Windscreen polishing

[Shop Rat]

Does anyone have a recommended procedure and product to restore a plastic windscreen?

Frank

[kwells]

I use a polish that is meant for headlight lenses.  It smells like ammonia and paint thinner but actually works pretty good.  Think it is called something like Blue Magic.

*edit*
yeah Blue magic
http://ridersofvision.net/forum/zindex.php?topic=8100.0

[h2olawyer]

That stuff kwells suggests works well for light scratches.  For more serious work, there are other products available.  I know there's some for the aircraft industry that work very well.  Maybe Brian Moffet is familiar with that stuff & will chime in with a brand & how to find it.

Classic Car Restoration on DIY Network did a show a few years ago with a '62 Corvette.  They restored the plexiglass rear window.  The link to that episode is here: www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_windows/article/0,2021,DIY_13702_2278676,00.html.

H₂O

[Kevin]

I posted pictures long ago of a vision windshield that had been spray painted over the hazed and yellow plastic. I removed the spray paint with hand cleaner and wet sanded with 600 grit paper, the tub of water had a yellow tint from the old plastic. I then wet sanded with 2000 grit and a buddy in the auto repair shop buffed it out with rubbing compound. The finished product looked showroom new again. 

[Rick G]

The Clear view that came with my fairing was dull, with lots of  small scratches and yellowing. i packed it away when I got a used 2 inch over Gustauffson, from Vince in Iowa. I got a 4 inch over ,dark smoke from Humber, and when it gave up the ghost , I dug out the Clear View and shined it up. It looks fine , for a clear, stock height wind shield.
I used Kit tm.  scratch out, it can be used on plexy or paint.  I recommend it.

[Shop Rat]

Thanks (as usual) to all for your input.  I'll get to work on it. 

Frank

The Clear view that came with my fairing was dull, with lots of fine scratches and yellowed . I packed it away when I got a used Gustauffson  2 inch overI got from Humber, gave up the ghost , I dug out the Clear View and shined it up. It looks fine , for a clear, stock height wind shield.
I used Kit tm.  scratch out, it can be used on plexy or paint.  I recommend it.

[jasonm.]

There is a 3M rubbing compound available at WalMart. Says it removes light scratches . Often used after wet sanding with 1500 paper.  There are finer ones by 3M that you can follow up with. NAPA auto stores carry the finer ones. I brought a black travel trunk back to life after the previous owner painted it due to all the scratches. Looked like crap. After removing the paint with laquer thinner. I used the 3M products and buffing wheels. Looks perfect.

[Brian Moffet]

This is what I used:

http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=343

Went from this:



To this:



I could have polished it much more, there are still micro-scratches in the windscreen, but I wanted to get the bike back together...

Brian

[supervision]

 What a difference! That system clearly works wonders

[Shop Rat]

Your "Before" pic looks like my windshield does now.  Good to know there's potential for improvement.  Certainly cheaper than buying new.

Frank

This is what I used:

http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=343

Went from this:



To this:



I could have polished it much more, there are still micro-scratches in the windscreen, but I wanted to get the bike back together...

Brian

[The Prophet of Doom]

I posted pictures long ago of a vision windshield that had been spray painted over the hazed and yellow plastic. I removed the spray paint with hand cleaner and wet sanded with 600 grit paper, the tub of water had a yellow tint from the old plastic. I then wet sanded with 2000 grit and a buddy in the auto repair shop buffed it out with rubbing compound. The finished product looked showroom new again. 

I did much the same.  My screen was completely opaque, badly yellowed and had what looked like chemical spills.  I used 250 followed by 600 wet with warm soapy water, then 1200 also wet.  Followed by brasso metal polish with a LOT of rubbing, and then Kitten liquid polishing wax.  Mostly I used these because they were in the cupboard - I didn't have to buy anything except a couple of rolls of paper towells.  The whole exercise took about 4-5 hours
The results... Not perfect, but certainly good enough

[pullshocks]

I got one of the Mothers Power Balls that you run with a drill,  and Mothers Power Plastic polish. 

The results are better than anything else I have tried.  I sanded with 400 up to 2000 wet or dry paper, and tried all sorts of polishes.  Like I say, the Mothers is the best yet.  But the plastic appears to have internal crazing or cloudiness that no surface polish will remove

[Kevin]

I have restored a couple of shields, you have to sand and buff both sides. Even deep scratches can be removed.

[kiawrench]

as a last resort, if you cant do the work, or find the products- take the shield to a body shop, ask them to use random orbital sander on it to remove the big scratches, then clear coat to get full finish .   then keep it waxed ,    works well, and still cheaper than buying a new one .