Headlight Restoration-new UV sealant idea

[Dugdug]

The problem is i live in México. There's only one Lowe store in all Country.

I see. Walmart has the spirits, and I think the spar too. My walmart didn't have the scotts blue shop towels but I did find them at another walmart.

 

[Dugdug]

I would go onlines and check the availability of the spirits and the spar in your local wallmart. The one here in wichita has it, but its in a much smaller container. But dosent matter as you will not need much anyways.

 

[Eddie 70]

Need to do this on my daily driver, 93 Honda Del Sol. I have polished the headlights a year or so ago using the sandpaper method then buffing with the Meg headlight kit and they turned out really nice. But to have the clear with UV protection back on there would be the way to go. I will be picking the stuff up to do this to mine soon.

 

[Dugdug]

Need to do this on my daily driver, 93 Honda Del Sol. I have polished the headlights a year or so ago using the sandpaper method then buffing with the Meg headlight kit and they turned out really nice. But to have the clear with UV protection back on there would be the way to go. I will be picking the stuff up to do this to mine soon.

Yeah the UV protection is the key to making it last.

 

[Eddie 70]

Yeah the UV protection is the key to making it last.

The headlights really came out nice and still look decent but could use some more work. I will get best out of them next go round.

 

[Dugdug]

The headlights really came out nice and still look decent but could use some more work. I will get best out of them next go round.

whats great, is if you mess up on the spar/spirits coat, you just take it off with the spirits and try it again. I messed it up the first time, I took too long applying it and ended up with streaks. I sand all the way to 3000, and it still looks a bit hazy so don't worry. No need for compound. After you apply the mixture it will look amazing. There's some before and after pictures on my website if you wanna check it out.

 

[GalKonz]

I see. Walmart has the spirits, and I think the spar too. My walmart didn't have the scotts blue shop towels but I did find them at another walmart.

Mexican Home Depot does have the Spar, but not the spirits. I talked to the General Manager on Home Depot and they will contact their klean-strip's products dealer because they do have many KS products, but not the spirits.. So, i'll wait patiently for HD to do their job, and in the meanwhile i'll go to the 3 walmarts i have here in my city.

Are mineral spirits also sold by Costco or Sam's club?

 

[Dugdug]

Mexican Home Depot does have the Spar, but not the spirits. I talked to the General Manager on Home Depot and they will contact their klean-strip's products dealer because they do have many KS products, but not the spirits.. So, i'll wait patiently for HD to do their job, and in the meanwhile i'll go to the 3 walmarts i have here in my city.

Are mineral spirits also sold by Costco or Sam's club?

When I read your reply I was thinking new mexico lol But I do know that some walmarts have it here. Costco, I'm not sure. Sams club maybe. I work at sams club and today I looked around, we didn't have it, but that doesn't mean another doesn't. Sams club is known for carrying an item for a period of time, dropping it, and then carrying it again. It's all about timing with sams club. I assume costco would be similar.

 

[GalKonz]

When I read your reply I was thinking new mexico lol But I do know that some walmarts have it here. Costco, I'm not sure. Sams club maybe. I work at sams club and today I looked around, we didn't have it, but that doesn't mean another doesn't. Sams club is known for carrying an item for a period of time, dropping it, and then carrying it again. It's all about timing with sams club. I assume costco would be similar.

NO haha i am in the real mexico .

I had no time so i didn't go to walmart today, maybe tomorrow.

The Home Depot manager called me today, and he said the main HD dealer in the country hasn't answered him yet. He said to wait patiently, so i got nothing else to do, just wait. I'll keep you updated, in case in the future someone is stuck in the hot paradises here... and needs a bottle of mineral spirits.

 

[GalKonz]

Sorry for double post but... Has anyone used Klean-strip Paint thinner instead of Odorless mineral Spirits?

Paint thinner --> 1-Gallon Paint Thinner-GKPT94002P at The Home Depot

In Klean-strip website it says:

What is the difference between Klean-Strip Paint Thinner and Klean-Strip
Odorless Mineral Spirits?
Odorless Mineral Spirits is a higher-quality, more refined product than regular paint thinner. It has lower odor than paint thinner and leaves less residue when dry.

