acrilic polishing?

[mainereefer]

I picked up a 28g acrylic tank that has lots of fine scratches. I bought the novus kit to polish the tank my question now is what polishing pad do I get for the drill

 

[JPG@CFI]

You can try a buff ball that you get at an auto parts store. I'd go at it by hand with a cotton cloth first. Try the fine polish first, then if need be go with the heavy scratch polish. J

 

[fragmatic]

+1

Also there is a soft sponge rubber pad at the store for the final micro fine power polish.. keep the RPMs down or you will "burn" the surface. Meaning it will get just hot enough for a micro second and smear. Be sure to keep the surfaces wet with the polishes. Final buff is with the lint free cloth as stated above.

The last stage is with a propane torch but you better be careful. You just brush the flame across the CLEAN (no polish) surface and it glazes.

 

[mainereefer]

will the foam balls scratch the tank? i have been trying to find a microfiber pad but they are hard to find and expensive will the wool and synthetic fiber pads work

 

[fragmatic]

The micro polish should be applied with the soft white foam rubber pad

 

[Dana]

Stay away from wool unless you have ALOT of experience with buffers.

 

[mainereefer]

I was planning on using a magic eraser with the novus 1 to finish polish the problem is finding something to use with novus 2

 

[Dana]

Well you can use the good old hand to do it lol
Grab a microfiber towel from an auto parts store and go to town

 

[Reefing Madness]

Novus Acrylic Polish
Fairly easy to do. Deeper scratches yoiu will need a buffer, and wet sand paper. Comes out looking like brand new.
You can use the micro towels to wipe.
Use same towels with Novus 2 as you do 1. The Novus 3 is the same also, but using a buffer makes it come out more even.
Using a Buffer with a fine wool polisher is not a big deal, just gotta keep it moving or you'll burn and melt.

 

[Rikerbear]

I am not very good at it sadly. My hairline scratches just won't go away for me. I have not gotten a buffing pad for the drill or dremel cause I am SO afraid of making it worse.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Don't worry about making it worse, just do it in a spot of the tank first, so you get used to doing it. When doing it, remember to keep the Novus on it, you will buff it on, and it will buff it in and then get warm and it will remove it next. In other words you will put Novus on the buffing pad, put it to the tank, it will dull up, and you will keep buffing it until it removes it from the tank, you will see it clear up. then reapply again, and again, until you see them gone. Use #2 for your hairline, then go to 1.

 

[fragmatic]

It takes some elbow grease.. and besides your scratches may be too deep.

 

[Reefing Madness]

It takes some elbow grease.. and besides your scratches may be too deep.

Then it requires more elbow grease, and some wet/sand paper :bigsmile:

 

[fragmatic]

Then it requires more elbow grease, and some wet/sand paper :bigsmile:

LOL.... lol.. you've been there too, huh? LOL.. yep... lots of elbow grease.. and I think if you aren't used to it you aren't done if your finger tips still have skin on them... some how the plastic knows that.

 

[Reefing Madness]

LOL.... lol.. you've been there too, huh? LOL.. yep... lots of elbow grease.. and I think if you aren't used to it you aren't done if your finger tips still have skin on them... some how the plastic knows that.

Oh yea, been there done that. If it weren't for a buffer i'd not have any fingers left.

 

[mainereefer]

the problem I am having is finding the buffing pad except a foam buffing ball. anyone have a link to a cheap pad?

 

[Dana]

http://www.google.com/shopping/prod...8NMTY0gHWn4CABA&ved=0CGkQ8wIwAg#hsec:overview

 

[mainereefer]

http://www.google.com/shopping/prod...8NMTY0gHWn4CABA&ved=0CGkQ8wIwAg#hsec:overview

again foam,
looking for microfiber. only one I can find is flitz
Flitz Buff 'n Wax Balls WB201 - SummitRacing.com

 

[Reefing Madness]

Why are you looking for micro fiber for the pad? I used a cotton pad on mine. Your using this for the buffing, the acrylic polish is going to do its work, micro fiber isn't going to make any difference here.

 

[fragmatic]

To get these supplies look for a auto refinish supply company like English Color (places that provide the local body shops & restorations shops with supplies). They will have everything to micro polish any finish.