Polishing out lenses

-
moparmat2000

moparmat2000

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
20,872
Reaction score
10,846
Location
Grand Tetons
I have a bottle of micro-glaze plastic polish usually found in a micromesh plastic polishing kit. I figured i'd see what it would do on a set of 69 cuda lenses. These were also stained. First thing i did was use CLR to remove the stains on the lenses. Then i polished up the LH lens with the microglaze and a paper towel. Wow what a difference. Theres some minor scratches in the lens. I could have used 3600 sand paper first to smooth out the scratches, and still may do that, but even without doing that, its a night and day improvement.

Heres pix
Matt


20180211_145757.jpg


20180211_150947.jpg


20180211_150012.jpg


20180211_145813.jpg
 
I polished dad's 67 with similar polish. Not to 3600 grit but like yours, night n day difference.
Good work Matt.
 
Also painting them with clear polyurethane works with little effort.

Even the old toothpaste trick can get them shiny.
 
I just went back in my micro mesh kit, sanded the small scratches out in both lenses with 3600, then 4000, then 6000, and polished it out. All defects gone
 
Last edited:
Its called a micro-mesh kit. Try a motorcycle shop. Used for polishing out bike windshields.
 
moparmat2000 said:
With my new repop housings.

View attachment 1715140975
Click to expand...

Nice job! I had left mine a bit tarnished for some original old look after all the new. After seeing these, I may re-think that desicion. Your original right side looks just like both of mine for the most part. At $26 and some effort that is a good option!
 
Last edited:
How did you do the CLR? A wipe or soak?
 
Rubbed it on with a paint brush. Only needed if theres a corrosion or rust stain you need to get off the lens.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Rubbed it on with a paint brush. Only needed if theres a corrosion or rust stain you need to get off the lens.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, So just a quickie then wipe off. No rust just a light haze and minor scratching like your original right lens posted above. Discolor around the edge as shown. Gonna do it and hope that they come out that nice! Have an extra set of gaskets as well. Thanks!
 
If theres no rust or corrosion discoloration no need to hit em with CLR, just clean em well with warm soapy water before you start. If the scratches are really minor start with start with 3600 and water to wetsand and remove them, then work your way up to 6000. At the end, I used a paper towel with the micro glaze polish and just kinda buffed em hard n fast, then wiped em off with a clean damp cloth, but thats because my kit is pretty old, It should come with a very soft micro polishing cloth for that purpose, mine is long gone.
 
Thanks, they may have some wax spray but went through all the other steps and are clean. A re-wash and maybe wax stripper then get at it. The kits seems to marketed toward Lexan Air plane windshields, but after seeing your results I am all in.
 
My kit is an old aircraft window polishing kit. We went to a machine polishing system to speed things up a bit. Basically micromesh on a padded orbital, with lots of water. They werent using these anymore, and it was already used. I was told take it home, before it gets tossed in the trash
 
A big key thing is sanding like it says. If your scratches are relatively small id recommend to start with 3600. I used a paper towel, and after working a section i would dry off the water, and examine it to see if the scratches in that area were gone, once they are gone, the 4000, and 6000 go even faster because your only removing the 3600 scratches, then the 4000 scratches.
 
Yowza, those look awesome!!! I need to get me a batch of that stuff for my bike windshield...oh, and some taillight lenses!!
 
say NO top paper towels! They have wood pulp still in them and they can scratch, ask any eyeglass wearer. you know what works? virgin white Coffee filters! Same stuff as lens tissue. I have a VOM that has a chemical fogged lens and also a scratch in my stereo window Id like to clean.
 
pishta said:
say NO top paper towels! They have wood pulp still in them and they can scratch, ask any eyeglass wearer. you know what works? virgin white Coffee filters! Same stuff as lens tissue. I have a VOM that has a chemical fogged lens and also a scratch in my stereo window Id like to clean.
Click to expand...

I agree to a point however the 3600, 4000, and 6000 is actually a bit harsher than a paper towel. I only used it after the 3600 to wipe off the lens to clean it enough to inspect to see if i needed to sand more to remove the rest of the scratches, or if i sanded deep enough. Your really only talking a few thousandths of an inch. After your final 6000, the lens is almost going to have a polish to it already. The micro-glaze ,and soft cloth in the kit will make the lenses look like new. Incidentally i didnt have that cloth anymore, so i used dampened paper towel with the microglaze, and encountered no scratches, or if there were any they were so small and the red plastic hides em well enough that they cannot be seen without a magnifying glass.

I have a vintage Onkyo TX-80 tuner amplifier i bought new in 1987, along with some other rack system components. Going to mount it all in the shop. Display has a scratch in it, i'm going to polish that one out too.
 
Last edited:
All anyone can say is your results speak for themselves! Awesome!
 
moparmat2000 said:
...
I have a vintage Onkyo TX-80 tuner amplifier i bought new in 1987, along with some other rack system components. Going to mount it all in the shop. Display has a scratch in it, i'm going to polish that one out too...
Click to expand...
Let me know how it goes. I have a 1978 Hitachi SR-904 receiver that I rubbed the plastic lens on something when I was wiring it up. They don't make them like that anymore !
 
moparmat2000 said:
I cant wait to see yours when done. How about some before and after pix.
Click to expand...

Will do, but can only hope for that result!!!! I left some old charm and did not want to buy those lenses, they are over priced IMO!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top