Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Technical Area => Topic started by: Tyrem on April 09, 2013, 02:17:15 PM

Title: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 09, 2013, 02:17:15 PM
Love playing my Mario Bros from the container-deal.
The cab is in really good shape but some idiots did write their name in the plexiglas.
Most of the scratches are light, some a bit deeper. My question is: Does anybody here know a good way of dealing with this?
I have just tried my luck with a Dremel and some Xerapol. I was really taking care of anything but there was nearly no visible result.

As usual I would be thankful for any help of you guys. :)

Greetings from Trier!
Stefan
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Belike on April 09, 2013, 02:41:01 PM
This may help ;)
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3125.15
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3227.0
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Q*ris on April 09, 2013, 04:25:20 PM
and another modus operandi involving Novus here: http://forums.arcade-museum.com/archive/index.php/t-240275.html (http://forums.arcade-museum.com/archive/index.php/t-240275.html)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Superully on April 09, 2013, 04:57:51 PM
and another modus operandi involving Novus here: http://forums.arcade-museum.com/archive/index.php/t-240275.html (http://forums.arcade-museum.com/archive/index.php/t-240275.html)

i'm no fan of novus, don't know why people love it that much. i've never had any real success with it, but then again i'm just not the guy who can polish something for a few hours!
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 09, 2013, 06:01:32 PM
thank you guys. i will try my luck with the described methodes here.
if i fail.. is there a good source for a new plexi bezel for a mario bros? or does anybody of you guys have one?

the cab looks great.. but 2 or 3 big scratches are really in the way while playing. :)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: slowcade on April 09, 2013, 06:13:37 PM
This may help ;)
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3125.15
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3227.0

I see that they are using dry sand paper, but are they doing dry polishing as well? No kind of liquid/polish?
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Superully on April 09, 2013, 07:09:37 PM
if i fail.. is there a good source for a new plexi bezel for a mario bros? or does anybody of you guys have one?

if i'm not mistaken, andré wants to convert his MB into a DK, so his might be up for grabs!
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on April 09, 2013, 07:32:38 PM
if i'm not mistaken, andré wants to convert his MB into a DK, so his might be up for grabs!

yeah in 5 years from now  ;D  :lol: ;D  :lol: ;D

Sorry Dré, just kidding   :lol:

are we still on for the mrs pac job soon ?  ;)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 09, 2013, 07:55:13 PM
if i fail.. is there a good source for a new plexi bezel for a mario bros? or does anybody of you guys have one?

if i'm not mistaken, andré wants to convert his MB into a DK, so his might be up for grabs!

sounds interesting. :)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Belike on April 09, 2013, 09:39:10 PM
if i fail.. is there a good source for a new plexi bezel for a mario bros? or does anybody of you guys have one?

if i'm not mistaken, andré wants to convert his MB into a DK, so his might be up for grabs!
If it is the one that I bought at EC2012, it is at Budapest by now. :shock:
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Laszo on April 09, 2013, 11:41:42 PM
I would say try it on a sheet of plexi first. Just a peace not being your bezel. In the end all methods proposed are working on the same assumption.. Polish, sandpaper, the trick is grind/ polish every time with a smaller grid, car polish should also work.

Pinball guys always finish cleaning their ramps with a methode called flame polish. You should look it up on the net.

Keep us posted.
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Blanka on April 10, 2013, 12:11:37 AM
I use toothpaste on my little handheld games. Don't know it it helps with plexi.
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: joeks on April 10, 2013, 08:48:55 AM
I used Novus with the 1-2-3 step program for polishing my Blast City marquee plexi.
Worked really well. Don't know if you can remove deep scratches with it, but the finer scratches that make the plexi look dull and hazy are no problem for Novus.
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on April 10, 2013, 09:26:43 AM

Pinball guys always finish cleaning their ramps with a methode called flame polish. You should look it up on the net.


I saw this in the "marv" video's, and reffered to it in this post :

https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3125.msg42786#msg42786

also i said back then i would try it out on a spare piece of plexi.
By now i did that, but i never filmed it or took pictures of it and posted that.

