Headlight Restoration-new UV sealant idea** Summary**

ShineTimeDetail

ShineTimeDetail

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So there are 94 pages on that thread(http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...eadlight-restoration-new-uv-sealant-idea.html) and I sure as hell will never read all of it. I know some people have tweaked it and I figured I would make this thread to find out what is working and what isn't.

I myself have had the stuff to do it for 6 months in my van but didn't bite the bullet till about a week ago and now I can't stop finding lights to do lol I mean its amazing how easy and well it works for me. I do the 50/50 and its very easy to apply and make unifor...maybe I'm just a natural lol It was even windy the days I was doing it. I did one car that was finished at 2500 then topped with the 50/50 and then one car was polished then topped with the 50/50. I did this for durability reasons. You couldn't tell which was which when I was done. Here's a few pics of the lights I've done.

vibeleftbefore.jpg

vibeleftafter.jpg

viberightbeforte.jpg

vibberightafter.jpg

taurusleftbefore.jpg

taurusleftafter.jpg

taurusrightbefore.jpg

taurusrightafter.jpg

headlightbeforemustangleft.jpg

mustangheadlightleftafter.jpg

headlightbeforemustangright.jpg

headlightmustangrightafter.jpg

f150rightheadlightbefore.jpg

f150rightafter.jpg

f150leftheadlightbefore.jpg

f150leftafter.jpg


So are there any other tricks to doing this that is not mentioned in the first few pages?
 
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I think this will make a great improvement at night!!

Very well done....:props:
 
Basically the Vibe and the Taurus were start at 1000-1500-2000-2500 then spar 50% Mineral spirit 50% The F150 and the Mustang I started with 800 I think...may have been 600 don't remember.
 
This thread is to summarize what is in the 95 pages of the other thread.
 
Thanks for the cliff notes version. I didn't think I would ever get that whole thing read!
 
Great work!
Using polyurethane, you could probably stop at 1500 because the poly will fill in 1500 grit scratches.

Using diluted poly is a tradeoff. As you thin it, the final coating becomes thinner, less material means less UV adsorption capaicty, meaning shorter life.

As you thicken the mixture, lifetime will increase, filling scratches will improve, etc., but it is more difficult to apply. Also weather plays a part.

You might try this:
Mix less MS to the spar than normal (you might even try full strength) and apply a small area. If it's not workable, wipe off with MS and thin further until you find the heaviest coat that is still workable. The heavier the coat the longer it will last. The coarser the sanding, the more surface area fot the coating to stick to.

If you can work with full strength. you'll probably have about 1 to 2 minutes to work the coating. Apply initially with horizontal wiping, then quickly re-wipe with vertical strokes. This will give you a more uniform coat.
ray6
 
I was hoping for a summary of that thread one day :laughing:

I know there have been a few people testing this method so far, I am going to do this to my headlights soon (2002 Bonneville SLE, 2003 Bonneville SSEi, and 1996 Chevy Z71) as they are all faded and nasty looking. How long as this been proven to last so far?
 
ray6 said:
Great work!
Using polyurethane, you could probably stop at 1500 because the poly will fill in 1500 grit scratches.

Using diluted poly is a tradeoff. As you thin it, the final coating becomes thinner, less material means less UV adsorption capaicty, meaning shorter life.

As you thicken the mixtuore, lifetime will increase, filling scratches will improve, etc., but it is more difficult to apply. Also weather plays a part.

You might try this:
Mix less MS to the spar than normal (you might even try full strength) and apply a small area. If it's not workable, wipe off with MS and thin further until you find the heaviest coat that is still workable. The heavier the coat the longer it will last. The coarser the sanding, the more surface area fot the coating to stick to.

If you can work with full strength. you'll probably have about 1 to 2 minutes to work the coating. Apply initially with horizontal wiping, then quickly re-wipe with vertical strokes. This will give you a more uniform coat.
ray6
Click to expand...

So its possible to stop at 1500? How long does the 50/50 last ?
 
From what I've seen, you're lucky to get 12 months on average but it really depends on location, headlight orientation and quality of coatings.

You'll probably find that the F-150 will easily last a year.

One of our service providers used to use this mix but gave the customer a small tube of synthetic wax and told the customer the restore will last for years if he applies wax twice a year. Makes sense.

The Minwax/MS is sensitive to surface roughness and moisture when applied. It's a low cost consumer grade product and doesn't contain the highest quality ingredients.



ray6
 
I don't know. We have competition in the area and I know of 1 who uses the spar varnish method. He used to warrant for 1 year but stopped because he was getting some callbacks.

