plexi-glass care

[mhyde71]

saw this on line looking for / doing some research

Small aircraft use plexiglass windows. There is a polish sold to take out scratches and such. It may work OK on haze as well. If you do a search on "Aircraft Spruce & Specialty" or on "Sporty's Pilot Shop" you should find something.

A few tips for avoiding the problem (garnered from years of cleaning my Cessna 172's windows, and reading up on how to do it right to avoid the problem):
Do NOT use Windex or other window cleaners on plexiglass. The ammonia in them attacks the plexiglass, eventually causing the haziness or fogging you mention.
Do not use paper towels clean the plexi. The small wood chips/fibers in the paper towels are abrasive to plexiglass. This is true even of the "soft" paper towels (i.e. "Bounty"), not just the cheap ones you find in the restaurant bathrooms. You probably won't notice it the first time you do it, but the effect is cumulative
Try clean cotton cloths, or even better the cleaning "shammy" cloths sold by auto stores for cleaning high-end autos -- some of those owners are completely nuts about babying their pride and joy. Resist the urge to reuse that same cloth you used last time that has been sitting in your shop. It only looks clean enough.
Soak the plexi in plenty of water before cleaning to soften the bugs and whatever else is clinging to it
a quick spray and wipe with lemon pledge when you are done cleaning the plexiglass will make it easier to remove the bugs and other crud without having to scrub so hard (and scratch) your windows. This or other waxes may also temporarily make plexiglass look better, but the scratches are still there, and it wears off quickly.
Some plexiglass is more sensitive to UV light than others. UV exposure can cause fogging or crazing. If you are replacing the windows, it might pay to look into what kind of UV resistance the stuff you are buying has.

For more tips, stop by a local small airport and talk to the aircraft mechanic or some of the owners. Replacing aircraft windows is ridiculously expensive (makes those Stihl parts look downright reasonable). Anyone who has been around small aircraft for a while will have picked up some good techniques.

If you want to see an aircraft owner have a heart attack, watch his reaction when the helpful lineboy at some airports walks over to clean the owner's windows with a bottle of Windex in one hand, and a roll of paper towels in the other.

John Mc


link here: http://www.forestryforum.com/board/inde ... ic=45661.0



thought it might be use for us/you ms (and other) plexiglass amp cover owners.

[wooferdog]

good info,this is also useful on motorcycle plexi windshields and auto headlights.

[nutxo]

Try brasso.