RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 19, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2019 The idiot in question bearing a remarkable resemblance to yours truly. I'm making a Comet Collett C66/75 all third and had glazed it before putting the roof on (this is not the way round recommended in the instructions or 'building coaches the Comet way' booklet, and the reason for doing it this way is explained in 'Johnster's Comet Colletts' in Skills and Knowledge/Scratchbuilding and Kitbuilding). Thinking I was well on the way to finishing the kit, I superglued the roof on and have 'hazed' the glazing as it went off. It could pass for misted up windows, but this is not the appearance I want. I am pretty sure I remember reading a tip here about how it is possible to clean such hazing about 2 years ago, but I can't find it now and have forgotten what it was; I will be very grateful to anyone who can help me with this. The alternative is not the end of the world; I will have to re-glaze the coach and use something else to affix the roof, but it would be nice to find out what the tip was! My thanks in anticipation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasatcopthorne Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Use Perspex Polish, Brasso or similar. Oh, plus elbow grease! Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISW Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Did the 'tip' involve dipping the plastic into self-shining liquid floor polish? That would put the gloss look back, but I don't know if it 'fills' the imperfections to remove the 'fog'. Probably not much use though unless you can get the glazing out again to dip it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokebox Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) The old Johnsons Klear was said to work. Don't know whether the new formula stuff is any good. Edited February 19, 2019 by smokebox Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 19, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2019 Shine your buttons! Thank you for these very useful and informative tips, gentlemen. I'll try Brasso first. It's only 3 ha'pence a tin, you know! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Kirk Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Before using Brasso, try it on a scrap of glazing. Depends what plastic you are using but I remember one plastic moulding job we had years ago, rev counter cover for a fork lift truck. These were moulded in styrene and the "failure" rate was quite High with some of the clear bits not optically clear.. They were quite hard to do, the main bit moulded in black and the clear front moulded on in a second operation. I though that it might be worth the work of polishing some of the "duds" and we set to with Brasso. Something in Brasso does not like styrene and the clear styrene crazed and eventually crumbled. best wishes, Ian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted February 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 19, 2019 Hi Brasso also has the same effect on some Farish coaches making them brittle. Cheers Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 19, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2019 Good advice, Ian, and I'll take it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 19, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2019 Ah, perhaps not Brasso, then. Plan B, try a bit of Johnson's Klear on a scrap piece to see if it is safe, and then have a go with that. Going to big Sainsbury's tomoz, will look out for some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kylestrome Posted February 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Toothpaste is also a useful alternative (for polishing). David Edited February 19, 2019 by Kylestrome 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Rixon Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 In a video by a top-grade military modeller, he polished up clear plastic using first abrasive paper and then Tamiya Finish Polishing Compound. This latter product is intended for use on polystyrene. I don't know how well it suits acrylic plastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damo666 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 26 minutes ago, Kylestrome said: Toothpaste is also a useful alternative (for polishing). David I used toothpaste many years ago to remove a scratch on the plastic window of a VHS video player successfully. The scratch magnified the electronic display behind and was very distracting. 15 minutes of rubbing with a soft cloth and toothpaste changed the scratch to a blur and finally a slight distortion (as I obviously made the parallel faces of the plastic into a lens). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 T cut car colour restoration polish might be worth a try. Brasso does seem to have something rather nasty in it which is why I use T cut on my (Unlacquered) Bass Trumpet and various bits of clear plastic. Silvo seems more benign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 FWIW I've used jeweller's rouge successfully on both polystyrene and acrylics as well as my reading glasses ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JEWELLERS-ROUGE-POWDER-50g-GLASS-SCRATCH-FREE-POSTAGE/252489318666?epid=1990667141&hash=item3ac989410a:g:AFQAAOxyHntSZAVT:rk:1:pf:0 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 11 hours ago, smokebox said: The old Johnsons Klear was said to work. Don't know whether the new formula stuff is any good. Humbrol have a product called 'Clear' which is like the old Johnsons stuff. Much more expensive though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted February 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2019 When you come to put more roofs on use Evostik like Coachmann does, easy to prise off too if you want to add passengers later. