Removing clear coat from windshield?? HELP Please!

[CFMgarage]

Hey gentlemen (and ladies)...

I finally feel like I have the skill to restore the models I built when I started this hobby. I'd hate to toss them out as they're decent, but I was dumb to clear coat over the windshield, which turned out hazy-foggy-like.

I was thinking about sanding it, but doesn't that usually make it just dull and non-seethrough? Is there anything I can do? The purple pond didn't do anything.

[astroracer]

Yup, sand it with a foam block and 800 or 1000 grit wet paper. Put a bit of dish soap in the water. Sand it until all of the paint is gone THEN re-clear it or keep sanding with finer grits until it can be polished with Novus. Sanding and clearing works just as well and is a lot quicker.

Mark

[MrBuick]

You could try a different bath...I've just started using Brake Fluid with good results, but I don't know if that'd work for you. I would probably try polishing it and maybe giving it a bath in Pledge with Future and see what happens. 

[Snake45]

What kind of clearcoat is it? If purple pond didn't take it off, it must not be enamel. Could be lacquer, in which case 91% rubbing alcohol MIGHT take it off.

Once it's off, the "glass" underneath might be fine or might be frosted. If it's frosted, you'll have to sand and polish it out anyway.

Don't panic! As long as your glass isn't cracked, this is fixable, and one way or the other, we'll walk you through it.

[CFMgarage]

What kind of clearcoat is it? If purple pond didn't take it off, it must not be enamel. Could be lacquer, in which case 91% rubbing alcohol MIGHT take it off.

Once it's off, the "glass" underneath might be fine or might be frosted. If it's frosted, you'll have to sand and polish it out anyway.

Don't panic! As long as your glass isn't cracked, this is fixable, and one way or the other, we'll walk you through it.

It's duplicolor automotive perfect match clear. I've been trying to get 91% R.A. but haven't gotten it yet.

I can definitely try wetsanding it, and then pledge/future. Wont wetsand and a clear coat just fog it up again?

[CFMgarage]

Oh I forgot to say...Mark, Colby, Snake thank you guys for the quick response. Means a lot to get good help from good people.

[astroracer]

 This is my Pickup. I wet sanded all of the numbers and lettering off the tails, painted the "blacked out" edge white and then clear coated. They are crystal clear. Actually better then before because I sanded out all of the "warbles" in the molded plastic. This WILL work great, believe me. Done it many times just to smooth out the plastic window to make it look more like glass...

Mark

I found a better pic. These were painted in '01. Haven't been touched since other then to polish a bit.

Edited April 1, 2016 by astroracer

[StevenGuthmiller]

It's duplicolor automotive perfect match clear. I've been trying to get 91% R.A. but haven't gotten it yet.

I can definitely try wetsanding it, and then pledge/future. Wont wetsand and a clear coat just fog it up again?

If you used Duplicolor clear, that is your problem.

Duplicolor clear is far too "hot" to shoot over bare plastic.

The fogging you're seeing is probably the plastic "crazing".

Sanding is probably your only option.

Use a milder clear next time like Testors.

 

Steve

[slusher]

I you can't save the glass, you can try to make one out of clear packaging like the top from a Christmas card box or the packaging of Schick razors. Hobby Lobby also carries foam sanding pads in the model isle that are great for polishing and use the 40 percent off coupon...

[snacktruck67]

You can wet sand the glass starting with 3200 and work you way up to 12,000.  You should have almost perfect glass by that time.  Then use 3m Scratch-X and rub that it quite well, then polish or dip in future.  If all else fails, just order a replacement from the manufacture or request one from a member of the forum

[Tom Geiger]

Don't soak it in brake fluid. It will permanently craze clear plastic!  See the windshield of this Edsel above.  

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Honest to bejeezum...sanding it RIGHT and taking enough TIME and EFFORT to polish it RIGHT...WILL fix it, and if you do it RIGHT it will look better than new.

Snacktruck67 is telling you true.

You just gots to be careful about supporting it while doing the above, 'cause clear styrene is typically a little more brittle than the opaque stuff, and it will snap if flexed too far.

I've snapped a few. 

Edited April 2, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[CFMgarage]

Thanks guys. I'll definitely wetsand it. I'm very patient now, wasn't too patient when I started out haha (but I'm pretty sure that's the case for the good majority of us)...like I said, I don't mind patience to fix a model that turned out amazing except for the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH windshield. I'm on vacation now, but I'll give it a shot when I get back home next week

[snacktruck67]

 

You just got  to be careful about supporting it while doing the above, 'cause clear styrene is typically a little more brittle than the opaque stuff, and it will snap if flexed too far.

I've snapped a few. 

How true that is.  Snapped a few in my time.

[TomZ]

I will add that clear does not tolerate a lot of flexing and may develop stress cracks if you are not careful to fully support the area you are sanding.

[Snake45]

If it were my job, I'd start sanding with 3M Wetordry #800, used wet, then move on to #1000, #1500, and #2000. At that point I'd either move on to the Trim nail buffing sticks or Wright's Silver Cream, depending on my mood. I'd be surprised if the whole job took me half an hour. 15-20 minutes might be more like it.

Clear plastic isn't any scarier to work with than colored, provided you keep in mind that you can't bend or flex it, or put TOO much pressure on it. Conquering one's fear of clear styrene will open up whole new modeling worlds. Good luck!

[CFMgarage]

If it were my job, I'd start sanding with 3M Wetordry #800, used wet, then move on to #1000, #1500, and #2000. At that point I'd either move on to the Trim nail buffing sticks or Wright's Silver Cream, depending on my mood. I'd be surprised if the whole job took me half an hour. 15-20 minutes might be more like it.

Clear plastic isn't any scarier to work with than colored, provided you keep in mind that you can't bend or flex it, or put TOO much pressure on it. Conquering one's fear of clear styrene will open up whole new modeling worlds. Good luck!

I'm gonna try this tonight Snake.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice.