minutes: let it cool down thoroughly.

If the scratch proudly "flaunts" on the dashboard of an elite and expensive car, then it is better to contact the service for help, especially since many now have the "rubbing scratches" service.

We remove scratches in the car interior

You can even remove scratches from plastic in a car interior at home. Each driver cares about the appearance of the car interior no less than the serviceability of the engine. Therefore, for each owner or owner of a car, the following information will be very useful. Thanks to these methods, you can effectively remove a scratch from the plastic in the cabin and avoid replacing damaged elements.

Depending on how deep the scratches are and on what surface they appeared, there are the following ways to fix this problem:

• use of a hair dryer;
• masking small scratches with polishing agents;
• polishing scratches with a special pencil;
• thorough repair of the plastic element.

For embossed surfaces, only the last two methods can be used, as others will only aggravate the situation and spoil the appearance of the plastic.

Well, dear motorists, let's go:

1. We remove scratches with a hair dryer. A well-known hair dryer can effectively rid the plastic of minor scratches. Moreover, you can use both a regular hair dryer and a building one. The algorithm of action is very simple: when the plastic is heated, small scratches and defects are tightened on their own due to slight melting.

In order to remove scratches from the torpedo, you must first wash the plastic thoroughly using detergents. This will rid the scratches of accumulated dirt and dust, and heat damage will heal faster. When the panel is dry, turn on the hair dryer on the lowest setting and aim at the area to be restored. If there is no change, you can increase the exposure temperature so that the plastic begins to melt a little. Keeping the hair dryer at one point is not recommended in order to avoid excessive heating of the plastic. If you do everything right, then the damage will heal right before your eyes or noticeably improve, and it will be easier to remove them in the future by polishing. Only after the plastic one has completely cooled down, it will be possible to touch it.

2. Remove damage by polishing. The safest and easy method to remove scratches in the car interior is polishing with special abrasive products.

Those pastes that are intended for paintwork surfaces should not be used: purchase only those that are designed specifically for soft plastic.

You can polish with a grinder, while making sure that the spindle is set at minimum speed. If this is not available, then polishing can be done by hand. It is so easy that even you gentle hostesses can do it.

Scratch removal occurs in the following sequence:

• • wear rubber gloves and proceed to wash the plastic surface detergents. Take Special attention those areas where there is old dirt and a huge amount of dust;
  • it is necessary to thoroughly dry the restored surface;
  • after that for small scratches and damaged areas abrasive paste is applied. With a small sponge or piece of foam rubber, apply the product to scratches. In order for the paste to begin its action, it must be given some time, which is described in the instructions for use.;
  • when the paste gets White color, you can start the polishing process.

Tepe Use circular motions to clean off the remaining abrasive paste, periodically removing the resulting dust. Upon completion of the "plastic surgery" in the interior of your car, the plastic surface must be thoroughly washed, but you must act carefully and carefully so as not to create new damage and scratches.

3. We use a masking pencil. This is perhaps the fastest and easiest method of masking scratches in the cabin and on the bumper of a car. I cannot call this method budgetary, since high-quality pencils are quite expensive. But they are enough for a long time, so you can safely spend money once, especially since such a restoration in a car dealership will not cost less.

This pencil is filled special composition. With the right shade, the content of the pencil fills the scratch, and it simply becomes invisible.

Often the panel has a standard color of black or gray, so choose correct shade pencil will be much easier.

Removing scratches from plastic is as follows:

• • damaged areas are thoroughly cleaned of all kinds of contaminants;
  • dry well;
  • scratches and defects are filled with the sharp part of the pencil, time is given to dry;
  • after that, you can remove the excess content of the pencil and start polishing - this will smooth out the sharp transition between the restored area and the main surface of the panel.

4. Overhaul and removing scratches from plastic. The most difficult and time-consuming method of restoring a plastic surface in a car is painting. But it is this method that will effectively hide all the flaws and defects. Moreover, thanks to this, you can change the interior of the car by changing the color of the panel. Therefore, even this time-consuming process has its advantages.

The first step is to remove the damaged part, because this is the only way you will not damage the upholstery and the integrity of the windows. The plastic part is removed in accordance with the instruction manual given by the manufacturer.

