Hi, I picked up a Technics SL-D2 turntable with scratched up dustcover. I was going to clean it with Novus by hand without using power tools. After doing a search I learned Novus may not work on older polystyrene dust covers. Does anyone know if the SL-D2 dustcover is polystyrene or acrylic? Thanks, Don
Technics SL-D2, polystyrene or acrylic?
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moggi1964
Active Member
I would imagine it is polypropylene not polystyrene (though I may be wrong -I remember polystyrene to be the stuff you used in packing that was white and broke up into tiny little balls).
I actually have an SL-D2 but cannot tell the difference between PolyP and acrylic I'm sorry to say.
I was planning on attacking mine with some headlight renewer stuff so I guess I may find out.
I actually have an SL-D2 but cannot tell the difference between PolyP and acrylic I'm sorry to say.
I was planning on attacking mine with some headlight renewer stuff so I guess I may find out.
Not to muddy this up, but it looks like a acrylic to me. Polycarbonate doesn't scratch so easy (I don't think). I have a Dual Polycarbonate dust cover and it is flawless after all these years. It also kind of looks like the stuff polycarbonate water bottles are made of.
(Sounds like a line from a song).
Rapidan
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's polycarbonate or acrylic. It's too rigid. And brittle.
I bought one of these for my son for Xmas - I polished it with a good quality car wax and it came out really nice. If I'd had more time I probably could have got it near perfect.
Your local glass shop should have the small bottles of Novus available. Meguiar's Mirror Glaze works well on most plastics also.
I bought one of these for my son for Xmas - I polished it with a good quality car wax and it came out really nice. If I'd had more time I probably could have got it near perfect.
Your local glass shop should have the small bottles of Novus available. Meguiar's Mirror Glaze works well on most plastics also.
Not styrene or acrylic. See this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yp-kumgpoM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yp-kumgpoM
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
Novus is sold exclusively by Kevin at KAB for restoring Technics dust covers.
I just bought his Novus 3-step kit to tackle a few projects.
I just bought his Novus 3-step kit to tackle a few projects.
boreas
"If it sounds good, it IS good." E.K.E.
It's styrene. Styrene was specifically not covered in the TAP video because the polish they're selling, Novus, is a less than ideal product for it. It's much, much harder than acrylic which, in turn, is harder than polycarbonate. Novus works very well on acrylic and polycarbonate and will work and yield very good results on styrene but it takes a lot of elbow grease.... a lot.
I was talking to one of the people at my local TAP store recently. She said that there "used to be" some stuff that the guys in the shop liked to use better than the Novus but that they couldn't get it any more.
The best stuff I've used on Technics (and other '70s - '80s dustcovers) is Brasso brass polish, but the old formula liquid that comes in a metal can. (Maybe that's what the TAP guys used.) It specifically lists "plastic watch crystals" as an "other use". Sadly, Brasso changed the formula. The new stuff is a cream in a plastic squeeze bottle. It will NOT work on plastic. It actually seems to etch the surface.
I'm told that Flitz metal polish works very well but haven't used it yet. I'm going to get some next time I need to do a dustcover.
John
boreas
"If it sounds good, it IS good." E.K.E.
Styrene is hard and cracks easily (like our dustcovers). Being hard, it's not as easy to scratch as some other plastics but once scratched, it's more difficult to repair. Acrylic ("Plexiglass") is softer, more flexible and scratches fairly easily. Polycarbonate ("Lexan") is even softer than acrylic, more flexible and even easier to scratch - which is why TAP said not to use Novus #3 on it.
John
1. Styrene has injection molding marks and is not very flat (wavy) so it is not styrene.
2. Polycarbonate has dark edges as does the D2s cover (others are acrylic) so I deduce it is polycarbonate. Acrylic and styrene edges are clear colored.
3. Polycarbonate does scratch. (ie: eye glasses, motorcycle windshields)
I have a friend who restores pinball machines for a living plus his own TT collection and uses Novus #2 on all the plastic. Some folks even use it to refresh cell phones.
