Foggy Plastic

[Jac Hawk]

Hi fellow AoS folk,

I'm currently sorting out yet another Thorens TD160, for a change this one came with it's plastic lid, the lid is scratched but that can be remedied, my issue is that parts of it are quite badly fogged, i've tried sanding away the top layer of plastic and then re polishing but the fogging remains, is it possible that the plastic is fogged to its core and no amount of sanding will remedy the problem, or do i just need to persevere?

[Macca]

hiya Mike

Yes it is possible that it's fogged to the core. Sat in direct UV light for decades maybe? I'd carry on sanding though, what do you have to lose? Try a coarser grit sandpaper if you didn't already (I bet you did )

[Jac Hawk]

Not really Martin 2000 grit, i'll try something a bit more meaty

[walpurgis]

i just need to persevere?

Yup.

The lids were polystyrene (at least they were on the early ones) and they do polish up with work.

I've not seen one fogged right through the thickness.

I've never sanded a cover, I just start with Autosol or T-Cut until it looks reasonable and finish off with Brasso or similar, then furniture wax.

[Macca]

Not really Martin 2000 grit, i'll try something a bit more meaty

Yeah try it. Used to do that with car headlights but then they weren't forty odd years old so they did clear up. Not done a TT cover. My SL1200 lid came up like new just with about ten baby wipes and a bit of elbow grease.

[Jac Hawk]

Well I’ve tried pretty much everything, it certainly seems like the fogging is right the way through, I’ve even been quite aggressive with the sanding and it’s no different once the scratches are polished out.

[Macca]

New lid then I suppose.

[Pharos]

Coincidentally my alarm clock fell two days ago and the face cracked.

I did my best to deform it and get superglue into the cracks, but with limited success. It never did polish well and was always a bit cloudy, presumably cheap plastic.

I used Brasso Silvo, (finer), and Duraglitwith very limited success..

Usually plastics will respond to a series of wet or dry papers, 4 or 600 upwards towards the finer 1200 and 2000, and then the use of a polish as above.

Finishing with a polymer coat; Simonise Diamond is good.

[Pigmy Pony]

Coincidentally my alarm clock fell two days ago and the face cracked.

I did my best to deform it and get superglue into the cracks, but with limited success. It never did polish well and was always a bit cloudy, presumably cheap plastic.

I used Brasso Silvo, (finer), and Duraglitwith very limited success..

Usually plastics will respond to a series of wet or dry papers, 4 or 600 upwards towards the finer 1200 and 2000, and then the use of a polish as above.

Finishing with a polymer coat; Simonise Diamond is good.

Be honest, you chucked it across the room Are these lids made of something different these days? The cover for my record player is described as acrylic.

[Qwin]

Use a hot air stripper and CAREFULLY heat it. Don't get to close, or heat it to much or the part will sag/distort.

I've had this work in the past.