Bringing back the shine?

[rob63mess]

I've seen on a few posts that guys are using acetone to bring back the shine on there abs bodies. What exactly is the process, I have a st 295 wild wolf so i'm assuming it's abs. Thanks for any help.

[Matt O.]

Hi,
I just bought a 295 Wild Wolf also. Yes it is ABS. The best way to bring back the shine is to wet sand the body. There are a few post on this site and the Attex web site talking about how this is done. The best way I have found is to use a small 3" auto body air sander, Start out with 250 grit, then 600, and finish with 1,000 or 1,200 The more time you put into the project the beter it will look. I hope this helps,

Matt

[rob63mess]

thanks, that is a help. I'll review the posts on the subject. I'm probably more comfotable using a sander rather than acetone.

[6X6]

Hi:
I did a little messing with the acetone method, but you need to sand the body to get any discoloring out first anyway, or it's permanently sealed in, and you will still want to wet sand at 1000 anyway. It may save some sanding time, but it doesn't avoid it and you need to prep carefully. Also, if any fibers come off the cloth you are using they fuse into the body. I've decided to use the sanding method on my Wolf.

[rob63mess]

It sounds like I'm going to be spending lots of time with the random orbiting sander

[racerone3]

i just did the upper half of my st400 in about an hour and a half. 3" d.a. sander, up to 500 grit. the 5" D.A. to 1200. some 3M polishing compound with a buffer and it looks pretty good. there are a few spots that could be better, but it will do for my purpose. i figure it would take most of a day to do a really nice job top to bottom, inside and out

[Don]

there are a few spots that could be better, but it will do for my purpose

If you're going fast enough, no one will notice.

[racerone3]

x

[racerone3]

sand blasting

i had a scrap of abs laying around from a 1st gen attex that was badly oxidized and stained. figured i'd try throwing it in the sand blaster to see how it would do on the hard to sand areas. holding the blast nozzle about 1 1/2' from the plastic, it did a pretty good job. in the pic just to the left of center you can see the result of getting too close. the heat produced burned the plastic badly.
i'm going to try this with a small gravity fed blaster on the headlight area of the wild wolf

[lewis]

Before shine.JPG When i received machine

Shine 1.JPG

top.JPG

Try some baking soda, heat is reduced.

Also when you are wet sanding i use a few drops of dish washing soap. You will be tired of sanding when this process is over

[Amphiman1]

another solution...

Get a gallon jug of acetone, anout 11.00 to 17.00, Alot of clean cotton WHITE rags, like old socks with holes, or "t" shirts, go for it, one section at a time.... Lookie....
http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/show...php?photo=5698
I thought it w attex yellow...... Ask jpswift1

[jpswift1]

That acetone that Amphiman1 used on his Hawk Hi Torq 6x6 worked very well. I really don't know what kind of plastic it is though. I don't think it is 100% ABS and I know it isn't poly, but the acetone cleaned it up so well and it looks like a brand new machine!

[Amphiman1]

ace in the hole....

I just did an Attex top body, badly stained., looked almost like the hawk hi torque, picts to follow,,,VERY nice!! no sanding.....
And . it leaves it shiny, smooth too

[PlumCrazy]

I just did an Attex top body, badly stained., looked almost like the hawk hi torque, picts to follow,,,VERY nice!! no sanding.....
And . it leaves it shiny, smooth too

Any pics yet Amphiman1!

[Amphiman1]

lets see.......

Any pics yet Amphiman1!

try this...... i thought it was attex yellow!

http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/search.php?searchid=11804