I found out you can by Novus at most motorcycle dealers for cleaning windshields and visors. I just ordered an 8 oz bottle of Novus #2 for 6.50 from my local Yammie dealer. Should be here Fri. so I will let you know how well it works.
I bought the Novus with and applied. I also got it from a billard supply house. Worked very well. It didn't get a couple of deep scratches. It probably could, I just didn't want to apply to much pressure while rubbing and crack the cover. I'm satisfied with the out come. Before I started it was cloudy because of the damage (scratches). Now it's clear and not cloudy with miminal marks. Thanks to all of you who replied. Sincere Thanks, Don
Bstable
Super Member
I am wondering if the SL-D202 dustcover is the same as the SL-D2? Has anyone tried the Flitz? I am very interested in this thread because I am running out of things to do. Incidentally, I took great care of my cover. It has a haze but no moderate or deep scratches.
I have a Pioneer PL-514 cover that does have some bad scratches, and it would be great if there was a product that would work on both.
boreas
"If it sounds good, it IS good." E.K.E.
Pop that Technics badge off and I believe you'll find it's hiding the injection scar.
John
Attachments
It is not a badge over an injection scar. It is Technics cool design where as the logo is mounted on the underside of the lid so as to prevent the logo from being scratch. And styrene does not have dark edges. And Novus is not suppose to work on dustcovers of styrene and others have used it with success. I will let you know how well it works when my bottle of Novus #2 comes in on Fri (hopefully) as they didn't have any in stock. The original poster of this thread says it worked for him and it works for the pinball machine restorer I mentioned earlier.
Not my photos, but this is what the d2 dust cover dark edges look like. Acrylic and styrene are supposed to have clear edges.
http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/...709/09/1_55f6bf72bfe720027bd9fd124a8d8702.jpg
http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/...709/07/1_8364acabe74ea5dce67a9adcf9d440f9.jpg
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boreas
"If it sounds good, it IS good." E.K.E.
I wasn't talking about the rectangular boss but the circle in the middle of the rectangle. It's the injection scar. Also, there was no logo on the underside of that dustcover. There is only one on top, still in place in the photo I posted.
If you'll view the TAP video again, you'll see that they say three pertinent things about polycarbonate. First, as you say, it does have a dark edge but the distinction they were drawing regarding that characteristic was between polycarbonate and acrylic, which has a lighter edge. Styrene had already been banished from the discussion by that time. Also, part of the reason Technics dustcovers have darkish edges is that they're not entirely clear. There's a hint of a blue/gray color in them.
Second, they demonstrated very graphically just how tough polycarbonate is by striking it very hard and repeatedly with a hammer. I don't think there's a Technics dustcover ever made that can withstand that.
Finally, in the section of the video where they discussed the use of Novus, they said not to use the harsher abrasive, Novus #3 on polycatbonate but to begin with #2 and finish with #1. After polishing many, many Technics dustcovers, I can assure you that they have no trouble at all holding up to #3.
I couldn't get the images to display for some reason but they're really unnecessary since I've had an SL-D3 in the very recent past. In fact, it was the subject of my thread about fixing the broken tabs on Technics dustcovers. I know what the dustcover looks like and, more importantly how brittle they are and how hard they are to polish with Novus.
No, my friend, not wrong at all.
And you'd be well advised to add a bottle of #3 to your order ASAP. I guarantee you'll need it.
John
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On closer inspection you are correct about the logo on the top. I need new glasses because I noticed it by feel. Thanks as I probably don't want to polish it.
I guess we will have to leave it as an unknown plastic cover material w/o a chemistry degree. LOL
I will try it w/o #3 as I've read it does little to improve things.
I guess we will have to leave it as an unknown plastic cover material w/o a chemistry degree. LOL
I will try it w/o #3 as I've read it does little to improve things.
