Best finishes for acrylic and PR

[Daddy1]

I get a good finish now with acrylic but I have seen some are getting glass-like finishes on acrylic and PR. That is what I want! I'm new to casting so my PR finishing is a real concern. What is everyone using on the two and what is your process/method?

 

[TonyL]

What I do is on the bottom of my signature block. I at least 10 other polishes made for penturning and plastic polishing. I just can't seem to find better than what I am doing now. In fact, I am about to cal Meguiars to ask them about their metal polish.

It is important for me to state that I have seen excellent finishes produced with the same stuff that I can't seem to get to work. So, maybe it's me.

 

[pianomanpj]

I wet sand through all grits of Micromesh followed by Renaissance wax. That's it!

 

[mikedealer]

I wet sand through all grits of Micromesh followed by Renaissance wax. That's it!

i do same thing, but i do use a plastic polish too, either Hut for almost everything (cause its cheap and works great), or novus 2 if there are haze marks that just arent coming out from weirder/cheaper acrylic blanks.

when using the 12,000 grit final polish, after initial polish ill use a very light touch on it in reverse too (you can flip blank if you have a lathe that doesnt have reverse).

 

[Daddy1]

Mike,
I just upgraded to a lathe that has reverse!!!!! I will give it a whirl!

 

[tomtedesco]

I go thru all grits of micromesh then use the 12000 grit with plastic scratch remover polish.

 

[Chasper]

I think I get a glass like finish on AA and other poly resins, I don't use polish. After MicroMesh I buff with tripoli and a fine grain white compound (White Diamond will do) and then it shines, nothing more is needed. If you have to put a polish on it to make it shine, the shine will wear off when the polish wears off. If you get it shining without polish, it will continue to shine for the life of the pen.

Polyurethane is a different matter, it does not shine as well, the only way I can get a glass shine is with a polish, so I don't often use it.

 

[csr67]

I think I get a glass like finish on AA and other poly resins, I don't use polish. After MicroMesh I buff with tripoli and a fine grain white compound (White Diamond will do) and then it shines, nothing more is needed. If you have to put a polish on it to make it shine, the shine will wear off when the polish wears off. If you get it shining without polish, it will continue to shine for the life of the pen.

Polyurethane is a different matter, it does not shine as well, the only way I can get a glass shine is with a polish, so I don't often use it.

I agree! I used a HF buffer with Tripoli on one wheel, then white diamond on the other and I get a great finish with no visible scratches. I then throw just a drop or two of huts for the final buff.

 

[RedBeard]

I just work my way through all the grades of MM then a couple passes with PlastX. Seems to work for me.

 

[Daddy1]

I have found last night that having a lathe with the ability to turn at a higher speed helps remove some scratches prior to sanding and helps to create a better higher gloss when finishing too!
.

 

[chartle]

Ive only turned a handful of PR but im getting great results with just wet dry paper upto 12,000 I found ay hobby lobby and some plastic polish I found in the auto section of walmart.

Nothing special.

 

[steve worcester]

I sand with Abranet to 1000 then Abrasion in 2000,3000,4000 then use Stickfast CA gloss polish.
Sanding above about 2000 and then using Tripoli is going backwards in grits. You could probably go to 4000 and then white diamond, but wheels are too grabby.
You could go to 4000 and use 3M Perfect-it liquid rubbing compound (06085) and then swirl mark remover (06064) but that is only available in quarts, so the Stickiest, while more expensive per ounce, is more readily attainable.

This process is similar to what I use to get a high gloss on my clear coats, but I use 3M on those.

 

[Skie_M]

I wet-sand to 1000, then jump to micromesh (wet) 3200 up to 12000, then PlastX and finish it off with Turtlewax Hard Shell buffing at 3000 rpm with a very light touch.


I should mention that I do the same thing with my wood pen blanks, but only after 9 coats of CA...