Restoring Plexiglass Windshield Fogged By Solvent

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Author Topic:   Restoring Plexiglass Windshield Fogged By Solvent

gmoulder posted 02-17-2011 11:20 AM ET (US)
I have 1988 18 Outrage. In the act of applying paint remover to wood on the topside of the console, I managed to allow the [paint remover] to contact the plastic wind shield. The area where the spray hit is small, and I washed the wind shield with water immediately. The result of this dumbness is a fog-like area just above the top part of the console, perhaps 10-square-inches in all. How do I repair this area back to something near original? First thought is to use 3M Finesse. Any ideas on how to repair the wind shield? This is what I get for trying to hurry. Thanks,
Glen
tjxtreme posted 02-17-2011 11:27 AM ET (US)
For fogged car headlights, I have used wet-sanding with very fine sandpaper. This is also used on gelcoats to restore shine. The problem with this is that you may end up having to do the whole windshield to make it match.
So for only 10 square inches, I might just let it be.
Stevebaz posted 02-17-2011 02:12 PM ET (US)
Try Meguiar's Plastx Plastic Cleaner & Polish firstl it works very well for the windshield and vinyl windows. Available at auto part stores.
litnin posted 02-17-2011 02:33 PM ET (US)
Steve--[In] my opinion, Novus Plastic Polish is the best. They have three different stages and you can buy all three in a kit for about $15. I sold Plexiglass and Lexan for years and this was what we always used. We also use it in my current company to polish scratched plastic items that we recondition. Our technician here agrees, it does the best job.
Moby Dick posted 02-17-2011 06:07 PM ET (US)
[T]ooth paste might work. I use to use it on my hard contact lenses and it worked great. I've also used it on my brother-in-law's motorcycle windshield.
jimh posted 02-17-2011 09:12 PM ET (US)
Paint remover is a strong solvent. If it penetrated into the Plexiglass, polishing the surface may not remove the fogging. If the fogging is contained on the very surface of the Plexiglass, you should be able to buff it out. The usual techniques for buffing and polishing apply: start coarse and work to extremely fine. In this case, coarse might be wet sanding with very fine emery cloth, perhaps 1200 or higher grit.
Dave Sutton posted 02-17-2011 10:01 PM ET (US)
For aviation transparency restoration, we use a produce called Micro Mesh, whish is sold in a kit containing a series of ever finer abrasive pads. This is a professional solution and is an economical one as well. This would be an excellent choice of technique. About $15.00 for a kit that would be right for this application.
http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=272_8_219_235&products_id=54

Dave
.
Tom W Clark posted 02-17-2011 10:09 PM ET (US)
Oh boy, just buy a new windshield, you'll be happier.
I've done the Micro Mesh kit thing on an Outrage 18 windscreen. I have a Micro Mesh kit in my shop now. It works great but it a LOT of elbow grease. No way will l ever do that again. My time is waaaaaay too valuable to be spending hours buffing out a piece of plastic. Aircraft is another matter.
Buy a new Plexiglas windshield from UPD plastics for $159 (with brand new mounting hardware) and have a windshield that is as good as new.
Binkster posted 02-17-2011 11:39 PM ET (US)
I cleared up the dulled headlight lenses on my old 98 Lincoln using Brasso and a buffing pad mounted over over a sanding disk on a drill motor. Just pour some on the pad and polish away. Took about 10 minutes per lense which is alot bigger than 10 sq. inches. They looked like new. but like jimh says if it only is fogged they can be polished out but likely paint remover would eat into the plastic and your windshield might be finished. I got the idea of using Brasso because the direction says it will remove scratches from watch cristels.
gmoulder posted 02-21-2011 11:51 AM ET (US)
Thanks everyone, once again, you have been a wealth of information. When I launched the post, I thought, "sure, right, who else has sprayed their windshield with varnish remover, or would admit to it?". I am going with the Novus 1, 2, 3 kit, with 400 and 2000 grit emery paper [lubed by 3-1 oil] where the damage may be deepest. I could buy a new windshield [per Tom], but I see this as sort of penance. Thanks again. Glen

