Polishing out scratches on plastic headlight

Message

#1 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:04 pm

Has anyone had cause to try and remove light scratching from a Falco headlight? As far as I can see, the external clear lens is some kind of plastic, and I'd like to know if it's possible to remove light scratches/marks from it without making a complete mess of it. I'm guessing that jeweller's rouge or T-cut might be an option, but I don't want to wind up with loads of tiny scratches instead of a few light ones.

Anyone tried anything like this? I guess this also applies to Milles, Tuonos and Futuras, as they have similar headlights, so if the mods want to move this to a more general section that's fine with me.

zoidberg · #2 Post by **zoidberg** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:37 pm

Plastic polish for convertible car back windows maybe?

D-Rider · #3 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 12:13 am

I've done it on car headlights and also earlier this week on car tail lights (after my son dropped his scooter on my car, breaking the tail light - replacement came via ebay was scratched)

On both occasions they came up really well.

I use Xerapol. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/17123602 ... =95&ff19=0
If the scratches are a bit deeper, you need to first attack it with ultra-fine wet & dry (maybe p1500)

All that is true unless the plastic has some sort of coating on it - then it really is a non-starter - I confirmed this when I tried to restore a scratched visor.

#4 Post by **mangocrazy** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:30 am

Cheers Andy; I guess the coating thing is the tricky bit. I don't suppose anyone has a damaged headlight they'd care to donate to medical research, have they...?

(Flatlander, this could be yoo-hoo...

)

fatboy · #5 Post by **fatboy** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 7:03 pm

I have to say I have had limited sucess with Xerapol,not always able to remove the scatches left by the wet and dry supplied with the kit.
Maybe the plastic type, maybe the polish is not abrasive enough ?
I have used Solvol Autosol on head light covers, mobile screens, wristwatch glasses (ect) with great results, applied with cardboard, then re aplied with cloth, then maybe finish with Xerapol for a perfect finish.
This worked perfectly on some very dirty scratched Transit headlight covers, I didnt have Xerapol at the time so used Brasso as a final polish, result.. Colgate type 'Ping '

Falco Frank · #6 Post by **Falco Frank** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 7:16 pm

Meguiars do a plastic polish, that sadly I had limited success with on both bike windshields and car headlights....

http://www.meguiars.co.uk/product/350/C ... ic-Polish/

randomsquid · #7 Post by **randomsquid** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 7:58 pm

I've polished scratches out of a visor. What you'll need is a fully equipped met lab and a distracted gaffer.

#8 Post by **mangocrazy** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 8:32 pm

randomsquid wrote:I've polished scratches out of a visor. What you'll need is a fully equipped met lab and a distracted gaffer.

Can you give me the ebay link...?

plasticpig72 · #9 Post by **plasticpig72** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 8:47 pm

Toothpaste or TCut are fine - I have done my car headlights with both in the past

randomsquid · #10 Post by **randomsquid** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:05 am

mangocrazy wrote:
randomsquid wrote:I've polished scratches out of a visor. What you'll need is a fully equipped met lab and a distracted gaffer.
Can you give me the ebay link...?

Fraid not, a lot of places I've worked seem to buy their stuff from buehler though

On a sort of related note. Done properly a 6 micron finish can look like a mirror to the naked eye. Stuff going under the microscope gets done to 1 micron using diamond suspension and a polishing wheel.

Also selvyt cloths are the dog's and available directly from them in various different types.

#11 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:05 pm

Cheers for that - it's just given me an idea. The secret Falco's swingarm is currently away having some scratches polished out by a local stainless/aluminium polishing/finishing firm... I wonder if they do plastic... ?

plasticpig72 · #12 Post by **plasticpig72** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:17 pm

See the toothpaste method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWg29b_-Hw

fatboy · #13 Post by **fatboy** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:25 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Cheers for that - it's just given me an idea. The secret Falco's swingarm is currently away having some scratches polished out by a local stainless/aluminium polishing/finishing firm... I wonder if they do plastic... ?

If you dont ask you'll never know ! This thread has shown a few surprise remedies, what will polish what ect