Restoring the clarity on canopies/windscreens

[colbee2004]

Can anyone advise me on restoring the clarity of clear plastic parts. I'm in the process of re-polishing a model car windscreen after making a pigs ear of fitting it and getting glue on it. It's now down to the fine sanding stick stage. It's almost there but not quite. Does anyone know what I can use to get the final finish on it? I am about to try some Brasso and am hoping that will do it, but any advice will be of great help. Many thanks

[MikeC]

Keep going down to the finest sanding stick possible, applying plenty of patience! What sort of sanding sticks are you using? I find an assortment of nail polishing sticks/nail buffers from the manicure section of my local chemist work well. (For the avoidance of doubt I buy my own, I don't pinch MrsC's!) Mastercasters and MDC both do polishing sticks as well.

Finally, if you can get it, there's a product called "Bare Metal Plastic Polish". You'll find it around the Microscale decal solutions in the better model shops or on the show circuit, even comes in the same size of pot as Micro-Sol/Set, I use it on my canopies as a matter of course.

HTH

[seb]

As Mike suggests, keep polishing down to the finest available polishing sticks/cloths or whatever - then use Tamiya rubbing compound. Apply a small amount to your fingertip, gently rub until completely dry (this is the important bit!), repeat until satisfied. Wipe clear with very soft cloth.
Dip in Johnsons Klear (Future).

[littlecars]

There is also the micro mesh craft kit that has three padded nailfiles general abbrasives, and nine 2" square double sided micro mesh pads, grades 15000 down to 12000.
There is also a bottle of gloss polish and a polishing cloth.

Micro mesh is hard waring and lasts longer when used wet, the kit has been reviewed in several magazines over the years.

[depressedlemur]

One tip I picked up a few months ago was to use Johnsons Klear. I have used it to seal in decals, and also on canopies / windscreens and have been very impressed with the high sheen and clarity it generates. Simply apply with a brush and allow to air dry.
I tried it the first time in anger a couple of weeks ago when i tried applying some detail items to a Hawk canopy with superglue. Unfortunately I experience severe fogging, and was about to bin the darn thing, but decided to try thr Klear. Hey presto, instant clear canopy. this probably won't work with deep scratches (though I am going to try with some scrap stock) but if you are down to polishing sticks it may be worth a try.

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[mikestarmer]

Don't use Brasso, it attacks the material, or at least it did to mine. Silvo is better but I am now using cutting compound as used on cars. Just a spot on a cotton bud and gentle rubbing. I also used 1500 grit wet & dry from Halfords as the final polish before the compound polish. Then a dip into Klear.

[NoelSmith]

Try toothpaste on a damp piece of tissue. Works like a very mild cutting paste.

[hazmod]

I used 1200 wet and dry sand paper or fine polished papers for dirty clear windscreens or excess debris, after flat it and rubs with small polish, as plenty job, and After polished it and rubs with clear piece with plastic polish.

Clear moulded marks on clear canopy, I used flat it with P800, and P1200, and rubbed it with polish both

I used rubbed off an old dirty windscreen with plastic polish for restored model cars

I never used brasso or silvo

I used plastic polish bottle and nicked my polish from works. What is looked plastic polish bottle like light brown polish at around model shows