Novus

[Monty]

Either I'm too dumb to understand how to use this product or else it just doesn't work worth a ****. Tried it on my windscreen, the visor on my helmet and even the clear plastic cover on my Otterbox No results on any of them. :dribble:

 

[garyahouse]

Monte:

Most solutions in a bottle will give you similar results. The Novus system, with it's different grades of abrasive compound, will take a LOT of rubbing with their course grit compound to get deeper scratches out. You might need to rub an area until your fingers get sore... for something like a half hour or more. The system does work, but it depends on WHAT you're trying to get out. The deeper the scratches or surface damage, the more rubbing it will take. But why? Why beat yourself up using a liquid?

Whether you use a liquid or sandpaper, keep in mind that both methods use the same medium: tiny abrasive grains. Whether suspended in a liquid or attached to a paper backing, they do the same thing. However, when these grains are held on sand paper, they work much quicker. For what it's worth, polishing scratches out of paint is done exactly the same way.

Removing scratches: You can do a windshield or a visor or your car's headlights the same way. I do it the old fashioned way, having done some time in the auto refinishing business years ago. For minor scratches, get yourself some 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper, and wet sand the area in question. After sanding your windshield, or whatever plastic you are working on, it should have an even haze throughout. If you can still see the imperfections in the haze or feel them with a fingernail, repeat the sanding process until they are gone.

Then polish it up with some 3M Finesse II, or a similar fine polishing compound. Most auto body pros can easily recommend a polishing compound for ya. The key: it's gotta be rough enough to handle the 2000 grit scratches and fine enough to polish up to a crystal clear surface. After just a couple minutes of polishing with my little 3 inch polishing bonnet on an air powered grinder/polisher, the scratches, haze, yellowing: are all gone. Works like a dream. You can do all this by hand on a visor as it's a small area... if you don't have any "equipment." Guys have been using this fine grit sand paper/polishing compound method for ever. Sure there are other ways, but none that work better.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Monty]

Thanks, Gary. Shoulda saved my money.

 

[ScottyUSN]

I've used the Novus with impressive results on FJR windscreen, and headlight haze on my kids car. hand buffing the windscreen was enough to get the results I wanted. some buffing was a huge time saver on the dull headlamps,

but 30 minutes later they looked almost new.

 

[Yamifz1]

So here's a question for you guys. I have an FZ1 that went down years ago and there are scratches on a small portion of the headlight that makes it look hazy, can that be buffed out with paper or this product? I was going to try it but just figured this would make it more hazy. :bb2:

 

[garauld]

The stock Yammie windshield has a protective polycarboate(?) coating on it. I believe most plastic headlights and helmet visors have it as well. If you scratch it, it will not buff out - I've tried. Leave it alone or get another shield. I've restored my headlights to near-new by wetsanding off the coating using 1500 and 2500 grit sandpaper and then using Novus #2 polish, which is what I polish up the lids I repaint. It works nicely on paint and non-coated windshields....

 

[ScottyUSN]

The stock Yammie windshield has a protective polycarboate(?) coating on it. I believe most plastic headlights and helmet visors have it as well. If you scratch it, it will not buff out - I've tried. Leave it alone or get another shield. I've restored my headlights to near-new by wetsanding off the coating using 1500 and 2500 grit sandpaper and then using Novus #2 polish, which is what I polish up the lids I repaint. It works nicely on paint and non-coated windshields....

Now that you mention it... I believe the screen I had success using the Novus on was my after market CalSci

 

[HotRodZilla]

Thanks for that info Gary. I've always known I could use sand paper, but I've never known how fine, and I never think to ask.

I polished the lights on my truck a while back with some liquid junk. I shoulda saved my money. I'll try them again with 2000 grit.

What I have noticed is that once the coating is worn off, they need to be redone every couple months. One of these days, I'll just buy a new set from Partshark. For now though, this will be a good learning experiment.

 

[garyahouse]

Thanks for that info Gary. I've always known I could use sand paper, but I've never known how fine, and I never think to ask.

I polished the lights on my truck a while back with some liquid junk. I shoulda saved my money. I'll try them again with 2000 grit.

For what it's worth. 2000 is not the ONLY grit you can use. For deep scratches, you can use course-er paper, say, 1000 grit. I've even used a combo of 400, 600, 1000 and then 2000, being careful to sand evenly with an open hand so as not to dig holes in the surface with my finger tips. The trick is, sand it EVENLY. You don't want "divots" in the surface because you put all your pressure over the area with the damage and ignored the surrounding area. Think of it as if it's one of those Temperpedic beds. When you press your fingers into the mattress, it leaves an indentation when you remove your hand quickly. This is what happens, on a lesser scale, to any given surface you sand if you're not careful to sand it evenly over a large area. Anyway, you can even use 3000 grit.... makes the buffing easier, but not by much. I've buffed after using 600, though it takes more work, and there will likely be real fine "sand" scratches in the surface if ya don't rub it out enough. So ya see, there's not just one way to do it, nor one product to due it with. I recommended 2000 as it takes care of most hazing, corrosion, fine scratches, as well as the coating that Gerauld spoke of, . This coating protects the plexiglass from the UV rays of the sun. These rays can make the plastic turn yellow. So beware. The coating is there for a reason. There are spray on products that will protect against UV damage once it's removed, but the ones I've seen are similar to a wax and must be reapplied every so often.

Gary

darksider #44