Need tips on how to buffer a acrylic fish tank
- Thread starter j-lor
- Start date
Make sure the tank is very clean or you will sand in the dirt causing more scratches.
You need ultra fine wet/dry sand paper in 1000, 1500, 2000 grit, and finer if you can find it. Depending on the scratches will dictate on what paper to start with. Deeper scratches will require starting with the coarser paper and finishing with the ultra fine. Try an auto body supply shop they will have the finest of paper. The finer you sand it the easier it will be to polish it. Use a sponge or rag and a bucket of water.
Keep the paper and surface wet when sanding.
You can buy plastic polish from a motorcycle shop, they have a few different polishes to choose from. A plastic shop will have polish and be able to offer professional advice on how to restore the acrylic.
If you choose to machine polish the tank keep the machine moving or you will burn the acrylic.
Thouroghly wash the tank out when you are finished polishing.
You need ultra fine wet/dry sand paper in 1000, 1500, 2000 grit, and finer if you can find it. Depending on the scratches will dictate on what paper to start with. Deeper scratches will require starting with the coarser paper and finishing with the ultra fine. Try an auto body supply shop they will have the finest of paper. The finer you sand it the easier it will be to polish it. Use a sponge or rag and a bucket of water.
Keep the paper and surface wet when sanding.
You can buy plastic polish from a motorcycle shop, they have a few different polishes to choose from. A plastic shop will have polish and be able to offer professional advice on how to restore the acrylic.
If you choose to machine polish the tank keep the machine moving or you will burn the acrylic.
Thouroghly wash the tank out when you are finished polishing.
It is impossible to give a simple , short answer your question although KAWAMIKIE has given you a good primer.j-lor;4128105;4128105 said:
Here are a few other thoughts
Start with the rear panel to perfect the techniques required.
If you use a powered buffer/polisher :
Clean the buffer head regularly.
Use the appropriate compounds.
Most important, don't overheat the Acrylic.
When using sand paper :
Remember, every time you touch the acrylic with sand paper you are putting scratches on it that you will have to work to remove.
Sometimes the original scratch is not worth removing.
I suggest cleaning, buffing and cleaning again before deciding what scratches to address.
If I were you and if you want a really nice finish, I would not use sand paper.. It will leave a good amount of scratches on your tank. I would go pick up a acrylic aquarium restoral kit made by clear for life. It is about $30 bucks and it comes with everything you need. 1800, 2400, 3200, 4k, 5k, and 8k micromesh as well as the finishing polisher. I compared the micromesh paper to the highest grit of sand paper I could find, which was at autozone and kragen and it was still very coarse compared to the micromesh. You may be able to find a higher grit at an auto detailing place but I just went to woodcraft and got the micro mesh.
I just used the same kit to buff out my 360 with and I am extremely pleased with the results. It did not come with enough micromesh paper for me so I had to find more micromesh somewhere else, and it was not cheap.
And remember not to do it in swirling motion as you will see swirls when you are done. You want to mark the tank in a perpendicular motion with each grit you change.
I'll scan the instructions for you...
I just used the same kit to buff out my 360 with and I am extremely pleased with the results. It did not come with enough micromesh paper for me so I had to find more micromesh somewhere else, and it was not cheap.
And remember not to do it in swirling motion as you will see swirls when you are done. You want to mark the tank in a perpendicular motion with each grit you change.
I'll scan the instructions for you...
I know when I do my bi-annual polish on my car, i use a clay bar to removed all the surface contaminates, so that I am not polishing crap into my paint and making it worse.
A clay bar with some quick detailer, with frequent kneeding of the clay bar inbetween sections would probably be a good way of getting rid of all the dirt stuck to the acrylic.
And if your going to use a buffer, use a D/A. That has a low heat build up compared to rotary, and is also begginer user friendly. Also, you need to look at the cutting of your pads when using a buffer, and make sure you are using the correct one.
When removing a product, use a high qaulity, edgeless microfiber cloth.
Just my two cents. I know acrylic isnt exactly like car paint which is where my experience comes from, but both are easy to mar
A clay bar with some quick detailer, with frequent kneeding of the clay bar inbetween sections would probably be a good way of getting rid of all the dirt stuck to the acrylic.
And if your going to use a buffer, use a D/A. That has a low heat build up compared to rotary, and is also begginer user friendly. Also, you need to look at the cutting of your pads when using a buffer, and make sure you are using the correct one.
When removing a product, use a high qaulity, edgeless microfiber cloth.
Just my two cents. I know acrylic isnt exactly like car paint which is where my experience comes from, but both are easy to mar
j-lor;4130541; said:
It should work. Remember to scratch in a straight line and change the direction of the scratch with the change of grit.
Keep in mind with the coarse grit, the more scratches you make the more work you will have to put in to take them out.
Good luck..