Re: [ATM] polishing plastic

["Don Clement" <clement.focuser@verizon.net>]

A major factor in the process of polishing glass as opposed to polishing
plastic or metals such as copper or silver is hardness of the material to be
polished. The polishing process is similar to lapping in the on a lathe or
on a  flat where the lapped or polished object is harder than the medium
with embedded polishing compound. In the case of lapping hardened steel, the
lap is made of a softer material such as copper or cast iron. Glass is
polished with softer pitch or beeswax embedded with polishing compound. How
does one polish a soft material such as plastic, copper, or silver?
Micro-mesh products solve that problem very well by embedding the polishing
compound in an elastomer. Plastic has the added problem of electrostatic
charge. If one tries to polish or lap a soft material using the same
techniques used for hard materials, the polishing compound becomes
integrated or imbedded in the soft material to be polished.



BTW, I lap the silver or copper coldfinger (heatsink) with micromesh
products for a better thermal conductivity and eliminating the need for
thermal grease like compounds. Also CDs can be restored using Micro-mesh
products if the scratches do not go below polycarbonate surface.



Don Clement

Running Springs, California





>
> Perhaps of general interest to this list are the active ingredients
> in this line of products, called Micro-Mesh.... Silicone carbide (and
> yeah, they consistenly spelled "silicone" with an "e" at the end) with
> grit sizes from 1500 to 1200 (30 to 2 micron). Hmmmm? Maybe they meant
> 2 to 13 micron or some such???? Not sure.
>
> Well anyway, another part of their product line is Aluminum oxide.
>
> Interesting that CeO and rouge are not mentioned anywhere. They
> are selling grits some of us use for fine grinding glass for purpose
> of polishing plastic. By a few accounts, it works well (for plastic),
> quite interesting! I would not have thought to attempt to polish metal
> and plastic surfaces with SiC or AlO grit.
>
>
> Dominic-Luc Webb
>
>
>
> On Wed, 21 Dec 2005, Don Clement wrote:
>
> > I might also add that Micro-mesh products produce an excellent polish on
> > soft metals, e.g. copper or silver heatsinks
> >
> > -Don
> >
> > >
> > > I have used Micro-mesh products with good results polishing plastic.
see:
> > > http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/  Micro-mesh includes an anti-static
cream
> > > for final polish.
> > >
> > > Don Clement
> > > Running Springs, California
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/
> >
>

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