Plastic Polishing/Cleaning Tips Wanted...

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

......
No problem with the softly, softly part. Maybe you can show pics after various treatments.
.......

Early days.
Untouched cap.
After 5 mins of Magic Eraser, bottom semicircle and one segment of rim.

Very happy so far

[KWISPEL]

continue and it will look like new.

[JPA Cate]

Wottie,

That's looking really good. Good on ya, mate.

Ann

[Wotname]

Some more progress!

I used the magic eraser all over the cap and it certainly took a lot of the dirt / grime / staining off. I followed that with a 30 minute soak in warm / hot water (50C) and dishwashing detergent using about ten times more detergent than one would use for dishes. Then a scrub with a finger nail brush and very good rinse. This had the effect of slightly dulling the surface and it looked no cleaner and somewhat duller.

I tied some T Cut polish on a segment of the rim and this had no positive effect. I stopped as the directions clearly stated that it should not be used on plastic trim - but I had to try it for myself...

Next I used some Rouge and a small felt wheel. This did restore some lustre to the cap but I had a feeling it was possibly too abrasive for this plastic. Interestingly (to me, at least) the spent Rouge did not completely wipe off with a soft cloth, rather it had to be removed with the magic eraser. I am guessing the Rouge particles were being embedded into the surface.

I then tried some polycarbonate (headlight) cleaning / polishing / sealing products again on a rim segment but they had little or no visible effect.

At this stage I am happy with the result and apart from say waxing it, I will not continue any further unless I need to purchase some other plastic polish and sealer for another project.

I decided early on to use only whatever I had already in the shed unless I couldn't achieve a reasonable outcome.

Thanks to all who posted and started my plastic cleaning / polishing learning curve - I realise I am only at the tip of the iceberg but it is interesting!

[KWISPEL]

Look nice, it is a plesure that you post the results with a picture.

[SpillTheWine]

Originally Posted by Wotname

SpillTheWine

This is exactly the sort of information I was hoping to get. I will read it over and look at the links.

Yep, I am enjoying the project and it's challenges. There is always something new to learn and CF has such an extensive knowledge base to draw on. All tips are read and most are welcome

And I gotta say it sounds way safer (for the cap) than heating it up to crispy temp with gas, then splashing so paint on (post #17).

Most welcome! Please post the finished result.

I've baked a few things but not to paint them. You can bake some things to get oils and impurities out. The process is essentially burning out oils and more that are too difficult to clean out.

Sometimes, this is what accidentally happens with old aluminum stuff that was cast decades ago or wasn't very pure to begin with. Any polisher or powder coater will tell you about this. They polish up an old aluminum XXX for someone restoring a boat or car or whatever. Then they shoot it with that aluminized resin for powder coating. Then they bake it to create the coating and it bubbles all over from the off-gassing of the oils!

Best of luck!

[SpillTheWine]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Some more progress!

I used the magic eraser all over the cap and it certainly took a lot of the dirt / grime / staining off. I followed that with a 30 minute soak in warm / hot water (50C) and dishwashing detergent using about ten times more detergent than one would use for dishes. Then a scrub with a finger nail brush and very good rinse. This had the effect of slightly dulling the surface and it looked no cleaner and somewhat duller.

I tied some T Cut polish on a segment of the rim and this had no positive effect. I stopped as the directions clearly stated that it should not be used on plastic trim - but I had to try it for myself...

Next I used some Rouge and a small felt wheel. This did restore some lustre to the cap but I had a feeling it was possibly too abrasive for this plastic. Interestingly (to me, at least) the spent Rouge did not completely wipe off with a soft cloth, rather it had to be removed with the magic eraser. I am guessing the Rouge particles were being embedded into the surface.

I then tried some polycarbonate (headlight) cleaning / polishing / sealing products again on a rim segment but they had little or no visible effect.

At this stage I am happy with the result and apart from say waxing it, I will not continue any further unless I need to purchase some other plastic polish and sealer for another project.

I decided early on to use only whatever I had already in the shed unless I couldn't achieve a reasonable outcome.

Thanks to all who posted and started my plastic cleaning / polishing learning curve - I realise I am only at the tip of the iceberg but it is interesting!

Looks great! Well done.

I'd be VERY careful with dishwasher detergents. They can wreck alot of surfaces. They are far more aggressive than most people realize including me...

As a test, take something white and pour some dishwasher detergent on it and let it soak. Yikes! Generally, that stuff only goes after biological materials but I've had it eat at alot of different surfaces.

A dishwasher repair guy I had out a few years ago told me it etches ceramic surfaces if the plates and other items are too clean. He changed the way we load the dishwasher. He schooled is to only use half the amount of soap recommended, put dishes in there pretty dirty, and same for glassware.

Sure enough, an old pattern of dinner ware from Italy my wife loved was wrecked by the dishwasher before we met this guy.

[SpillTheWine]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I think I would try cleaning it off with acetone, and painting with model airplane paint.
It’s meant to paint plastic and I think I would buy the spray can.

This may sound odd but acetone will dry out the plastic and make it brittle.

[JPA Cate]

It looks like the Magic Eraser did a fine job. Good on ya Wattie, sorry about the probs with the rouge.

Ann

[a64pilot]

I used to do a lot of polishing metals with Jewelers rouge. My Father was a Dentist.
Pretty sure it got hot enough to melt the surface.
Normally any good auto paint polish is good for plastic. We used to use Brasso on helicopter green house windows, and pledge on the windshields, it seemed the wax in the pledge would fill the scratches in the windshield and help protect it to some extent.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by SpillTheWine

Looks great! Well done.

I'd be VERY careful with dishwasher detergents. They can wreck alot of surfaces. They are far more aggressive than most people realize including me...

As a test, take something white and pour some dishwasher detergent on it and let it soak. Yikes! Generally, that stuff only goes after biological materials but I've had it eat at alot of different surfaces.

A dishwasher repair guy I had out a few years ago told me it etches ceramic surfaces if the plates and other items are too clean. He changed the way we load the dishwasher. He schooled is to only use half the amount of soap recommended, put dishes in there pretty dirty, and same for glassware.

Sure enough, an old pattern of dinner ware from Italy my wife loved was wrecked by the dishwasher before we met this guy.

Just to be clear, the dishwashing liquid I used was for hand washing dishes, not machine washing. Still it was hasher than I expected but it didn't do any permeant damage - as fas as I can see. It did cross my mind to put the cap through a dishwasher cycle but I held back for the reasons you cited.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

It looks like the Magic Eraser did a fine job. Good on ya Wattie, sorry about the probs with the rouge.

Ann

Well the rouge did help but I think one could easily damage this plastic with it. I went cautiously (unlike the usual me) and the result showed it.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I used to do a lot of polishing metals with Jewelers rouge. My Father was a Dentist.
Pretty sure it got hot enough to melt the surface.
Normally any good auto paint polish is good for plastic. We used to use Brasso on helicopter green house windows, and pledge on the windshields, it seemed the wax in the pledge would fill the scratches in the windshield and help protect it to some extent.

Yep, next step will be to try a couple of the cleaning / polishing products (for plastic) next time I'm in the hanger.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by SpillTheWine

Most welcome! Please post the finished result.

.............

OK, job is finished, not going to try to get better than this. The polish in the picture is Plexus. Plexus Plastic Cleaner

Knowing what I know now from CF (and trial and error), I would have only used the Magic Cleaner and then the Plexus.

Thanks to all

[KWISPEL]

Looks Tip Top
post a picture of the whole engine