Howdy all, I would like to pass along a little tip to make your clear plastic instrument lenses look new. As a professional model maker, this is something I have been doing for years when I install clear canopies and windows on my models. Use some Novus 2 plastic polish and rub it on the surface of the clouded or crazed lense covers and then buff it out. Simple as that and it takes no more than ten minutes to do all three in the main cluster. If you are not happy with the look do it again. You don't even have to remove the lenses to do it. Also, if you have deeper scratches in your lense, these can be sanded out and then polished to look new. If you have to sand the lens, use lots of water and start with a 400 grit paper, and follow with 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and finish with 4000. For this I suggest you remove the clear part. Then polish with the Novus 2 plastic polish. When sanding ensure that you alternate the direction by 90 degrees with each step. This way you will know where you have sanded and if you have removed the scratches from the previous step. If you cannot locate Novus plastic polish, then Blue Magic metal polish or another similar brand will also work. As a final optional step if you really want to add some lustre to the lenses apply some model car wax called "The Treatment" This stuff will increase the clarity of the lenses as well as make then easier to clean in the future. Trust me this works Cheers Randy
Works good on taillights, signal and marker lights as well. Makes them look new. Good tip! :beer later Tim
I know a lot of folks have a grudge against OPG, but they offer pointed and non-pointed gauge lenses for sale in the catalog. I think it was $11 each. Just another option.
Polishing lenses Hi Brian, Excellent point. I was not aware that you could get replacements, and I have no bias against OPG as I have never bought anything from them. If I had not been able to polish my lenses, then I would most certainly buy some from OPG. Also, Tim had a good point about using the polish on tail lights etc. This is what makes this discussion group a vital resource. Cheers Randy
ThePartsPlaceInc sells the lenses as well, I think they are 9.00 each, don't quote me on that... later Tim