We haven't got a callback for quite a while, but we don't use spar varnish. I have a hard time believing spar would last a year in general on all cars. It might on some cars depending on the coating application, climate, where it's parked, etc., but I would wonder how many restorers use spar/ms and give a 1 year warranty. Anyone can offer a warranty, the real question is will that customer come back.

Satisfied customers can be your best salesman through referrals. I just don't see the advantage of using spar/ms and take the chance if you're restoring for money. There are good quality coatings available that perform far better than commercial varnish. They may seem expensive, but the actual cost per headlight is probably less than a dollar. Why take chances with your reputation to save 50 cents?

ray6
 
What other coatings are you talking about?
ray6 said:
I don't know. We have competition in the area and I know of 1 who uses the spar varnish method. He used to warrant for 1 year but stopped because he was getting some callbacks.

We haven't got a callback for quite a while, but we don't use spar varnish. I have a hard time believing spar would last a year in general on all cars. It might on some cars depending on the coating application, climate, where it's parked, etc., but I would wonder how many restorers use spar/ms and give a 1 year warranty. Anyone can offer a warranty, the real question is will that customer come back.

Satisfied customers can be your best salesman through referrals. I just don't see the advantage of using spar/ms and take the chance if you're restoring for money. There are good quality coatings available that perform far better than commercial varnish. They may seem expensive, but the actual cost per headlight is probably less than a dollar. Why take chances with your reputation to save 50 cents?

ray6
Click to expand...
 
Delta Kits, Glass Weld, Speedokote, Medallion, Momentive, etc.
 
Would a 3M clear film be a longer-lasting solution after wetsanding and polishing? I'm saying this for our own personal cars.
 
Most polyurethane based coatings protect against UV by absorbing it and converting it to heat. The material can only absorb a finite amount of UV. Once it reaches it's capacity, the molecules break their links (cloudy, yellow).

The only way to increase lifetime of these type coatings is to increase thickness. The more material, the more UV it will absorb. However, the thicker the coating, the harder iti is to get it smooth and hold on.

When these coatings are applied to wood, they are thinned to allow penetration into the wood, then additional coats are applied for added protection. So polyurethane applied thinly will not last as long as other coatings (like phenolic resin based).

If you are going to use Minwax/MS, apply it as thick as you can and make sure the coating has something to hold on to (like 1500 or 3000 grit sanding scratches).

Adding a good synthetic wax twice a year will also extend the life of the coating by cutting down on the UV that reaches the spar varnish.
ray6
 
I try to mainly focus on used car dealers, couple reasons.
#1 I can go in after hours and do vehicles, I have a day job.
#2 No long term comebacks, They want them looking sharp to move off the lot. (I use Diamondite, with a cordless 18v ryobi). Klasse aio as a sealant seems to work for me, no complaints from dealers. Klasse on a vehicle sitting on the lot, will last 6 mo easy.

If I do a individual, I explain the process, tell them steer clear of carwashes, (because of PH) explain about PH balanced carwash shampoos (shocked at how many vehicle owners wash car with dawn)they can buy, periodic rewaxing, and I seal the individuals with optic coat. Of course I charge them a little more, because of optic coat . If guys are getting 2 to 3 years with out refade, please, teach me how. I would love to be able to say that and offer a one year wrty. Then I would start picking more private headlight biz up. Thanks guys.
 
We use 4 different coatings, depending on the customer:

Proprietary-1K polyurethane (probably similar to Minwax) lowest cost. No warranty, expect 6 months, for low end used car dealers. Wipe on. Single pass. Also used for acrylic. Usually requires 3000 grit prep.

Proprietary-1K resin based cross wipe. 1 year warranty, moderate cost (about $1 per headlight) Wipe on. Most popular. Usually used with our no sanding process.

2K linear polyurethane, cross wipe, 5 min. cure time, available from Delta Kits, 2 coats, 2 year guarantee. Wipe on. Higher cost. Requires sanding.

Factory replacement coating, sprayed, UV cured, 3 year warranty. Used only for commercial use and high end detailers due to difficulty in applying and curing. Highest cost. Difficult to do mobile. Available from Speedokote, Medallion, Momentive. Requires sanding. The first two coatings are manufactured for us, but the last two are available to anyone.

The problem with warranties is that it is directly related to so many variables which you have no control. Coating thickness, coating adhesion, latitude, headlight shape, where it's parked, car washing, etc. The goal is to offer a warranty that on average will not result in many callbacks. If you never get a callback, your warranty is probably too short.

Remember too that you can warrant your restores for as long as you choose. The real issue is customer satisfaction (callbacks).
ray6
ray6
 
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