Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello

ANy good tips to clean the poly-carbonate, mineral glass or gold glass of the hoods

I heard an "anti scratch" product but in the end it does not look as a fine abrasive but as a silicon wax mix (pledge for instaance) if it protects against spatter that is an option


So do some of you used those sort of product to make plastics shiny or for furniture (that put a coat of silicon and eventual wax

May be Rain X can work (? It creates a protective non adherent coating, but on glass)

Sanding with very fine abrasive is possibly an option as done for cars lights (polycarbonate) but those are specific products and one need a polishing machine (and a small one 75mm dia probably)

Experiences ?

Thanks

I've only used rubbing alcohol on polycarbonate.

Since it is for an optical application I would not use any type of cream abrasives. It may seem like it makes a car shiny when you look At it, but those micro abrasions are just blur when you look Through them unless you have access to lense grinding and polishing quality material and equipment.

PeteM wrote:I've only used rubbing alcohol on polycarbonate.

Since it is for an optical application I would not use any type of cream abrasives. It may seem like it makes a car shiny when you look At it, but those micro abrasions are just blur when you look Through them unless you have access to lense grinding and polishing quality material and equipment.

I am not sure alcool is OK for polycarbonate. On piano keys for instance it will make them porous in time. Eventually cracks may develop.

You may be right indeed for the abrasive creams (but I thought of specific products for polycarbonate, not the ones used on the cars paint and lacquer).

Now do those glass or plastic cleaner type w' surfactant /silicone, reduce the hassle from micro scratches? I need to test to be sure as for now I really don't know.

I wear glasses and one way to have them clearer is to use an ultrasonic bath with almost no soap.

The transparency is always visibly better, so I will try that on my lenses for the hoods It should work

Microfiber of course, or non woven fabrics, paper towels are abrasive, even newspaper paper, while soft, is.
Regards

Any tooth paste containing baking soda works as has been mentioned here before - " arm & hammer " brand is what I use - if you just want smoke removed such as from flux core welding it works well - if the covers are scratched it won't help much & really you need to replace them - pretty cheap now with Ebay - I have used my polisher with Vonax on a loose leaf G grade mop when short of covers size does'nt matter - I use 8" for nearly everything - just use very light pressure.

noddybrian wrote:Any tooth paste containing baking soda works as has been mentioned here before - " arm & hammer " brand is what I use - if you just want smoke removed such as from flux core welding it works well - if the covers are scratched it won't help much & really you need to replace them - pretty cheap now with Ebay - I have used my polisher with Vonax on a loose leaf G grade mop when short of covers size does'nt matter - I use 8" for nearly everything - just use very light pressure.

Thanks. Baking soda alone then may be, moistened, It works as a soap, in tooth paste fine abrasive as chalk or argile is usually added.

What grade of mop for polishing? Black, or white, extra soft?

I forget, for the de greasing 'before paint or laquer', soluce, a few drops of ammonia helps (and you recognize the smell in commercial foams 'shine control' glass cleaner, computer keyboards cleaning foam,...
So water (distilled or de mineralized= alcool Isopropyl or rubbing alcool - they are the same-, a few drops of woolite for hand washing , and a few drops of ammonia / alcalines. I am unsure of the English name.
alcaline is bad for plastics but I suppose a few drops in one liter do not matter that much. (as this is in the 3M formulas for cleaners at 2% if memory serve

Great mix to clean plastics, lacquers, polyester, de grease metals, all purpose... Not too much alcohol. 10 to 20%
If you spray it on a glass you will see the irisation when it dries, as with commercial glass cleaner fluids.
That one is to be avoided on polycarbonate or only occasionally

I trust the ultrasonic bath for regular in deep cleaning. even with water alone the surface makes water flow as with tensio active agents.

Novis plastic polish works. So does GelGloss. Both common cleaners available at most hardware stores.

Poland308 wrote:Novis plastic polish works. So does GelGloss. Both common cleaners available at most hardware stores.

Those leave a very thin film? If used daily after some time there is some thickness and it is better to de grease and take out the polish before using it again.
That is how it goes on shiny black poly. Thickness make milky reflets
We use polishes only occasionally because of that.

Never noticed that?

BTW are the gold film glass really interesting (clarity) or is it mostly because they provide heat protection that they are cool?

Thanks

I only try cleaning a cover lense once. After that mine are usually beyond saving. If I don't have time to deal with it I don't even do that.

Poland308 wrote:I only try cleaning a cover lense once. After that mine are usually beyond saving. If I don't have time to deal with it I don't even do that.

Thanks, I understand better why they are sold by 10 or 50 , sound logical to change them soon, a scratched screen must be very tiring for the eyes

Understand better why that matter do not matter much in the end !
Regards