Keeping acrylic from having scratches

Everything Else
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I made a lot of things out of clear acrylic including things like LED lamps.

I’m not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but I’m a perfectionist, and I can always find the smallest little scratch in my acrylic. I started washing it trying to get every little piece from the engraving off to prevent this, but somehow I always end up with a little scratch somewhere.

Has anyone had any success in avoiding this? I’m redoing a lot of projects because I can’t stand to make or sell anything with scratches.

Best,

Shalee

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Not sure where you are getting the scratches but the laser isn’t doing it. So it has to have been there before putting it in the machine… or it was done after. The masking should keep it from happening before pulling it off, but once it’s off it’s up to you to keep it scratch-free. :slight_smile:

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You might be able to buff the scratches out with like a headlight restoration kit or polishing papers. It’ll be a fair amount of effort to get it right though.

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Try Novus 7100 polishing compound. Amazon sells it in a 3 bottle kit. Works great. :grinning:

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I believe it’s from the micro pieces/residue that remains after it’s been cut, if that makes sense.

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I have not tried it yet but seen advertising for car polish that has “nano silica”(?) that produces a shiny surface filling any scratches and protecting from any new scratches. Separating out the bullcarp from anything else would take experimenting and I have not done that.

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I especially use the Novus on the white residue that I get when engraving acrylic without any masking.

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Try toothpaste to polish out.

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Toothpaste is amazingly effective. I made a box out of black acrylic and wood. Got some glue residue on the lid and wiped it off immediately, but it left a mark which I was able to get off using toothpaste. Otherwise, I would have had to make the entire lid over again. I’ve also worked with a lot of acrylic…and especially when I was collaborating with my brother to make some film festival awards…and wanted them to look really good. Also, I wear a pair or at least one microfiber glove (bought on Amazon) to keep acrylic free of fingerprints.

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Are you sure what you’re seeing are scratches and not micro fractures along cut edges? As @kanati alluded, the laser physically can’t do anything to create scratches unless they’re designed into your artwork.

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Once the masking is off, any kind of handling of acrylic whatsoever can make scratches in it. Some minute, some larger…it’s just the nature of nature.

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Brand?

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I don’t think the brand will matter. I just used the kind that I always use…Sensodyne!

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Hmm I have been trying that brand to no result and why I asked.

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Hmm…could be that the scratches I had were much less than what you’ve been trying to remove. I know they probably have to be pretty light and minimal.

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20200612_200618662×754 346 KB

This works well

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I use the cheap tubes from our various hospitalizations. Cheaper toothpaste is more abrasive–or at least I think I remember reading that somewhere in the long-ago.

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