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A common annoyance is scratches and dirt buildup. Scratches mar the appearance of the plastic windows and panels, surface dirt can dull the detail and craftsmanship of these fine machines. In this discussion we are going to concern ourselves with these two subjects in relation to the plastic components. Metal cabinet repair and refurbishing is covered in another panel. In the photo above you can see both examples of what we will be working with. Upper left is a scratched lens on a SL-HF750 linear skating door and the other part of the photo shows dirt buildup. Click on the picture and we see the steps taken to remove the deep scratches in the lens. (Note: These steps apply to other plastic components as well, another panel found in this section will cover scratch removal using similar methods on another lens.) Looking at the photo and starting in the upper left corner, super fine 1500-2000 grit sandpaper is used to remove enough surface to take out the scratches. It is important here to feather out the area around the scratch rather than concentrate only on the wound. This will allow the repaired area to be smooth and not be noticeable. Next rubbing or cutting compound is used, as shown in photo upper right, to remove the fine scratches made by the sandpaper. In the lower left photo polishing compound or ultra-fine plastic cutting paste is rubbed over the area to bring it to a high luster. The repair is complete and the surface is renewed as shown in photo lower right. Click on the photo and now a discussion about dirt build-up. Looking at the upper left, one of the areas that seems to always attract surface scum and residue is the back of the plastic panes and colored lenses of the display windows. A cotton wad soaked in soap and water can usually clean these up. If they get particularly dirty, as with cigarette smoke, naphtha can be used followed up with the soap and water. The upper left photo shows taking a toothpick and winding cotton around the end to create a miniature swab. It helps if you slightly smash the end to give the cotton something to grab on to. Next lower left we see the swab being used to get into the small cracks and crevices where dirt tends to hide. Once again using soap and water, naphtha for oily buildup or if something really stubborn comes along, video head cleaner (a solution of isopropyl alcohol, hexamethyldisoloxane and propyl acetate) can be used. In each of these instances clean water is used to rinse the area after cleaning. Carefully remove the water with a soft towel (not terry cloth which will snag), compressed air or by allowing the part to air dry. The lower right corner shows the Beta cleaned and shined. A note about solvents, it is always advisable to test them on an area where, if they should attack the surface, it will not be seen. Of coarse don't use it if the area reacts to the solvent. To proceed to the next section that describes the EVALUATING AND ESTIMATING click here. To go to the other subjects covered in this section:
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