Acrylic Scratch removal-Great Results!

[tfp]

just wanted to share with everyone my experience with fellow Mars member Marc Daniels and his acrylic scratch removal product.

this stuff worked wonders on my tank! :D it totally removed my damaged attempts at using the Lifegard Scratch Removal kit. the portion of the tank we did is sparkling like never before and looks like brand new.

we worked on some pretty deep gouges (from lr avalanches), minor scratches (former diadema urchin, sand grit between algae magnet) and that light hazing from the other acrylic kit and his magnets and pads made them dissappear! :D

thanks marc!

[Marc Daniels]

Thanks for the kind words Tim.

It's amazing that it will pull the imperfections out of the inside of the tank with it still full of water and your livestock.

I did come up with an idea for narrowing the field in order to attack deep scratches more efficiently. I'm going to try it on my tank tomorrow and see how it works.

Let me know when you are ready to do the other half.

Marc

[GorillaReefer]

what was the brand of the kit you guys used? I've got some scratches i need to get out too.

[Neo-Fight]

I have seen this work first hand on Marc's tank, and can attest that his products/technique work wonders

[Marc Daniels]

Gorilla-

It isn't exactly an "over the counter" brand. I have $500+ tied up in my system to remove internal scratches while the tank is still filled with livestock. All together, to completely refurbish a tank (intenally/externally) I have $1000+/- in hardware. I was going to be starting a business that specialised in refurbishing acrylic tanks, but have had some trouble getting started. Basically I'm utilizing technology from several industries.

My wife is in the Middle East and I'm not findinf any free time. And, my last two reliable babysitters just went AWOL. One got a job and the other is tied up in color guard almost every weekend.

I have several tanks lined up now that I just can't break away to get two.

Marc

[Brian Prestwood]

Marc

Great idea. Good luck with your biz efforts.

[GorillaReefer]

Well put me down on your list. I've got 2 125g tanks that could use some polishing.

[Justin74]

Id like to get a quote from you as well Marc.I got 2 teenage girls that I could put on the bardering table:D Let me know your situation maybe I can help out.

-Justin

[xia]

Marc,

I think it's great that we got an inventor among us. Several different industries huh? Are you free to elaborate, or is it still patent pending? I'm imagining some kind of high powered resurfacing laser! Anyways, good luck to you.

[Marc Daniels]

Ya, it's sort of like that "New You" place in Logan's Run.

Some of the components that I am using are already patented by other people. What I will do is patent any additional hardware that I design. I will also submit a patent for the overall process. The place I worked at had numerous hardware patents s well as patents based upon a process.

I'm working on a new tool now that will more efficiently remove deep scratches in an established tank. It will be a major modification to someone else's patented tool, but it will meet the uniqueness criteria for a new patent due to the radical way that I have changed it. Sort of like the first boat patent, then someone else designs a better boat and patents it. If I'm not mistaken, as long as I have begun the formal patent process I can designate something as "Patent Pending". But if the patent is refused I have to remove it.

To explain the process in simple terms. It is magnet based just like our algae magnets. The difference is that I'm using extremely strong magnets, and can easily work on tanks up to about 1.6"-1.7" thick. You do not want to have any skin near these if they ever come together. They are strong enough to break a finger, cause a deep gash, etc. Someone suggested renting the equipment out for people to do their own tanks, but after considering it I wouldn't feel safe letting magnets this strong out for general use. I have very strict protocols for handling them so I don't get hurt. Also, they are fairly expensive.

The external magnet looks just like an algae magnet. The interior magnet connects to a special rig that acts as a fine abrasive. The abrasive looks like a very fine micro-mesh, but is in fact an abrasive cloth. What makes it work so well, is the huge pressure being exerted on it by the two magnets. The interior magnet has a footprint of 3"x3". It gives a very even finish.

Does that help to explain it a little?

Marc

[user48953]

Marc.. if you ever want to try it on on 3/4" acylic LMK.. :) i have a couple of minor scratches made by my scrapper; nothing too deep.

huy

[LanDoctor]

Marc,
Did you get my PM?
PM me when you get a chance.
Thanks for your time,
Donovan

[Marc Daniels]

Donovan-

I tried responding but your box is full. It should have sent you e-mail notifying you. I'll try again.

Marc

[Marc Daniels]

Huy-

If I can get away next weekend to head out your way I can stop by real quick.

Marc

[miracles38]

Hey Marc,
Have you ever had time to get this going? I have an acrylic tank that I am about to start working on and I would rather not. If you are in business, please let me know! BTW, that sump is working out great. Thanks again!
Kim

[Marc Daniels]

Kim-

I have been very busy with R&D. I decided to go a complete different direction with the hobbyist kit. I recently performed a demo for one of the large California public aquariums, and based upon their positive response I am putting togther a proposal to refurbish several of their tanks...and I am setting up demos for other public aquaria on the West Coast.

I've been sort of out of it the last few weeks. My wife was home on leave, did some traveling, brief PC crash, car crash, tore cartiledge in my left knee, and I am preparing for hand surgery in a few weeks (probably to be followed by knee surgery). I am now just getting back into the swing of things and will be lining up some tanks between now and hand surgery.

What size is your tank, empty/full, etc?

[Kinetic]

wow! sounds like you got something really cool going!

Goodluck with all of that, and your surguries.

[miracles38]

Marc,
You do have a lot going on. What is your hand surgery for? I may have to get surgery on my left hand within the next few months and I am not looking forward to it. The tank I have is a 240 (96X24x30) that is empty. No terrible scratches, just normal use. I am about to start with the sanding/polishing thing, and then remembered this old thread. If you have any advice on how to make this easier that would be great.
Thanks!
Kim

[Marc Daniels]

Kim-

I'm having dual carpal surgery June 5.

To make it easier, let me do it ;-). I would need it delivered and picked up. We can talk specifics off line...the casual hobbyist just doesn't have the right material/experience to do this right.

[Justin74]

Was wondering where ya been, sorry to hear about your accident,but hope you a quick recovery.

-Justin

[Marc Daniels]

Justin-

The van was a fender bender...some moron backed into a Dodge Pickup (that's my wife's terminology). No one was hurt.

I tore the interior miniscus cartiledge, and did some ACL damage in my left knee. I was sitting on the couch with my feet up and my 44lb son thought that me left knee would make a good net for jumping of the couch. I already had some miniscus damage, and he tore it some more, and also "strained" the ACL.

[Pico1]

^ oh the pain of just thinking about it!

[Marc Daniels]

You have no idea ;-)

[Pico1]

my dad just had his miniscus and acl done by dr.howell, its a 40 minute surgery and is a 16 week full recovery.

[Marc Daniels]

It's the recovery I am not looking forward to. I have not had any problem with it for a couple of years...until my son hopped on it. The MRI showed more damage to the miniscus that there was in the MRI from a few years ago. The ACL isn't completely torn, just moderate damage. I'm only having trouble with it when the miniscus gets dog-earred and folds under...then yowzers! This is what it did years ago, and then stopped hurting all together. I'm hoping that's what will happen this time.