Digital Drive: Experiments with badly scratched CDs by mr.bear

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Experiments with badly scratched CDs

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mr.bear

I confess I've been using the public library's unplayable, horribly scratched CD's and DVDs to experiment with hand-polishing. They couldn't get worse so its done no harm... and I think I've found the right stuff!

I polish vigorously in a circular motion around the disc with Meguiar's "Scratch X 2.0" automobile clearcoat polishing compound. It has an extremely fine grit (maybe around 5000?) which is highly fugitive --it disappears after a couple strokes. I spread a dab about the size of a pencil-eraser and rub hard with a microfiber cloth until it almost dries. Buff that out and then wipe with a clean microfiber cloth and WD-40. Yup-- plain old WD-40. Rub off the excess but it seems a very light residue of WD-40 actually improves playback.

Wham-o-Zam-o! I have had 100% success rate thus far with discs that started off looking like they'd been used for air-hockey.

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G10307-Scratch-X-2-0/dp/B0002 (Open in New Window)

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Topic - Experiments with badly scratched CDs - mr.bear 12:04:01 07/2/12 ( 12)

RE: Experiments with badly scratched CDs - fantja 17:40:08 07/7/12 ( 0)
RE: Experiments with badly scratched CDs - Land Shark 12:39:39 07/4/12 ( 0)
RE: Experiments with badly scratched CDs - jaydacus 07:25:46 07/4/12 ( 1)
- RE: Right.... - mr.bear 18:33:24 07/6/12 ( 0)
Were these discs unplayable? - J.Mac 00:33:15 07/3/12 ( 1)
- RE: Were these discs unplayable? - mr.bear 17:18:58 07/3/12 ( 0)
RE: Experiments with badly scratched CDs - pictureguy 23:23:17 07/2/12 ( 1)
- "That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly." - mr.bear 17:20:49 07/3/12 ( 0)
Great idea. - R Browne 21:44:48 07/2/12 ( 1)
- RE: Great idea. - mr.bear 17:22:26 07/3/12 ( 0)
RE: Experiments with badly scratched CDs - P.C. 12:59:02 07/2/12 ( 1)
- OT but it worked swell on my Volvo, too - mr.bear 17:27:24 07/3/12 ( 0)