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroborus Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 The tip with Klear is true, but i think you might need to put some work in first to lessen the damage. Fine abrasive pads (3000+) are available. Oral B toothpaste is the most abrasive. Klear works, but make sure you get the stuff that is clear and not milky or yellow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Torper Posted February 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2019 From reading the above, it stikes me that it might be easier just to remove the existing glazing and reglaze. In that latter event, I'd recommend the use of Formula 560 Canopy glue. It looks just like PVA glue, but it securely bonds plastic to metal and dries clear. I've found that any that does spill over onto a window can be easily removed with a cocktail stick leaving no mark behind it. DT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 5 hours ago, Rowsley17D said: When you come to put more roofs on use Evostik like Coachmann does, easy to prise off too if you want to add passengers later. That would be my suggestion as well. It's the superglue fumes being trapped in the body with nowhere to go which is the problem rather than the glazing. All supergluing should ideally be done before glazing. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Some information here on Johnsons Klear. I don't know how relevant this is now as it's an old post. http://georgedentmodelmaker.blogspot.com/2013/01/klear-ing-things-up.html Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 20, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Rowsley17D said: When you come to put more roofs on use Evostik like Coachmann does, easy to prise off too if you want to add passengers later. I was thinking of Evo for this as it happens, easier to work with than Araldite and doesn't haze anything. If Coachy does it that's more than good enough for me! The 'easy to prise off' concept is one I already use with pound shop superglue to hold loco bodies on to chassis not originally designed for them. Good tip, thank you! Edited February 20, 2019 by The Johnster Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 20, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said: Some information here on Johnsons Klear. I don't know how relevant this is now as it's an old post. http://georgedentmodelmaker.blogspot.com/2013/01/klear-ing-things-up.html Jason I've just seen a bottle of original Klear on 'Bay for £200; things have clearly got out of hand! I cannot find definitive information re the superglue haze clearing abilities of the current Klear; people write about it's capacity as a glazing polish or fixing material but not this. Jason hits the nail on the head when he comments about the hazing being the result of fumes trapped in compartments or bodies generally, but some of my open windowed compartments are as bad as the sealed one, so I'll be replacing the roof with Evostick to avoid the problem. I have chosen to deviate from the order of construction suggested by the Comet instructions and 'Comet Way' booklet because I considered that it would be easier paint the interior surface of the sides and ends and apply the glazing with the sides and ends as separate pieces than with the completed bodyshell (it was), but the bodyshell would have been open at the bottom to the air and thus less prone to hazing the glazing using superglue had I done it as per instruction. So it isn't Comet's fault that I have a problem, it's mine! Current thinking is to re-glaze afresh using new plastiglaze and fixing it with 'Glue'n Glaze', possibly using the Glue'n Glaze for the smaller open droplight reveals; I think the full size windows are probably a bit big for it, and do the roof with Evostick. I'm up the shops later and will probably buy a bottle of Johnson's Klear if Sainsbury's have one, as it seems to be useful in general anyway, and I will try it out on my hazed glazing before I chuck it away and report back. Interestingly, I'd estimated 2 months to build this coach, and the setback is going to put it exactly on schedule for this. Future Comets should take less as I've sort of worked out a method that suits me and learned lessons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kylestrome Posted February 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Ouroborus said: .............. Klear works, but make sure you get the stuff that is clear and not milky or yellow The rumour that the 'new' Klear works differently to the old is clearly a myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6dXkL6CwGY Edited February 20, 2019 by Kylestrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISW Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 36 minutes ago, Kylestrome said: The rumour that the 'new' Klear works differently to the old is clearly a myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6dXkL6CwGY And there is a guy on YouTube, Martys Matchbox Makeovers (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLM7pRUW6CmqqoAic24wbpQ) who uses the milky type stuff to dip the plastic windows of old Matchbox cars to return them to a good shine. The product I have came from The Range (I'm sure others stock it) and is called 'Astonish Wood Floor Polish'. See attachment. 2019 - Astonish Wood Floor Polish (The Range).pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroborus Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Kylestrome said: The rumour that the 'new' Klear works differently to the old is clearly a myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6dXkL6CwGY Or maybe not: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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