Best Way to Get Transparent Craftsman Plastic?

[bstoehr52]

What is the best way you've found to get old Craftsman acetate screwdrivers to be transparent and clear?

I've used scotch Brite with a follow up of PlastX and friction from a microfiber cloth but it still has this fogginess to every one I do.

How do I achieve pure clarity and "see-throughness" with acetate screwdrivers?

 

[Lesserstore]

I don't usually do it unless they are really beat up, but what I do is wet sand using 1000 or 1200 grit sandpaper, then 0000 steel wool (fine Scotch Brite would probably work as well), then use flitz polish, and lastly, polish using plastX.

 

[CoogarXR]

I usually just use windex and a microfiber cloth. Buff it hard, and it'll clean up. I haven't had one yet that didn't.

 

[Jure]

Can you flame polish them?

 

[bstoehr52]

Can you flame polish them?

How does one do that??

 

[Jure]

How does one do that??

Oxy torch... stick it in a drill or lathe and touch it with the torch while turning.

Flame polishing - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[bstoehr52]

Oxy torch... stick it in a drill or lathe and touch it with the torch while turning.

Flame polishing - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thank you! Have you had the best results with this versus PlastX or say the Windex mentioned above?

 

[Jure]

Thank you! Have you had the best results with this versus PlastX or say the Windex mentioned above?

I tried it on acrylic and it works great,best to be used on black and transparent colors. Tried it on polycarbonate and it works,but on poly if you hold it too long at one spot,it will start to bubble. Bunch of custom duck call makers are using flame polishing on black and transp duck calls and yes it works better than any product you can get. Best is to polish it and finish with the flame to remove that "foggy" look,and make it glass like...

 

[piehammer]

I've had very good luck using a heat gun. Just heat them up and the cloudy stuff turns clear. Wipe it off and repeat as needed.

 

[Stevettt]

Interesting, I would have thought that heating would have the opposite effect if any.
Thanks for the info.