Fix laptop scratches

[4ycr]

I have a HP laptop with the black shiny back and a customer that wants the scratches removed.

Any idea on how to do this? I have tried a scratch remover pen on an old junk one but it never worked so looking for suggestions.

All suggestions will be done one a scrap lid and not on the customers.

 

[Kitten Kong]

Lightly sand the affected area(s), mask and spray?

 

[bluecoast]

if the scratches are only in the clearcoat, you can use an acrylic scratch remover. The real ones are multi-step and take a lot of elbow grease, but can remove scratches from acrylic fish tanks. The basic idea is using VERY light sandpaper, then moving to an even finer buffing compound. Think 3000+ grit. The hardest part is bringing back the luster in the area you worked on, 0000 steel wool is another very light abrasive.

He would need to be a real good client for me to go that extra mile

 

[cypress]

if it's in the clear coat I would use a light or slighty abrasive scratch remover that are used for auto paint.

I used Meguiars Scratch X with success in the past.

 

[iladelf]

Novus System, perhaps? Should help, I would think. Have no experience with this, just a recommendation.

http://www.amazon.com/Novus-Polish-Plastic-Scratch-Remover/dp/B000J41VDM

 

[Rob_NNCC]

if it's in the clear coat I would use a light or slighty abrasive scratch remover that are used for auto paint.

I used Meguiars Scratch X with success in the past.

I second. If you want to take a long time but get a perfect sheen, try cleaner wax. In order of coarseness from most coarse to finest:
Rubbing Compound
Polishing compound
Cleaner wax.

I have wet sanded an auto finish at 2000 grit then used the above to get a perfect finish (well, at least as perfect as you can get with my painting skills)

 

[tim fitzgerald]

I am also a Pilot and on my airplane which has a clear plastic canopy and windshield we use a very effective cleaner,polisher and scratch remover. You wipe it on rubbing it for a few minutes, let it dry until like wax it turns white and opaque, then rub it off. Works great and doesn't remove a lot of plastic. If you live near an airport go in to the general aviation area (it's called the FBO) where the small planes are. Inside they sell pilots supplies. Ask for the windscreen cleaner. It comes in a small squeeze bottle and lasts a very long time. So long that the name of it has worn of the bottle I use, so I cant read the name. However any pilot there will point you in the right direction. I's not too expensive.

 

[RedFoxComp]

Any car polishing compound will work, you'll just need to use a lot of elbow grease and accept that deeper scratches won't buff out. You can get it nice and shiny again though.

 

[NYJimbo]

I would practice these techniques on your own machine first. Just sayin.....

 

[Cornerstone Technologies]

I had to laugh at all these suggestions. Seems we were talking auto body for a second. In any case, removing scratches is probably impossible, as the casings are plastic. There is little that can be done to 'buff out' scratches, because they are in the material itself.

 

[RedFoxComp]

I had to laugh at all these suggestions. Seems we were talking auto body for a second. In any case, removing scratches is probably impossible, as the casings are plastic. There is little that can be done to 'buff out' scratches, because they are in the material itself.

I have polished lots of plastic items with car polish.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

I had to laugh at all these suggestions. Seems we were talking auto body for a second. In any case, removing scratches is probably impossible, as the casings are plastic. There is little that can be done to 'buff out' scratches, because they are in the material itself.

The brushed aluminum that Apple has used on their portables going all the back to the powerbook G4 line has always been susceptible to scratches. I don't get into trying to rub out scratches as I spent quite a few years detailing cars at a good sized auto dealer as my first line of work getting through college. The combination of a high speed wheel and bottled dealer touch up paint was a work of art in experienced hands because I had seen so many people not knowing what they were doing that would burn paint or just generally make things worse trying to buff out scratches and couldn't apply touch up paint correctly. At least a wheel and touch up paint in the right hands could produce some good results smoothing out scratches. But for polycarbonate type materials and the soft textured brushed aluminum mostly what happens with hand rubbing is the scratches are still there along with the rubbed area now appearing to be also be visible. If someone brings in a machine and wants me to address cosmetic scratches, I usually just quote them a piece replacement as apposed to sitting and rubbing for a few dollars on something that will not come out or someone will always know is there because it will never really completely rub out. I believe Apple along with many other laptop manufacturers use these non durable materials on purpose as a reason to possibly justify declining warranty repairs or especially direct product replacements for someone who may claim they received a lemon.