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  #1  
Old 08-24-2017, 06:46 AM
Hornet2008 Hornet2008 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NSW Australia
Posts: 298
Default Scratches in canopy

Hi All, During the canopy fit and build I managed to get a lot of scratching on my canopy. Ideally it will need a total refurbish as the scratches are all over. Very few catch my finger nail. Any one know of a product that can be applied and worked like a car polish for plexi? Thanks in advance
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  #2  
Old 08-24-2017, 08:09 AM
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Location: Peachtree City, Ga
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Default Sandpaper!

I know that sounds extreme, but there are several products available that go from one grit sandpaper to progressively finer products. There is also a family of polishes that has progressively finer polishes. These are available from the major aircraft parts stores.

My own 6A canopy came from an abandoned project and had a gallon of epoxy paint spilled center front. I used ordinary hardware store black sandpaper and water to sand the paint off and eventually get an acceptable view. Frightening, but it works!
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  #3  
Old 08-24-2017, 09:04 AM
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F1Boss F1Boss is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Taylor Texas
Posts: 813
Default Nuvite!

Call those folks to see if they have a miracle cure for your problem. I recall that they do have some plastic polishes...

I noticed that mine has some scratches too - so I'll be right behind ya!

Best,
Mark
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  #4  
Old 08-24-2017, 09:58 AM
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ChiefPilot ChiefPilot is offline
 
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Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Default

What Vern said. I too had some construction-related scratches, but starting with 320 grit wet paper and working to 2000 grit then the polishes completely removed any trace of them.
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  #5  
Old 08-24-2017, 10:11 AM
tim2542 tim2542 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Redding,Ca
Posts: 633
Default

Novus products work great.
Use fine grit sand paper, like 800-1200 and higher if you can catch a finger nail on it. Then work it over with #3 Novus, then #2 and finish with #1.
Scary at first but it really cleans up like new.
BTW, when Dan Mauer (Have gun will travel) painted my plane, putting the final touches on it he used 3M "Finese it" on his buffer and ran it right up onto my canopy. Scared the heck out of me but he told not to worry. I'm now convinced "Finesse it" is about the same product as Novus #2 or 3. They look and feel the same at least, and work about the same.
Tim Andres
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  #6  
Old 08-24-2017, 11:24 AM
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dwrichey dwrichey is offline
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Reedley, California
Posts: 85
Default

Always start with very fine abrasive, no coarser than say- 600 - 800 grit. One can always go coarser if after 5 - 10 minutes the scratches are not disappearing. You don't want to impart deep sanding scratches if not necessary. Sand any direction initially, but sand perpendicular to the scratch when trying to determine if its all gone. Sanding parallel to the scratch tends to hide the scratch. Do not concentrate in one area, it is very easy to change the optics (ruin) even when all the scratches have been removed! Scratches in your field of vision need to be removed with a minimum of material removal to avoid changing the optics. Follow instructions carefully- work smarter, not harder. My A & P students can spend 6 hours on a 3" x 3" and still not get it right.

Last edited by dwrichey : 08-24-2017 at 02:48 PM.
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  #7  
Old 08-24-2017, 11:40 AM
RidiculousM RidiculousM is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 113
Default

Go to MICRO-SURFACE.com and get what kit you think would work best for your canopy. You can do it by hand or orbital sander, both ways work great. I'm not affiliated with these folks at all just super happy with there stuff cuz I was in same boat as you and now its all cleared up And yes when you first start sanding you will think u destroyed it but as you progress thru the finer grades of sandpaper it gets much better pretty fast. Hope this helps.

Mike
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  #8  
Old 08-24-2017, 01:21 PM
sibriggs sibriggs is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Concord, NH
Posts: 215
Default Send it out

I think if you look around you might fine a business that specializes in restoring plastics. I had a vari-eze canopy done by a guy and it came out like new. Someone one who does it all the time can probably do it for you at a reasonable cost.

The guy I used was located in Bakersfield Ca., can't remember his name couple of years ago.
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  #9  
Old 08-24-2017, 01:25 PM
sibriggs sibriggs is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Concord, NH
Posts: 215
Default Try these guys

Here's a possibility in NSW. http://www.uticolor.com.au/plastic.html
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  #10  
Old 08-24-2017, 01:29 PM
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larrynew larrynew is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: In New Braunfels, ist das Leben schön!
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Default

I used Micro Mesh on the entire front windscreen after finishing construction. Scary at first with the coarse layer but turned out great. Available at ACS. It was what maintenance used in the military on our canopys. Also helped that I got a demo from the sales guy at Oshkosh a couple of years ago.
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