Now I suggest you, dear motorists, as well as their husbands, who will do all this, to consider in more detail all the stages of work:

• • the part from which it is necessary to remove all scratches, thoroughly wash and remove all contaminants using detergents;
  • the next step is to grind the damaged surface, but if your panel has a relief structure, then in this case it does not apply;
  • if the panel has a smooth surface, then it can be sanded with a special machine or manually using sandpaper;
  • then the prepared surface is covered with a special primer, which is sold in cans. Be sure to choose a primer that will not react with plastic.;
  • after you have applied two layers of primer, the surface should be treated with a fine abrasive to a perfectly even state;
  • if there are deep damages on the panel, then they must be repaired with putty;
  • upon completion repair work the surface of the panel is covered with the selected color. Optionally, you can treat the plastic with varnish, but in some cases it can create glare and interfere with driving.

Now, you know about all the tricks and methods that will help you effectively remove absolutely any scratches in the car interior, as well as from the bumper. From now on, when new scratches appear, you can easily decide what to use in this case: a corrective pencil or ask your beloved husband again to make a small “repair” and repaint the panel in a color that matches perfectly with your new coat.

Removing scratches from phone plastic

It is not surprising that various defects appear on a mobile phone, since we use it every day, so now I will tell you 10 secrets that will help remove scratches from the plastic of your phone.

I want to immediately warn owners of expensive smartphones or tablets that to perform such experiments with the sensor is a risk, anyway! Therefore, I recommend that you carry out such manipulations only if you are confident in your abilities and dexterity.

Do not forget that before starting work, you should protect all the connectors of your gadget from moisture and other means that we will use for this.

So, dear readers, I propose to consider the main recommendations and secrets that will help remove scratches from the plastic and phone screen.

I want to summarize that all these tools can really effectively cope with minor defects and remove scratches from the plastic of your phone. But they can't deal with deep damage. Therefore, I would like to give you advice, dear readers: if significant damage has appeared on your phone, it would be better to contact service center. Well, you can mask minor defects while you are about to go there, using these means. Good luck and be as careful as possible!

Removing scratches on glasses

Minor defects can be removed using the following improvised means:

1. Polish for silver and copper products. To eliminate minor scratches, simply apply this product to the glasses and wipe with a dry cloth or fiber cloth. This procedure should be carried out until the scratches completely disappear.
2. Wood polish + Vaseline. Buy in store household chemicals special remedy for polishing wooden surfaces. It is enough to treat the lenses of the glasses with this tool and add a few drops of petroleum jelly to each. These products will fill in damaged areas and make them less noticeable. Polish the damaged plastic of the glasses until the Vaseline is completely wiped off. When the scratches disappear from view, you can finish polishing.
3. Special tool for computer office equipment. This tool is usually used for computer disks, as it perfectly eliminates all kinds of scuffs and minor scratches. It should be applied to the plastic of the glasses with a soft fiber.
4. Wax. You can effectively polish the plastic lenses of the glasses with wax. Apply a small amount of wax to a dry, soft cloth and rub the lenses in a circular motion. Residues can be removed with a dry cloth or cotton pads.
5. Glass tool. In order to remove scratches from the plastic of your glasses, you can use the glass cleaner in the car. Apply the product to the glass and polish with a dry cloth. It will perfectly remove small scratches and will prevent glasses from fogging.
6. Glass abrasive. A similar medium is used in painting and is the only product that will remove all scratches, not mask them. This abrasive contains hydrofluoric acid, so you can only use it if your glasses are made of plastic.

If your glasses have an anti-reflective coating, then be prepared to part with it using an abrasive. When using this product, the acid will remove any coating, but plastic lenses will remain intact:

• put on rubber gloves;
• dip the glasses glasses into a container that is filled with this abrasive;
• wait a few minutes;
• rinse lenses with cool water;
• all items that have been used and come into contact with the abrasive should be discarded immediately.

Despite the fact that the anti-reflective coating has disappeared from your glasses, now there is not a single scratch on them, and their visibility has improved significantly!

Now that's all! All the tips and tricks that I knew, I told you everything. Now you are a real pro in the field of removing scratches from any type of plastic and from any thing! From today, such an unpleasant problem as scratches on plastic will disappear from your life forever! And you will enjoy the bright moments with a smile, looking through the updated lenses of the glasses and driving your "restored" car.

Active operation of the car leads to the inevitable appearance of scratches on the plastic parts of the body and in the cabin. The bumper is the first to meet dirt and stones flying from under the wheels of the cars in front, and dashboard and pads on the dashboard more often than others come into contact with the driver.

Any scratches on the bumper and in the cabin are quite simply removed by polishing the plastic of the car, but this operation does not always give the desired effect. Do-it-yourself plastic processing technology (polishing paste or other abrasives) directly depends on their type, as well as the severity of the damage that has appeared. In addition, a different approach is needed to restore scratched and yellowed plastic, and textured plastic after standard processing may lose original look. The nature of polishing also depends on the paintwork used (both before and after the repair of parts).

