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Waxing your Macbook

E

elcid

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 5, 2007
427
0
I was sitting in class and had my hands on my macbook when I wondered if anyone had ever done this. It seems that it would work for with a clear synthetic type wax. Basically just see if it would reduce the sightly scratches and protect from new ones.


And of course make that water bead...
 
yea wax is good, the outside of a macbook is like a car so wax works good, I even use it on my ipod to remove scratches and I must say it work well
 
All will probably go well...

Until the macbook overheats and wax melts onto your lap.

Personally, I wouldn't even risk it.
 
I am very interested in this also...
maybe a short tutorial how you waxed it and pictures would be great.
 
Zedsdead185 said:
All will probably go well...

Until the macbook overheats and wax melts onto your lap.

Personally, I wouldn't even risk it.
Click to expand...

I must emphasize this isnt candle wax. My car gets a lot hotter then my case in the summer and I am pretty sure that wax isnt just running down it.


I really think it might work. I'll see how it goes one of these weekends and post a tutorial on it.
 
I really don't see the need for wax on the plastic...the wax does absolutely nothing to protect against scratches. It is designed to be a barrier coat to protect paint from getting oxidized (that chalky look). Modern Basecoat/Clearcoat paint systems really don't need to be waxed like the older lacquer and enamel paints (which oxidize quickly when unprotected). Being the macbook is some sort of plastic, the wax is a waste of time.

Something you could do to "refresh" it would be to use a good automotive quality hand glaze or light polish to remove some swirl marks...."scratches" that can be felt with your fingernail, don't even waste your time rubbing, anything short of a buffer will not get those out (on plastic). I have buffed out plastic black mirrors to like new with a rotary buffer, foam pad, and a 3 stage compound system...nothing you want to try on your macbook :)

If you have to wax your macbook, at least use a nice hard carnauba wax that wont melt as easily, and please oh please don't use turtle wax "ice" I would not even use that on an Ford Escort. If you do want to go the hand glaze/ polish route I would recommend 3M Imperial Hand Glaze or the smaller bottle of the Maguires equivalent...has to be bought at an automotive detailer shop or some kind of auto body supply store...works great and wont leave anything behind after your rub it off.

Just my $.02
 
elcid said:
I must emphasize this isnt candle wax. My car gets a lot hotter then my case in the summer and I am pretty sure that wax isnt just running down it.


I really think it might work. I'll see how it goes one of these weekends and post a tutorial on it.
Click to expand...

thanks in advance...I'm looking forward to that.
 
Until the macbook overheats and wax melts onto your lap.
Personally, I wouldn't even risk it.
Click to expand...

It wont melt in your lap, it will just burn off eventually from the heat, just like a black car in the Florida sun.
 
adamzx3 said:
I really don't see the need for wax on the plastic...the wax does absolutely nothing to protect against scratches. It is designed to be a barrier coat to protect paint from getting oxidized (that chalky look). Modern Basecoat/Clearcoat paint systems really don't need to be waxed like the older lacquer and enamel paints (which oxidize quickly when unprotected). Being the macbook is some sort of plastic, the wax is a waste of time.

Something you could do to "refresh" it would be to use a good automotive quality hand glaze or light polish to remove some swirl marks...."scratches" that can be felt with your fingernail, don't even waste your time rubbing, anything short of a buffer will not get those out (on plastic). I have buffed out plastic black mirrors to like new with a rotary buffer, foam pad, and a 3 stage compound system...nothing you want to try on your macbook :)

If you have to wax your macbook, at least use a nice hard carnauba wax that wont melt as easily, and please oh please don't use turtle wax "ice" I would not even use that on an Ford Escort. If you do want to go the hand glaze/ polish route I would recommend 3M Imperial Hand Glaze or the smaller bottle of the Maguires equivalent...has to be bought at an automotive detailer shop or some kind of auto body supply store...works great and wont leave anything behind after your rub it off.

Just my $.02
Click to expand...

I see where you are coming from and ya it doesnt seem to be to much of an advantage but just seems like the damn thing is so scratch prone and gets nasty after a couple days. Maybe it would help like the one poster said.
 
I don't think I would wax my white macbook but I did use Meguiers ScratchX to remove the swirl marks and light scratches. It worked like a charm. Just apply a little to a microfiber towel and rub in a circular motion with even, moderate pressure. Then wipe off the residue with a clean part of the same towel. If I notice my macbook is getting scratched up again, I just repeat the process.
 
harry454 said:
yea wax is good, the outside of a macbook is like a car so wax works good, I even use it on my ipod to remove scratches and I must say it work well
Click to expand...

Wax isn't abrasive. There's no way it's removing scratches. It can be filling them or hiding optical impurities but not removing them.
 
i've seen people use it on pc towers and the like.

i also second the use of meguiar's plastx/scratchx to remove scratches from plastic surfaces. it works great.
 
I don't think I would wax my white macbook but I did use Meguiers ScratchX to remove the swirl marks and light scratches. It worked like a charm. Just apply a little to a microfiber towel and rub in a circular motion with even, moderate pressure. Then wipe off the residue with a clean part of the same towel. If I notice my macbook is getting scratched up again, I just repeat the process.
Click to expand...

I'm glad to see the ScratchX is working on something, I tried some from my dads shelf of bottles and I ended up throwing it away, didn't work well. If you can get ahold of some of the Maguire’s (in the tan bottles) light polish or I use the 3m Perfect it III swirl remover, it's much more effective than the more expensive ScratchX. On a black macbook this might leave fine swirls, a second application of a hand glaze will remove this. 3M Imperial glaze works great but again the more readily available Maguire’s hand glaze would work also.

I have used this on black plastic pieces with great success when I used to work in the auto-body field. I've buffed several Porsches, BMW's, and a Lambo with these products and they work great.

Which ever way you go let us know how it turns out!
 
elcid said:
I was sitting in class and had my hands on my macbook when I wondered if anyone had ever done this. It seems that it would work for with a clear synthetic type wax. Basically just see if it would reduce the sightly scratches and protect from new ones.


And of course make that water bead...
Click to expand...

I had a Macbook since they were first released, sold it last week. It never got one scratch or "aesthetic" flaw. Its your own fault if it gets scratched, try being more careful and organised. It will keep your Macbook in good shape and won't have an awful "waxy plaxy" feel to it. Which would likely look worse than a scratch.
 
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