Clearcoating Headlights
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[quote=”jim c” post=30925]i have probably done a few hundred lights and never used adpro under any of them. always goto 600-800. usually 800 though is where i like to be with them. i have seen some headlights just buffed and within a couple months start to cloud and turn again and i have seen others last a year like ding said. maybe its just in the plastic they use from different manufacturers, who knows. it really simple to shoot a couple coats of clear on them though. most of the lights i am doing the customers want them tinted as well. just a few drops of black candy in the clear does the trick with that. whats nice is i dont ever remove them. the customers walk in and hand me all the lights they want done. makes it easy[quote]
I have sanded and buffed many headlights without any problems, if you don’t sand the fading enough, u will have fading in a short time, I personally start with 320 and go all the way to 3000 after that very little polishing is needed. If you polish them is no need for masking and/or removal.IMHO
I did a search on this site’s archives about this topic and found it has been brought up before in the past.I didn’t mean to :deadhorse put the folks who’ve been here a while through this again but a lot of really good stuff has been brought out here. I’ve also heard about buffing blend panels before painting in a standox class but haven’t tried it yet.Thanks for all the input. :cheer:
I suppose what would be even better than polishing the blend panel would be to claybar the panel. That would completely remove any embedded contaminants from the surface.
I’m going to try that.
Jimmo i do know exactly what the guy was talking about with the polishing first but your also going to have peeling issues down the road. Anything beyond 800grit becomes problem.
[quote=”jim c” post=30964]Jimmo i do know exactly what the guy was talking about with the polishing first but your also going to have peeling issues down the road. Anything beyond 800grit becomes problem.[/quote]In the standox class I went to they said to buff the panel and then sand it w/1000 grit. Sounds silly but they said it helps. :unsure:
[quote=”jim c” post=30964]Jimmo i do know exactly what the guy was talking about with the polishing first but your also going to have peeling issues down the road. Anything beyond 800grit becomes problem.[/quote]
Agreed! not much tooth with 1000 grit.
What are you guys using to clean the headlights? I saw on the video some scuff paste and plastic cleaner. Seems no one around here sells either of them.
[quote=”xtremekustomz” post=32595]What are you guys using to clean the headlights? I saw on the video some scuff paste and plastic cleaner. Seems no one around here sellsiter of them.[/quote]
presta makes a really good paste called ” scuff stuff”. Most paint suppliers should have or at least be able to get it. If not I’m sure you could get it online. As for the cleaner, any waterbased cleaner should do fine.For cleaning I would use good old fashioned soap and water first then maybe a solvent W&G remover or waterborne cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and distilled water mixed 50:50 not a big deal really.For prepping you could use 600 wet 600 dry on an orbital or 800 but thats as fine as I would go,then gray pad your edges.In a pinch before scuff stuff/scuff gel came out we used to use comet and a gray scotchbrite with a bit of water,it does the same thing,that was actually taught at a paint course I took back in the early 90’s :rofl
Once your headlight is prepped you can now clean it blow it dry and proceed to clear,you could spray adhession promoter before clear but not needed since there is a profile for your clear to stick too.This also works for the guys who smoke tail lights.
[quote=”Dlambert” post=32605][quote=”xtremekustomz” post=32595]What are you guys using to clean the headlights? I saw on the video some scuff paste and plastic cleaner. Seems no one around here sellsiter of them.[/quote]
presta makes a really good paste called ” scuff stuff”. Most paint suppliers should have or at least be able to get it. If not I’m sure you could get it online. As for the cleaner, any waterbased cleaner should do fine.[/quote]
Amazon has it. Often never considered for many needs.If chips are a concern what’s wrong with using 3M Protective Film or other brands? I put it on trike body fender fronts because they get peppered badly.
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