I just polished one of my tail lights using the "Sticky-Post" above. It looks great from a straight-on perspective. But, if you look at it from an angle & in the right light, you can see thousands of tiny scratches. The buffing wheel was brand new out of the package. It was mounted on my bench grinder. The scratches are oriented in whichever direction the buffing wheel touched the plastic last. What did I do wrong?

 

the polisher was spinning to fast i quess

 

I just got the specs off of the grinder. It is 1/3 horsepower, 3250 RPM motor.

 

My guess is you didnt use enough polishing compound.

 

Sometimes u get those hairline scratches and u can use a finer compound and get rid of them. You can try a lighter compound and do it by hand and see if u can get rid of them.

 

Is White Rouge a 'lighter' compound than the blue plastic buffing compound? Is White Rouge what I should try to remove the hairline scratches left by the blue compound?

 

use a really light polish, and Id do it by hand that way you have alot more control over it. sounds to me like thegrinder process is a little too harsh so the hand polishing should take out the hairline scratches.

 

meguire's plastic cleaner

then

their plastic polish

...works wonderful when done right. Like glass.

 

I used an automotive buffer and polishing compound.. worked like a charm.. started with 1000 grit wetsanding and then some rubbing compound with an automotive buffer.. then up to a polishing compound with the same buffer.. they look like NEW.........

My buffer is a spinning type with a foam pad.. it's Porter-Cable variable speed model.. I use it on most EVERYHTING... works FAST and with the variable speed and variable trigger, there's PLEEENTY of control.

 

You really like EMPHASIZING YOUR POINT don't you

 

HELL YEAH!!

 

did you sand them first? you may have used a grit that was to course for the blue polish. if you did a sanding do it agagin with 1200 or 1000 then buff again and make sure the lens donesn;t get hot. i used a bench grinder with a buffing wheel and they came out great. i would say it would be in your prep you have the proper blue compound. white rouge is too course for plastic.....

jeff