buffing acrylic without doing the sanding method??

[jcardona1]

Novus and a buffer works wonders. For deeper scratches, set the buffer to its highest speed. When the acrylic heats up, the scratches disappear.

But you need a good, direct drive buffer, like this:

And not one of these crappy random orbit ones

 

[DaveB]

I have not had good luck at all with a 5000 RPM buffer and Novus.

I had a good half hour conversation with a very helpful acrylic guy today and he said to use the following (or drive the tank out to him and he'd do it in an hour):

- 12000RPM orbital sander
- 3M Trimite sandpaper (which uses a different grit numbering scheme than the higher=finer system we're used to)
- buffing wheel
- super fluffy cotton buffer

He says that the sanding is very quick and easy with that paper and that being in an orbit is not a big deal, nor is the heat, and that a buffer that mimics a stationary buffing wheel (think of turning one of the hand buffers on its side) generates the necessary speed for the final polishing. He claims that the 15 grit of the Trimite gives a finish post-sanding that is a tad milky but invisible when the water is in the tank, but that you polish it up with the wheel and you get a like-new finish. His only concern was for warping if the scratches being removed were very deep. But I would think you could solve that by simply sanding the entire tank to the same depth.

If I can borrow a truck I may drive the tank out to him to see it all in action. He was so helpful and his rates so reasonable that I feel like I should give him some money.

 

[wheatgerm]

thanks for all the info guys, i went down to checker auto and picked up some plastX scratch buffer compound and a "mothers" brand buffer ball.. put it on my drill and went at it.... it actually worked very well and took out a huge portion of the scratched. it still doesnt look PERFECT but needless to say im very pleased