Plastic polishing: technology

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The main difference between enamel and plastic coating processing is the hardness of these materials. acrylic enamel easily endures the impact that would lead to melting or severe irreparable deformation of the strongest plastic. polymer coating also vulnerable to UV radiation (direct sunlight), which results in unwanted yellowing of parts.

The conditional classification of do-it-yourself methods for restoring minor defects on plastic looks like this:

• Processing with compositions with medium-grained abrasive inclusions (it is far from necessary to remove upper layer plastic, if it does not have deep scratches);
• Treatment of scratches with "soft" (fine-grained) skins;
• Processing with non-abrasive compounds (felt, pastes ...).

All methods can be divided into two stages: restoration measures (treatment with wax polishes) and polishing itself, which involves removing a thin layer of plastic in order to even out scratches. A combination of both methods is considered optimal.

Do-it-yourself plastic polishing must be carried out using water, that is, sandpaper and the surface of the part need continuous wetting (this will protect it from overheating, and also quickly remove the polymer particles formed as a result of grinding). Some car enthusiasts even polish plastic under a continuous stream of water. This greatly simplifies the process, but excessive moisture can reduce the effectiveness of processing with fine-grained "sandpaper": due to the abundance of water, the abrasive simply loses contact with the surface.

The first abrasive (its number) must be selected in accordance with the nature of the damage:

• To remove large scratches (more than 0.2 mm) - P400, P600;
• To restore the shine of the part (eliminate a network of scratches) - P1000-P1500;
• For finishing polishing and updating a slightly dull shine - P2000 + compositions, up to very soft pastes that do not have an abrasive.

If you are having trouble finding the right material, you can use toothpaste to polish the plastic. Of course, this method will not allow you to achieve the effect that can be obtained using specialized formulations, but it will allow you to get out of the situation.

How to properly polish

With a grinder

Even the simple processing of a car torpedo can take a lot of time if you do the grinding yourself. Using a single sandpaper does not require any sophisticated equipment. Enthusiasts manage to adapt a combination of tape recorder motors to be used as the engine of a makeshift grinder. However, an ordinary drill will cope with this task better if you carefully wrap a rag with paste on its end (you can also use a toothbrush).

GOI paste for polishing car plastic

Since pressure on the surface during mechanized polishing is contraindicated, the speed of rotation is important, not the applied efforts of the master.

If you decide to adapt hand drill for processing plastic, make sure that the nozzle has the ability to fix the polishing material (felt with paste or polish, etc.).

Manufacturers produce special pastes for polishing various car parts (difference in the properties of the material being processed), but there are also universal compositions. So, working with GOI paste will help get rid of any scratches (the main thing is to choose the right number).

Avoid overheating the parts you are dealing with. When working with an eccentric machine, it is difficult to control the pressing force, as a result of which plastic can be easily melted. Such damage can hardly be called irreversible, but it will take a lot of time and effort to eliminate them.

With a hair dryer

As we said above, plastic is subject to heat during processing. This property, in addition to the fact that it threatens with the appearance of hard-to-correct deformations, can be used in our favor. Yes, preheat plastic part building hair dryer will greatly simplify further work with her.

But do not forget that heating can adversely affect paintwork . If there is paint on the part, it makes sense to completely abandon the treatment with the help of thermal exposure.

The hair dryer warms up not local areas of damaged parts, but large areas(for uniform heating). The scratches will begin to heal as the plastic slowly melts. This process very difficult to control due to the unpredictable behavior of the plastic at high temperatures: if you overdo it with heat, it will float instead of tightening. Therefore, increase the temperature gradually, continuously monitoring the process in order to have time to stop at the right time.

You should not count on the complete tightening of large scratches and heat the plastic in anticipation of their disappearance. It is enough to wait for the edges to melt, after which further processing of the defect (with the same polishes) will not be difficult.

Do-it-yourself polishing of car plastic (with various abrasives, special or even toothpaste) will not allow you to completely get rid of serious scratches, but it can significantly refresh general form details. Door moldings and thresholds (the areas most touched by feet) are not subject to polishing: they are periodically replaced with new ones.

Plexiglas is a material that has consolidated its position both in everyday life and in production. Its technical characteristics (strength, transparency, thermoplasticity) are not inferior to those of conventional glass. The operation of organic glass may lead to the need for its polishing. Is it possible to polish the material at home and how? What is included in the preparation and processing process? Everything is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Features of the material and scope of application

Organic glass is obtained from acrylic acid through the implementation of various chemical reactions. This material is similar in various respects to ordinary glass, but its nature is organic (hence the name of the material). There are several synonymous words - plexiglass, acryplast, carboglass, etc.

