One Step Plastic Polish

[cbb007]

Well, I did my first real pen tonight, it is a Christmas present for my son. It is black acrylic. When I had it the proper size, I sanded it with succeeding grades of sandpaper up to 6oo grit, then I figured it was time for the One Step.

I applied 4 coats of One Step and with each application the tiny scratches did indeed disappear, but some white marks began to appear, and with each application the white marks got worse.

When I looked at the marks with a magnifier, they look like tiny gouges.

Has anybody else had this problem? Do you know what I'm doing wrong?

 

[LostintheWoods]

Did you sand the blank longitutinally after sanding it radially? Kinda need to do that to break up the sanding "rings". Just a thought.

 

[woody350ep]

+1, and if you don't do it especially on the early grits, you'll never get rid of them. EVER. Make it right from the start, thats what I tell myself when sanding.

 

[leehljp]

Are you sanding on the lathe with it running? You may be turning too fast in the sanding mode.

Indirectly related: Have you ever drilled holes in Acrylic plastic? Notice how the holes are not smooth and there are clumps of melted plastic? Ever cut acrylic with a power saw? Notice how the heat from the blade causes clumps?

I noticed this on few of my pens with CA finish (CyanoACRYLate) when I sanded it turning too fast. The plastic resin sanding dust builds up between the sandpaper and blank. With enough friction (too much friction) little particles of acrylic dust heat, melt, fuse and dig into the finish - all from too much heat - just like what is created with saw blades and drill bits. I know that you are not using CA but acrylic blanks can do the same with the right conditions.

This may not be your problem, but it is often overlooked.

 

[Chasper]

600 grit isn't all that fine, after that you might want to run through a set of 9 micro mesh up to 12000. Go through the micro mesh twice just to make sure. For black acrylic I would use a buffer and white diamond after the micro mesh. Then a coat of polish.

 

[cbb007]

Thank you all for the replies.

I was sanding on high speed. Somewhere I read that sanding should be done on high, or is that only for wood?

I went downstairs and sanded off the One-Step that I had applied. I did this at my lowest speed. Then I applied a single coat of One-Step - again at my lowest speed, and my pen looks much better.

When I applied the One-Step the first time, since the directions said that the One-Step works with heat, well, more is better - right?

Well, I guess I learned a lesson.

Thanks again, folks.

 

[woody350ep]

I'm not sure what you mean exactly. I think sanding wood at high speed would create more heat and clog up the paper quicker. I sand my wood at around 1000 or so. My Micro Mesh sanding is done around 2600 for wood or CA. I haven't had any problems so far. And, my plastic polish is done at the same speed as MM. Of course, YMMV and as anyone else will tell you, there are a thousand ways to do something. Once you find what works for you, keep doing it.