Hi, came across the site and am hopeful you might be able to help
me…I own a pair of hand made Alain /mikli frames which I believe are
made from acetate. I took them into a steam room with me and across
the bridge they have whitened/misted on the surface. Do you know if I
can polish this out/off and could you possibly recommend a method and
product that will do this?
best and kind regards
Daniel.
there are a few compounds particularly for polishing plastic,
polycarbonates and acrylics on the market one dryish compound
similar to zam is called “lusterbar” it is specifically for plastics,
there are others as well just search for compounds on sites like FDJ
Tools, Otto Frei, Contenti, Rosenthals. etc and most are similar in
composition. I have one compound I use for watch crystals and is a
liquid…if no one else replies, and you can wait until tomorrow
morning (Sunday) I’ll go look on the label in the studio as I really
like it just can’t remember the name at the moment…rer
came across the site and am hopeful you might be able to help me..I own a pair of hand made Alain /mikli frames which I believe are made from acetate. I took them into a steam room with me and across the bridge they have whitened/misted on the surface.
Is it like a surface bloom? I’ve had that when solvent-polishing or
laminating acetate with acetone. According to Mazzucchelli, an
Italian manufacturer of acetate:
Optimum storage is about 20-25B0C and 45-55% relative humidity
[....] Excess water can cause blooming, which is difficult to
avoid even with high boiling point solvents [....] Polishing. a.
Superficial treatment with acetone by emersion or vaporisation.
Too long can cause flaking and cracking due to excessive
swelling. Use a dry environment. b. Dry rough tumbling. Use
adequate ventilation of the barrel and avoid over-loading. Too
high a temperature causes flaking, breakage or deformation. c.
Water rough tumbling. Not advisable for acetone treated
material. Tumbling method at 18-20B0C room temperature with
constant humidity: Stage 1. Roughing, 12hrs, birch rhomboid pegs,
spongy pumice, SL5 oil. Stage 2. Smoothing, 12hrs, birch rhomboid
pegs, hard pumice, SL5 oil. Stage 3. Polishing, 18hrs, rhomboid
pegs 1/3 cubes 1/3, cuspoids 1/3, polishing cream. Stage 4.
Finishing, 18hrs, rhomboid pegs 1/3 cubes 1/3, cuspoids 1/3, high
polishing cream.
Do you know if I can polish this out/off and could you possibly recommend a method and product that will do this?
I’ve usually buffed acetate using the usual silver abrasives. Try a
fine emery, gently rubbing. If that seems effective consider buffing
with white rouge on the flexishaft. I’d definitely NOT go near a
stationary buffing motor. The risk of them catching is too great.
Brian
www.adam.co.nz