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Author	Topic: Restoring Plexiglass Windshield Fogged By Solvent
gmoulder	posted 02-17-2011 11:20 AM ET (US) I have 1988 18 Outrage. In the act of applying paint remover to wood on the topside of the console, I managed to allow the [paint remover] to contact the plastic wind shield. The area where the spray hit is small, and I washed the wind shield with water immediately. The result of this dumbness is a fog-like area just above the top part of the console, perhaps 10-square-inches in all. How do I repair this area back to something near original? First thought is to use 3M Finesse. Any ideas on how to repair the wind shield? This is what I get for trying to hurry. Thanks, Glen
tjxtreme	posted 02-17-2011 11:27 AM ET (US) For fogged car headlights, I have used wet-sanding with very fine sandpaper. This is also used on gelcoats to restore shine. The problem with this is that you may end up having to do the whole windshield to make it match. So for only 10 square inches, I might just let it be.
Stevebaz	posted 02-17-2011 02:12 PM ET (US) Try Meguiar's Plastx Plastic Cleaner & Polish firstl it works very well for the windshield and vinyl windows. Available at auto part stores.
litnin	posted 02-17-2011 02:33 PM ET (US) Steve--[In] my opinion, Novus Plastic Polish is the best. They have three different stages and you can buy all three in a kit for about $15. I sold Plexiglass and Lexan for years and this was what we always used. We also use it in my current company to polish scratched plastic items that we recondition. Our technician here agrees, it does the best job.
Moby Dick	posted 02-17-2011 06:07 PM ET (US) [T]ooth paste might work. I use to use it on my hard contact lenses and it worked great. I've also used it on my brother-in-law's motorcycle windshield.
jimh	posted 02-17-2011 09:12 PM ET (US) Paint remover is a strong solvent. If it penetrated into the Plexiglass, polishing the surface may not remove the fogging. If the fogging is contained on the very surface of the Plexiglass, you should be able to buff it out. The usual techniques for buffing and polishing apply: start coarse and work to extremely fine. In this case, coarse might be wet sanding with very fine emery cloth, perhaps 1200 or higher grit.
Dave Sutton	posted 02-17-2011 10:01 PM ET (US) For aviation transparency restoration, we use a produce called Micro Mesh, whish is sold in a kit containing a series of ever finer abrasive pads. This is a professional solution and is an economical one as well. This would be an excellent choice of technique. About $15.00 for a kit that would be right for this application. http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=272_8_219_235&products_id=54 Dave .
Tom W Clark	posted 02-17-2011 10:09 PM ET (US) Oh boy, just buy a new windshield, you'll be happier. I've done the Micro Mesh kit thing on an Outrage 18 windscreen. I have a Micro Mesh kit in my shop now. It works great but it a LOT of elbow grease. No way will l ever do that again. My time is waaaaaay too valuable to be spending hours buffing out a piece of plastic. Aircraft is another matter. Buy a new Plexiglas windshield from UPD plastics for $159 (with brand new mounting hardware) and have a windshield that is as good as new.
Binkster	posted 02-17-2011 11:39 PM ET (US) I cleared up the dulled headlight lenses on my old 98 Lincoln using Brasso and a buffing pad mounted over over a sanding disk on a drill motor. Just pour some on the pad and polish away. Took about 10 minutes per lense which is alot bigger than 10 sq. inches. They looked like new. but like jimh says if it only is fogged they can be polished out but likely paint remover would eat into the plastic and your windshield might be finished. I got the idea of using Brasso because the direction says it will remove scratches from watch cristels.
gmoulder	posted 02-21-2011 11:51 AM ET (US) Thanks everyone, once again, you have been a wealth of information. When I launched the post, I thought, "sure, right, who else has sprayed their windshield with varnish remover, or would admit to it?". I am going with the Novus 1, 2, 3 kit, with 400 and 2000 grit emery paper [lubed by 3-1 oil] where the damage may be deepest. I could buy a new windshield [per Tom], but I see this as sort of penance. Thanks again. Glen