How would I fix a scratch....

[sLonoma22]

I was wondering how I would be able to fix a minor scratch in a windshield or a faceplate for a head unit. Both are only about 1" long and very hair line, is it possible to buff out? or what could i use to fill it?

[Speedy2222]

shot in the dark but maybe the eyeglass repair kit could fix those..

[sLonoma22]

kind of same thing i was thinking, seems like that would be good for most all light scratches in glass. I dont have that right now, but i could pick some up. any other suggestions/products?

[layinlow-s-10]

dont think theres much you can do about the scratch in the glass but you should be able to buff the one out on the faceplate. some non abrasive polish and a buffer, you can also buff out scratches in cds this way

[sLonoma22]

what kind/brand of polish are u talking about?

[RustyButTrusty]

Quote: Originally Posted by layinlow-s-10

dont think theres much you can do about the scratch in the glass but you should be able to buff the one out on the faceplate. some non abrasive polish and a buffer, you can also buff out scratches in cds this way

Negative, Ghost Rider.

If you try to buff out a scratch in a CD with a polish it will only make it worse.

[sLonoma22]

Quote: Originally Posted by RustyButTrusty

Negative, Ghost Rider.

If you try to buff out a scratch in a CD with a polish it will only make it worse.

.... but buffing will work with the faceplate right? or is that a no no ?

[layinlow-s-10]

Quote:

.... but buffing will work with the faceplate right? or is that a no no ?

i dont see why it wouldnt work its plastic right? some 3m polish from your local paint shop, its got to be like the finishing polish (non abrasive). and rusty about the polishing cds im not talkin about like gouges out of the cd but just like smaller scratches if you use non abrasive polish with a buffer it will buff those out.

[layinlow-s-10]

"edit" now that i think about it last time i was at my local paint shop they had a kit for like polishing clear plastic lenses, same thing. this would work too, think the kit came with like a small buffin pad with a drill bit attachment to it and the polishes and stuff, meguiars make some clear plastic polish too, i have some of that

[sLonoma22]

ok ill give that a shot... i just went out to my shed and looked at what i had available tonight and i used a combination of 3 products to get almost all of the scratches out.. I first used a "fiberglass wax/cleaner" that is used for our camper lol , then i used "barkeepers friend" that said polisher on the side i figured it cant be too bad to use (comes in powder form, so it needs to be mixed with water), then used a little bit of turtle wax to get rid of some of the haze off the faceplate from the last two products. Yeah i know this stuff probably "shouldnt" be used on electronics... but o well, it helped for now, ill try and find something tomorrow at walmart...

[layinlow-s-10]

sorry so many post in a row heres the meguiars stuff

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...ectionID=61101

[sLonoma22]

ok, thanks man, i might pick some of that up. Im going to wait til tomorrow and see how bad the scratch looks in the daylight.. see if i want to mess with it anymore, because its "almost" not noticable until you look at it at a certain angle. thanks again!

[RustyButTrusty]

Quote: Originally Posted by layinlow-s-10

and rusty about the polishing cds im not talkin about like gouges out of the cd but just like smaller scratches if you use non abrasive polish with a buffer it will buff those out.

The thing is.... once the CD has been scratched, the data encoded on it has already been damaged. Polishing it may make it look better, but its actually going to hurt its chances of playing because the data "pits" will get filled with polish.

[beandip]

Quote: Originally Posted by RustyButTrusty

The thing is.... once the CD has been scratched, the data encoded on it has already been damaged. Polishing it may make it look better, but its actually going to hurt its chances of playing because the data "pits" will get filled with polish.

I wet sanded one of my cds with 1500 grit then polished it with blue metal polish. it was a burned copy and it was already skipping real bad so it couldn't have gotten any worse (had the cd ripped to my computer anyways). but the data is actually on top of the CD under the label. the underside that gets scratched is actually a polycarbonate plastic layer that protects the data. if the scratch is too deep it reflects the laser to a different bit on the CD making it skip.

after i got done polishing it the bottom was dull as hell but it didn't skip anymore.

[layinlow-s-10]

Quote:

but the data is actually on top of the CD under the label. the underside that gets scratched is actually a polycarbonate plastic layer that protects the data. if the scratch is too deep it reflects the laser to a different bit on the CD making it skip.

exactly, yeah the data is on the top part of the cd under the paint or coating. thanks beandip for clarifying that.

[blazerida88]

ill have to try the cd thing, ill take one to school tomorrow and get her buffed, i think im gonna try 2000 frit, or maybe a trizact pad

[gbones]

i used the meguiars plastic polish on my old alpine and it worked great.

[MeltingPlastic]

as per the cd:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_Disc

Rusty is correct... the backing is just for reflectivity.. the cd is incoded with pits... its in the actual polycarbonate not the aluminum....

trust me i had to do a report on this before

[Megaglow_Z]

Rusty is Partially correct. You cannot reach the data, unless you scratch the top.
Per wiki article

"CD data is stored as a series of tiny indentations (pits), encoded in a tightly packed spiral track molded into the TOP of the polycarbonate layer."

And.

"Pits are much closer to the label side of a disc, so that defects and dirt on the clear side can be out of focus during playback. Discs consequently suffer more damage because of defects such as scratches on the label side, whereas clear-side scratches can be repaired by refilling them with plastic of similar index of refraction, or by careful polishing."

You would have to sand the whole disk down to reach it.
That why they can sell this
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Innova.../dp/B00005B9W6
It sands out scratches and refinishes the disk.

I have one.....I love the thing

[beandip]

meh, i just wet sand with 2000 grit and polish it with blue magic metal polish.

if it doesnt work, ohh well, it was a burnt copy anyways. then i burn another.