​

Has anybody used it? I can't find the OMS here in mexico :/ only the paint thinner

 

[Dugdug]

Hmm still? I haven't used it. Why not give it a try on a tester headlight? Also, dunno if regular paint thinner is worse then the oms on paint if you end up contaminating the paint with it. Be careful

 

[Louie_Blu]

Sorry for double post but... Has anyone used Klean-strip Paint thinner instead of Odorless mineral Spirits?

Paint thinner --> 1-Gallon Paint Thinner-GKPT94002P at The Home Depot

In Klean-strip website it says:

What is the difference between Klean-Strip Paint Thinner and Klean-Strip
Odorless Mineral Spirits?
Odorless Mineral Spirits is a higher-quality, more refined product than regular paint thinner. It has lower odor than paint thinner and leaves less residue when dry.

​

Has anybody used it? I can't find the OMS here in mexico :/ only the paint thinner

Its too bad you cant find that brand of Mineral Spirits My suggestion to you would be to try it on a test light maybe get one from a junkyard see how it works and yes I would be very careful with customers paint, you may also want to try another brand of mineral Spirits that may also work as well, just remember to test first, rule of thumb.

Good Luck rops:

 

[jyu1210]

I just done my first headlight with a 60/40 mixture, urethane/spirits. But when I finished putting on the coating onto the lenses, little small bubbles/dots started to appear. Anyone have any suggestions on what I did wrong?

 

[Dugdug]

I just done my first headlight with a 60/40 mixture, urethane/spirits. But when I finished putting on the coating onto the lenses, little small bubbles/dots started to appear. Anyone have any suggestions on what I did wrong?

try 50/50?

 

[DaHen]

I just done my first headlight with a 60/40 mixture, urethane/spirits. But when I finished putting on the coating onto the lenses, little small bubbles/dots started to appear. Anyone have any suggestions on what I did wrong?

What did you use to apply this mixture onto the lenses??????

 

[jyu1210]

I used a blue scott towel folded into 1x 1inch. I mixed the spar/spirits into a 6oz plastic bottle and I used the squirt cap to squirt the sealant onto the towel, then I slowly applied in onto the lenses horizontally.

 

[DaHen]

I used a blue scott towel folded into 1x 1inch. I mixed the spar/spirits into a 6oz plastic bottle and I used the squirt cap to squirt the sealant onto the towel, then I slowly applied in onto the lenses horizontally.

Ok.

Hummmmm, would have to agree with Dugdug. Try the 50/50 next time.

OR, perhaps air bubbles were induced when squirting the sealant onto the towel............ (Maybe)

 

[GalKonz]

Ok.

Hummmmm, would have to agree with Dugdug. Try the 50/50 next time.

OR, perhaps air bubbles were induced when squirting the sealant onto the towel............ (Maybe)

I think that squirting made the bubbles appear, too.

It's better to do it just like HotRod says, dip the folded rag into the mixture. It's like if you spit milk on a cookie instead of dipping it in the milk

Hmm still? I haven't used it. Why not give it a try on a tester headlight? Also, dunno if regular paint thinner is worse then the oms on paint if you end up contaminating the paint with it. Be careful

Its too bad you cant find that brand of Mineral Spirits My suggestion to you would be to try it on a test light maybe get one from a junkyard see how it works and yes I would be very careful with customers paint, you may also want to try another brand of mineral Spirits that may also work as well, just remember to test first, rule of thumb.

Good Luck rops:

I will give KS paint thinner a try, it is made with mineral spirits too but leaves more residue and evaporates slower. Who knows? Maybe it even works better... P)

In the meanwhile, ill keep trying to get OMS.

BTW, wich products and pads do you guys usually use for polishing/compounding the headlights before applying spar urethane mix?

 

[Dugdug]

I use 3m wet/dry sand paper and a flexible sanding block. I don't use any compound at all.

 

[GalKonz]

So you only sand then apply the sealant technique. How long has been the longevity on your restorations so far with the sand/no_compound/sealant?