*Read all of the instructions before starting the project*

Additional items required:
Masking tape – blue or green only
Plastic / tarps
Towels

This kit is intended to be used for dry polishing only; not under water

Preparation:
Lay out and organize all tools and supplies in a convenient and easy to reach location. Fill the spray bottle with clean water and a drop of dish cleaning liquid such as Dawn.

Make sure the surrounding area is taped off and protected by plastic sheeting and blue or green masking tape. It is a good idea to keep several towels on hand.

Mark all of the scratches on the outside of the tank with the wax pencil. Using the wax pencil make a 12 inch square around each scratch; always polish within these squares.

Use the grid chart as a segmented representation of the aquarium. Mark the approximate location and size of the scratches on the grid chart.

Remove the scratches
Feel the scratches with a finger to determine approximate depth. Choose the deepest scratch and start in that square. To determine the starting grit use the guidelines below.

• Hairline Scratches: Many very light scratches- haziness. Hairline scratches will appear like circular patterns or a halo effect. These scratches cannot be felt with a fingernail. Start with the liquid abrasive.
• Minor scratches: Just barely felt with a fingernail. Start with 2400 grit.
• Major scratches: Easily felt with a fingernail. Start with 1800 grit.
• Deep scratches: Easily felt with a fingertip. Start with 1500 grit

Start by attaching the extra soft interface pad to the sander. Place the appropriate grit disc on the interface pad. Make sure the disc is placed evenly onto the pad covering all of the hook material. Start the timer at this point.

Spray the sanding disc and area to be sanded making sure that the area is consistently moist throughout the process. Place the disc squarely to the work surface and begin sanding slowly. Always start the tool with the disc squarely on the work surface and keep it as even as possible. If you “catch an edge” you will mark the acrylic with an uneven scratch pattern which often causes the entire process to start over.

Cover the entire space in the square with long sweeping motions. Move slowly and let the sander do the work. Keep the sanding disc as even with the work surface as possible, applying a very light and even pressure. It should feel as though the sanding disc is hovering smoothly over the work surface.
Constantly change the sanding pattern, left to right, top to bottom, diagonally and in a circle. This method helps ensure a smooth and consistent scratch pattern.

Keeping the area moist, create a uniform scratch pattern until all of the damage has been removed. When this step is complete, write down the grit used and length of time spent polishing in the corresponding square on the grid chart. Reset the timer and clean the work surface with plenty of water to remove contaminants and acrylic particles.

Choose the pad with the next finer grit. Start the timer, spray the work surface and carefully work the new grit the same way as in the previous step. Polish until the previous scratch pattern has been removed. Fan, or spread the sanding pattern out from the damage 2 inches with each step, keeping inside the wax pencil lines. Fanning the sanding pattern out helps reduce the chance of optical distortion from sanding in one place too long.

Check the progress every two to three minutes. The process will usually take about 6 minutes for every grit. If the rate of removal seems too slow or does not appear to be working after 6 minutes, move to the next coarser grit. The deeper the scratches put onto the surface the more time it will require to remove them.

Once a new scratch pattern has been established, stop and write down the grit and time. Reset the timer and clean the work surface. By tracking the time, a pattern is being established for the next area of scratches. An example of a pattern might be using an 1800 grit for 7 minutes, 2400 grit for 6 minutes, 3200 grit for 5 minutes, 3600 grit for 4 minutes and liquid abrasive for 12 minutes. Once the damage has been removed, the same time sequence can be used for similar scratches with consistent results. There is no reason to check the progress every two to three minutes when this process is used. This is one of the very few places where some time can be saved.

Proceed with all of the above steps, using a finer grit each time. Once the 3600 grit has been used, switch to the liquid abrasive.

Using the liquid abrasive:
Attach the black TufBuf polishing pad to the sander back-up pad. Mist the polishing pad and the work surface with water. Apply a quarter-sized amount of liquid abrasive to the pad. Note the time started and begin to work the liquid in a random pattern over the scratch. Polish for about 6 minutes per 12 square inches. After 6 minutes, replace the TufBuf polishing pad with the white sponge pad. Reset the timer and apply a quarter-sized amount of liquid abrasive to the pad. Note the time started and begin to work the liquid in a random pattern over the scratch. Polish for about 6 minutes per 12 square inches. Clean the work surface and check for scratches. If there are still scratches, repeat polishing with the liquid abrasive and white sponge pad for 6 minutes. This process is complete when there are no more visible scratch patterns.

After all scratches have been removed, apply a nickel-sized amount of anti-static cream to a new cloth and wipe down the entire tank. Carefully remove all tape and plastic. Wash off all sanding pads with fresh water and store in a dry place.

For questions or comments about any of these instructions or our products, please don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail at info@etr-inc.com Also be sure to send us your success stories.