bringing back old plastic

[91dime]

I had some plastic for my warrior I got for free that was pretty beat up. there were large scratches in it and it was stained from sitting so long with stuff on it. I figured I would try wet sanding it with some 320-600-1500-2000. It got all the small scratches out , some large ones, and its white again. I have used a heat gun many times at the body shop I work to bring the color back to plastic, and I have read of guys using a heat gun to bring the color back and it will fill in scratches. I was thinking, could I use a heat gun to bring the shine back to my wet sanded plastic? It might be easier than buffing it, and I wont have to worry about swirl marks.

Any opinions?

[91dime]

Heres a pic of what I have done,

[91dime]

Well I tried usuing a small propane torch to bring back the shine, but it didnt turn out to great. I spread the heat out evenly across the fender but it started burning spots and its not very shiny. I guess ill spend a few hours buffing tommrow. I will try doing it by hand, but I will most likley have to get the buffer out.

[rsscoggins]

I sanded the white bodywork that was on the used Yamaha Breeze that I bought for my daughter. I got out the major scratchs/gouges using 220/400/800/1000/2000 sandpaper. I don't have a heat gun and tried a hair dryer - it did nothing to improve the shine. Mine kinda looked like the clean side that you show in the picture - more of a matte finish. I tried buffing it by hand with little to no improvement.

Let us know if you get any improvement and what chemicals you used and if you had to go to a buffer (orbital or dual action).

[91dime]

Well I tried machine buffing ,and hand buffing with no results. But last time when I tried heat I was using a propane torch and it just burnt the plastic. However, I got a heat gun and used it after I sanded it and it brought the shine back to the plastic. You just have to watch out how much heat you use because the plastic gets soft quick and gets wavy. I scored a set of maeir purple plastic for 15 that was in ok shape. I used the heat gun and some polishing compound and its alot better than it was. Ill post some pics of the white plastic after I used the heat gun.

[flyer15015]

Ever thought about using the paint they use on plastic car front ends ?
Or the headlight cover polishing kit walmart sells to restore clear plastic.
You could cover the scratches with vinyl decal material.
mike

[91dime]

I wanted to avoid painting it, but my cousin has painted a few and he found some stuff called one shot and he said it held up longer than anthing he ever used. Ive seen the head light kit from east wood which is probably the same thing as the walmart kit. Have you ever used the a head light kit? As for the sticker I am going to cover some places where the plastic was damaged with a maier sticker, do you guys know where I could get a few?

Let me know about the head light kit, I might try that.