How to polish polymer?

[Luke]

Google has all the wrong answers. I want to make shiny slick as possible polymer. How I be do?

[BobLoblaw]

Very high grit wet/dry sandpaper will get you real close. 3000 grit is the highest I've seen. Work your way up the grades until you're satisfied.

[Luke]

Reading between the lines it appears you said use a Dremel with polishing compound and 30 seconds later your done?







I'll try the wet sanding. I've got some 1000, might go get some 1500 and 2-2500 this weekend.

[orionz06]

Depends on the plastic but progressive sandpaper is the way to go.


What is the item?


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[Luke]

320 grip module

[mtnbkr]

for a final stage, I found wet polishing with borax brings out a nice sheen.

At least on buffalo horn.

Chris

[Cookie Monster]

Never done it but I found 6000 or 9000 grit sandpaper at the local auto parts store.

Would armor-all but a nice finish at the end? Does great on my dash.

[Luke]

Armorall would be a nice slick touch lol

[RJ]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/3M-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/13023890

Luke - Try this kit ^^^. $20 at WalMart. It really works.

I've personally used it on a pair of headlight covers. Resulted in bringing them back to factory clear.

[Luke]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/3M-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/13023890

Luke - Try this kit ^^^. $20 at WalMart. It really works.

I've personally used it on a pair of headlight covers. Resulted in bringing them back to factory clear.

Thanks for the link rich. I've used the kit aswell. Not sure it's what I need though. I'm doing a fairly tight space in the gun. I would tell you what it is but it's super top secret. And it's not the magwell area so don't even guess that.

[pablo]

I have found that 1000 and 2000 grit wet sand paper and Meguiars headlamp polish is pretty good for refurbishing my polycarbonate face shields when the get scratches and hazy. Lots of water and thorough cleaning between steps. I do everything by hand since the slightest contamination with a drill causes distortion and swirls.

Vapor polishing works well but that's playing with nasty chemicals.

[SpyderMan2k4]

I've had good success going 120, 230, 400, 600, then using a nylon bristle wheel on a dremel. Gets it super smooth and shiny with no sign of scratches. That's what I did for the mag release scallop on this XD

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160401/c8b42304cebd86614ac6826311875550.jpg

[Lex Luthier]

Hm. Not sure how to proceed on injected polymers, but I have done mirror finishes on repaired polyurethane and polyester finishes on guitars and such.

1)How big of an area is it?
2) What is the current surface finish like?
If it is pebbly, it will take some work.

My typical polishing scheme going from satin to mirror on polyurethane finishes involves wet sanding from grits 800 to 2000, then a buffing wheel dressed with the appropriate polishing compound.
Such things are really hard to do well with a Dremel type device.

[Luke]

I have a brissle brush for the dremel!!!



Surface is equal to 220 sand paper job I'd say. Like I've basically already sanded it with 220

[Clobbersaurus]

You shinnin' up the inside of the mag well are ya? Gamer!:p

[Clobbersaurus]

Thanks for the link rich. I've used the kit aswell. Not sure it's what I need though. I'm doing a fairly tight space in the gun. I would tell you what it is but it's super top secret. And it's not the magwell area so don't even guess that.

Crap missed this...trigger area then...GAMER!:p

[Luke]

It was the magwell lol

[Lex Luthier]

600 -> 800 -> 1000 -> 1200 -> all wet sanded; use a block rubber eraser for a block on the flat areas and a small diameter dowel for the rounded surfaces, and blend the two areas with a folded over piece in your fingers. Then follow with a plastic-compatible swirl remover if you want it to have any shine. If it's just slickness you're after, you can stop at the 1200 grit. Make sure you rinse the paper after each 20-30 strokes to get the removed material out of the grit. You just want to get a good dull surface that removes the larger scratches and replaces them with successively finer ones. It ought not to take very long.

Let's see pics!