Deep acrylic scratchs

[nfored]

I am getting ready to start repair.

The scratch is super super deep like deep enough I can put finger nail inside it. but not deep enough to measure. So I have read that I need to use 400 - 800 grit on that scratch going in a straight line. Then once its gone go to like 1200 and go in a straight line perpendicular to the first then repeat up to 3000 grit.

My question is this, only one place did I see this but it seems important so I want to ask about it. One website said never to try sand just the spot where the scratch is, that you have to sand the entire area down to the lowest point in the scratch. It says if you don't do this it will have distortion.

For fine scratches it doesn't seem to really matter since you don't sand much just buff.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cloudk]

I have some deep scratches as well. Can u please refer me to where u read this scratch removal method? I'd love to get rid of my gouges too. Thanks alot

 

[Soggy]

first I would investigate scratch fillers so that you don't have to sand away so much tank. I didn't see anything obvious with a quick google search but I would think there would be a product out their somewhere.

I havn't repaird any major scratches in my tank but I use 3M rubbing compound to remove the small stuff, works great and brings the tank to a mirror finish.

 

[mofisher]

ive used novus for deep and fine acrylic scratches and it works really well

 

[Cloudk]

I use novus scratch remover. There are 3 types; for clouding, for mild scratches, and deeper scratches. But their definition of a deep scratch must be vastly different from mine. But it worked well for the rest of my scuffs. I'd definatly reccomend it. But it only does so much. Which is my trouble

 

[nfored]

http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/reference/aquarium-restoral.htm

Looking at their definition I might even fall under groove. Lucky the tank is 1.5 thick so even though its deep, its not that bad compared to the overall depth.

 

[nfored]

I really would hate to have to sand the whole tank down this much, and if thats the case I might just live with it. Not because of the work, but because I don't want to mess with the structural integrity of the whole tank.






This is the only way my pump sleeps is on top of my other dog. Just fun picture.

 

[nfored]

Bump

For anyone about sanding the whole surface vs just sanding the scratch?

 

[jcardona1]

Bump

For anyone about sanding the whole surface vs just sanding the scratch?

I wouldn't do the whole surface, but you'll definitely want to sand an area several times bigger than the scratch. Think about it, a scratch is an indentation in the material. When sanding or buffing, you're not actually removing the scratch. What you're doing is removing the surrounding material, so that comes down to the same level as the scratch.

So if you focus all your sanding efforts on that small area, the effects of the material removed from that small area will be more pronounced, giving you that optical distortion.

 

[nfored]

Thanks, I will just do maybe 6" in each direction, I think the distortion is the reason they wanted you to do the whole surface so that you don't get distortion. But I think the distortion wouldn't be so noticeable it would be distraction. I almost bet it will be less noticeable then that ugly scratch.