You know, I have gotten a number of TTs from thrift shops. Typically they are all the entry level stuff but when I grab em for 5 bucks or less I figure why not. So this Sony table that I got for a friend of my wife has a real rough dust cover. I mean no deep scratches but some real nasty light scratches, haze and something that looks like it almost melted the top layer in one area.

Well from the old days of doing body and paint I figure why not try it. I whip out the wet/dry 1000 grit paper and under the shop sink I go to work. Evenly sanding the whole top surface. Dry it up and what do I have. One serious but even haze. Soooo then I get the auto buffer and some Meguirs No. 2 auto body polish.
WHIRRRRRRR splatter, splatter... WHIRRRRRRRRRRR. Well nothing ventured nothing gaing I always say and I was thrilled at the result this produced. Guys, the thing came out looking brand spankin new. I was floored. I took a pad and with a lil elbow grease did the sides. The whole thing came out beyond my expectations. It will make for a respectable present for our friend!

If your cover is a lil more rough than you would like, I would say give this a shot. I can't imagine that you would be dissapointed.

WW,
Most of us snooooty Vinyl addicts would never,ever get scratches on our dustcovers. Especially since nobody but us ever touches them. Of course now, water rings....that's different, that nice cover makes an excellent place to place a beverage of choice while searching through the many obsolete music sources we have.
But since you passed on the info, I do have a few non snooty folks that may be able to use it, now if you have a solution for Kool-aid spilled down airvent slots in a Sansui 3000A or how to get pennies out of the inside of a Sony TC-650 R2R, I'm all ears:D

P.S.
My wife says I'm not snooty and my dust cover needs help, among other things.

i hope the snoots keep to their own boards where they can endlessly debate the advantage of tritium-enhanced reverse spun wound hyperdrive filials compared to the other guy's stuff.
yeah some gear is better, but wiyh vintage-era, it was so competitive between the brands, it is difficult to go wrong.

sonds like something to try on scuzzy dustcovers

AMEN, BULLY! Let the:nerd: have their own.
Brad

Have you ever tried this stuff
http://www.airsource1.com/photos/nov7030.jpg

Seemed to work pretty well. I've also done the toothpase deal and BlueMagic metal polish. The basic idea is to get something with a very fine grit in it, feels almost like water. Same prinicple for polishing most anything. Use coarse to cut, fine to polish, ultra-fine to buff.

Whew......I'm not a snoot, I don't even know what a filial is:)

This is very handy as I have been thinking about those dust covers. Thanks WW!:)

Jack

Here's some more ideas for you guys with scratches:eek: http://www.theturntablefactory.com/cover.html
Brad

Hi,

When our old decks come back to us for servicing I use standard metal polish. We wash the lid first in hot soapy water, dry it and polish. The more you polish the better the finish.

Regards

Michael :thmbsp:

I've managed to acquire a couple of turntables that have mint, flawless dustcovers. And every time I handle them, I want to keep them that way, so I'm pretty careful with 'em.

What cracks me up is....just about every time a friend comes over, they will inevitably set something on top of these dustcovers. Car keys...loose change...books...whatever they happen to have in their hands, for some reason they end up setting it on top of one of my record players.

One of my friends was talking to me--I looked, and he was leaning on my turntable--actually LEANING on it, supporting his weight with his elbows, so casually. The spring loaded feet were being smashed down all the way.

I've managed to always laugh it off, because, hey, friends are more important than audio equipment. But....it always amazes me. There are plenty of other surfaces they could target besides my dustcover. :lmao:

friends are more important than audio equipment

I dunno about that man, some of my audio equipment is probably going to outlive most of my friends :lmao:

... hey, friends are more important than audio equipment.

You choose your friends.

What about family?

I've managed to acquire a couple of turntables that have mint, flawless dustcovers. And every time I handle them, I want to keep them that way, so I'm pretty careful with 'em.

What cracks me up is....just about every time a friend comes over, they will inevitably set something on top of these dustcovers. Car keys...loose change...books...whatever they happen to have in their hands, for some reason they end up setting it on top of one of my record players.

One of my friends was talking to me--I looked, and he was leaning on my turntable--actually LEANING on it, supporting his weight with his elbows, so casually. The spring loaded feet were being smashed down all the way.

I've managed to always laugh it off, because, hey, friends are more important than audio equipment. But....it always amazes me. There are plenty of other surfaces they could target besides my dustcover. :lmao:

You need to rope your turntable off like a museum piece or employ a security guard :D

MIchael

I've managed to acquire a couple of turntables that have mint, flawless dustcovers. And every time I handle them, I want to keep them that way, so I'm pretty careful with 'em.



I have kept my new dustcovers looking new by using STP Son-Of-A-Gun Protectant every few months.

My AR XB dust cover dates from '75 and looks nearly new.

The trick is to let the STP soak onto the plexiglass. Don't just wipe it right off. Give it a half hour.

I'll second Luthers recommendation of the Novus Plastic Polish the place to buy DIY Acrylic and composite materials around here is TAP PLASTIC's and it's the brand they carry and recommend. Comes in 3 grades The #2 is the one that will go from something like 1000-1200 haze to almost clear the #1 is more of a cleaner and polish. The #3 is to get out about anything that doesn't have to be sanded out.

I also use the Meguires Polish one of my fav uses for it is with a small piece of terry cloth as a face plate cleaner. Really gets the crude off. Then a little diluted Orange cleaner and it's styling.

You know, I have gotten a number of TTs from thrift shops.

You lucky devil you, I had no luck finding a good one at a thrift store in looking since September. But found mine at the local flea market.