Among the main characteristics of plexiglass can be highlighted:

• ease;
• softness;
• the ability to easily transform;
• malleability during processing;
• high throughput;
• When exposed to certain chemicals, plexiglass decomposes.

The impact resistance of many types of plexiglass is 5 times greater than that of ordinary

Polymeric transparent material is used in various areas of human life, so the operation of organic glass can lead to a change in its appearance- deterioration of transparency, decrease in gloss, appearance of scratches, roughness and other unfavorable moments. Carboglass with large damage from glass turns into ordinary plastic. In this regard, the question often arises of the need for polishing plexiglass at home.

Ways to polish plexiglass at home

It is possible to give products from plaxiglass their original appearance without resorting to help complex tools or expensive materials.

There are several effective methods combating the "non-commodity" type of plexiglass:

• Felt + GOI paste.
• The use of dichloroethane.
• The use of polishes.
• Home recipes (wine vinegar, toothpaste, etc.)

Using GOI paste, sandpaper and felt (with detailed video)

You should know that there are coarse, medium and fine types of GOI paste

Algorithm:

1. Isolation of plaxiglass from other structures and elements. If possible, separate the plexiglass from other structures (glue the adjacent areas with adhesive tape, detach the plexiglass parts, etc.)
2. Using 2000 grit sandpaper, sand the organic glass, periodically wetting the surface with water (under running water or using a spray bottle). Uniformity and slowness are the main characteristics in the performance of this work. A matt, uniform surface should be the result of this time-consuming step.
3. The part wiped dry is polished using felt with GOI paste applied to it. This should be done slowly, achieving the highest quality result.

This method of repairing plexiglass is suitable for plexiglass with large scratches on it.

By following the step-by-step instructions in the video, you can easily cope with the task of eliminating plexiglass defects.

Home helpers (toothpaste, chalk and others) + video

As a polishing agent, some craftsmen use chalk or toothpaste, applying these substances to a felt or other soft cloth. How to polish - manually or with the help of technology - each specialist decides independently. The main thing is to get the result in the form of a smooth and shiny surface.

You can use regular towels natural materials. Apply a little dentifrice paste on them and rub it in a circle into the surface to be treated. After that, rinse the plexiglass with plain water.

Below is a video demonstrating how to polish car headlights with toothpaste.

Is it possible to polish with your own hands using dichloroethane

The use of this substance is appropriate when processing small areas of plexiglass. Dichloroethane dissolves the top layer of plexiglass, thereby improving its appearance, leveling the surface and eliminating scratches. The chemical is applied with a spray gun to the acryplast and wait for complete drying.

But the use of this method requires a good skill in work, because when removing scratches, you can add bumps to the glass, and chemicals are not useful for a craftsman who changes the appearance of plexiglass.

Other scratch remedies

To give a smooth and shiny look, the product can be treated with any automotive polishing products.

1. It is advisable to test the effect of auto polishes by trying to process first small plot so as not to damage the entire product.
2. If the result is satisfactory, then feel free to get to work. To do this, apply auto cosmetics to a soft cloth and wipe the product in a circular motion many times.

You can speed up the process with the help of power tools - a polishing wheel, grinding machines. When using such devices, do not forget that the rotation speed should not be too high so as not to “burn” the surface.

The Japanese Compound paste received good reviews in terms of polishing carboglass.

Also included is a special polishing pad.

Choice chemical substances for glass cleaning important process, because some chemicals, instead of being useful, can cause severe damage to the surface, simply destroying it. Therefore, be very careful when using these tools.

Any action to improve the appearance of acrylic glass will be in vain if it is harmful to your health. Therefore, when working, it is necessary to remember the safety precautions:

1. When working with a sandpaper or a grinder, wear protective goggles so that possible dust particles do not get into your eyes.
2. Do not neglect the use of gloves, they are mandatory for safe work(when sanding the surface, when using chemicals). Match them to the size of your hand to avoid getting excess cloth into the polishing wheel.
3. Using chemicals don't forget to enter fresh air in the room where the work is being done.
4. When working with special devices, be sure to check their serviceability and reliability. electrical wiring and sockets.
5. When spraying dichloroethane, use a respirator or medical personal mask.

The process of polishing plexiglass at home is time-consuming and time-consuming, especially if you work manually. But the result will surely reward you for your efforts. The surface of the plexiglass will become smooth, even, without nicks and scratches and will please you for a long time.