I can say that it really works well, but be carefull not to heat too long, or it will burn !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx7MHdWXQvc&feature=related

I may do it again and film it this time  :wink:
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 11, 2013, 03:56:53 PM
ok... the sanding seems to work. i tested it on normal acryl first. :)
is there some advice on what to take for the polishing? i have all i need for my bosch-driller... but are you using some special liquid?
i did try plastx which has not much of an effect. the acryl is still milky and you can not see through. much better result with Xerapol. this seems to do it´s job. i only testet it with my hands so far.. not with the driller and the polishing pad.

i really think i can bring the bezel back. :)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on April 11, 2013, 04:08:23 PM
........ the acryl is still milky and you can not see through..........

... flame polishing...

Get the torch out !  :twisted:

(http://static.flickr.com/2257/1614967419_718feb3cf7.jpg)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 11, 2013, 04:31:52 PM
........ the acryl is still milky and you can not see through..........

... flame polishing...

Get the torch out !  :twisted:

(http://static.flickr.com/2257/1614967419_718feb3cf7.jpg)

ok.. i will call my friends from rammstein tonight. ;)
Title: ok.. i have everything here now
Post by: Tyrem on April 12, 2013, 03:14:21 PM
will give it a try tomorrow when i have more time. tested everything on plexi with quite a good result.
if this works out fine i will post pictures. if not... i will ask for a new bezel. ;)
Title: Re: ok.. i have everything here now
Post by: ataritoobin on April 12, 2013, 05:06:37 PM
Not sure if this was mentioned yet, but be careful as Nintendo silk screened the artwork onto the FRONT of the smoked plexiglas, presumably to save having to use two pieces as they did on earlier games (early DKs and Radarscope, etc.)  Any polishing into the artwork area will quickly remove it.

........ the acryl is still milky and you can not see through..........

... flame polishing...

Get the torch out !  :twisted:

(http://static.flickr.com/2257/1614967419_718feb3cf7.jpg)

ok.. i will call my friends from rammstein tonight. ;)

8)
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: level42 on April 12, 2013, 05:14:10 PM
I use a Micro Mesh set:

http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=272_4_75_81&products_id=75

This is how it works:

http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=15

You need a LOT of time/patience though.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KDnLNPW1g0

AFAIR the artwork on my MB bezel is printed on the back (inner) side....
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: ataritoobin on April 13, 2013, 01:01:12 AM
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4106/5032060708_361986bbd3_z.jpg)

The artwork looks to be screened on the front (as you can see the back of it through the tinted plexi).
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: level42 on April 13, 2013, 01:02:24 AM
Hmmm, weird. I'm not 100% sure, will have a look tomorrow.
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Superully on April 13, 2013, 08:23:21 AM
mine is printed on the front as well!
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 13, 2013, 09:09:31 AM
yep. the artwork of the mario bros is on the front.
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: level42 on April 13, 2013, 09:59:05 AM
Heh, sounds I don't have to check anymore :)

I do have the "narrow" version for a standard Nintendo cab, not the wide-body....but I guess they used the same process for all...
Title: Re: Good way to remove scratches from plexi?
Post by: Tyrem on April 13, 2013, 10:40:16 AM
Heh, sounds I don't have to check anymore :)

I do have the "narrow" version for a standard Nintendo cab, not the wide-body....but I guess they used the same process for all...

i also have the narrow one.
will start in a few hours...

ok... startet with my "project glass".

sanded the nasty deep scratches with 400 sandpaper.
i did spray a little bit of water on the surface though. after those scratches were gone i took the 1000 sandpaper and went over every part again.
since I am still waiting for the 2000er paper which is definately needed to get better results I decited to polish the sanded areas of the bezel and the result was good so far. those parts are still a bit milky but i am quite sure that the 2000er paper will do the job.

the really bad scratches are gone and the milky parts are not that much of a problem. :) thank you guys for all your help.

greetings from trier!
stefan