Use of a polish on acrylics?

[DaddyG]

Just wondering if anyone uses a polish on acrylics after using micro mesh?
Have read some use car polishes but does it improve the finish?

 

[fortress]

Hi Graham,
I use Meguiar's PlastX, it's as good as any I suppose, there are a lot out there some more expensive than others.

 

[Phil Dart]

You'll get as many different opinions as you will answers I suspect Graham. My own is that any type of polish will wear off quite quickly when handled, so personally I don't bother on acrylics. I just finish to a level i'm happy with and leave the acrylic itself to do the shining. Car polishes will be better than most woodworkiong polishes though as they tend to contain carnuaba as their main constituent, which is harder wearing than bees wax, and John's suggestion above of Meguires is a poular one to use. The other way to go is microcrystaline wax, which is also pretty hard wearing.

But whatever you decide, wax polish, whatever type or make it is, is just a temporary finish to give an extra showroom shine. It will wear off very very quickly when handled, some types sooner than others (friction polish for instance has no resilience whatsoever) and you will be back to your prepared finish underneath in next to no time - so make sure that's as good as it can be.

 

[Walter]

First of all you need to understand the difference between a polish and a wax. The Meguiars website explains it by saying "A pure Meguiar’s polish such as the Deep Crystal Step 2 Polish is a blend of oils that are absorbed by the paint in the same way your skin would absorb a moisturiser. The polishing oils will create a deep wet-look gloss but will offer no protection. This gloss can be sealed and your paint protected with the application of a wax"

Ignoring the marketing hype this means that the polish ( a fine abrasive) brings the surface to a shine whilst the wax ( a coating) provides protection. If you know that already then sorry, I don't mean to be patronising but it may help someone else reading this.

To bring your acrylics to a shine you can, as you are doing, use micromesh but personally I find this involves way too many steps when an identical shine can be achieved by sanding to 600 grit and then polishing with compounds such as those used in boatbuilding to polish fibreglass or the car repair industry on paintwork repairs. The finer the compound the higher the gloss The PlastRX that fortress recommends for example is designed to provide optical clarity to clear plastics. It is even possible to polish from 600 grit to a shine with Chestnut Burnishing Cream, a technique shown to me by the late Mark Raby who was a renowned finishing expert. There are lots of choices available and no rules. The best system is the one that you prefer.


The protection that waxes provide to car bodywork is against the weather and road dirt. Generally speaking cars are not handled and shoved into pockets and handbags whereas pens are seldom exposed to the elements. Wax will provide a protective covering , but the questions are a) against what? and b) for how long? Wax will soon wear off with handling. Use it if you want but it will not add to the shine nor, in my opinion, provide any significant protection. The exception is microcrystalline wax which will protect against fingerprint marks even on the metal parts.

 

[Phil Dart]

It is even possible to polish from 600 grit to a shine with Chestnut Burnishing Cream

....which is exactly what I do. You know me - I don't have time for un-necessary processes. Actually I don't - I go to 1200 wet and dry (dry) before the Chestnut, but I've never seen the need to apply any chemical finishes afterwards. Thanks for making the distinctions though Walter.

 

[Penpal]

I have great success using Triple X sold by Woodwork Forums in Australia and many other products already mentioned.


Peter.

 

[DaddyG]

Ok thanks for the replies.
I have some microcrystalline in the shed so may try that on my next acrylic.

 

[Cumbrian Craig]

Great replies. I saved money and time after reading this

Regards

Craig

 

[Gadget-UK]

Cant remember what it is called but a friend of mine gave me a bottle (rather large) of the polish used on Motorcycle screens / Aircraft windows etc.
It is a white liquid that you use on acrylic, just gently rub on, allow to dry for 5 to 10 min and buff off.
My first Acrylic pen still shines like new and those that I have not done the same to still shine BUT not as well

As I said, I am sorry I will have to find out what its called, he gave it to me in a plain bottle and I used it (originally) to clean the headlights on the wife's car, brought them up like new.

 

[Les ELm]

I don't use Micro Mesh.
Found it be be a waste of money and valuable shop time.
I just sand radially and then laterally with 400 grit only.
Clean the surface.
Buff radially then laterally with Oil Free Ultra Fine Steel Wool.
Clean the surface.
Polish with Hut Ultra Gloss.
Great results for me.

Les

 

[DaddyG]

Can see me trying a few different ways now as already have some fine steel wool!!!

 

[Dalboy]

I just polish up with micro mesh. But I also use microcrystalline wax but only as a protective coat for when people handle the pens on my stall just helps with finger prints

 

[Paul hd]

I sand up to 600 grit, I then wet sand 800, 1000 & 1200. I like that stage because the item starts to pop with the water.
I finish off with two mops. The finish is great.

I have a small keyring on my car keys, couple of months down the line and it is still looking OK

I use the two mops near the bottom of this link.

Plastic Polishing Kits

 

[Les ELm]

Can see me trying a few different ways now as already have some fine steel wool!!!

Fine steel wool won't work.

Les

 

[DaddyG]

Oh? Your other post mentioned fine oil free steel wool?

 

[21William]

Oh? Your other post mentioned fine oil free steel wool?

No, it was Ultra Fine Steel wool.
Not sure of the grade Les gets but we commonly have 0000 over here. Often called Double O, Double O.

 

[DaddyG]

I am sure that's the grade I have in the shed. Haven't a clue what I bought it for but pretty sure it's 0000 grade.
Gonna check before I cause myself extra work.
Mind am nearly out of acrylics so may have to wait!!

 

[Bill Mooney]

I dry sand to 400 then 0000 wire wool then polish with the same compounds as Walter mentioned. Works for me.
When I get the chance I get Walter to check if my finish is still up to speed as I cant see it myself.

 

[Bucks]

I usually sand to 600g then polish on the Beall Wood buffing system, which comprises of 3 buffing wheels with Tripoli, White Diamond polishing compounds & Carnuba wax.

 

[wm460]

Another Meguiar's PlastX user.