How do you know if you applied enough Opti-Lens?

[Detailed Josh]

I practiced doing my first headlight restoration on my fiance's car. All went well. Just when it came to applying the Opti-Lens I wasn't sure if I applied enough. I obviously don't want to waste product because of it's cost especially when I do this as a business, yet don't want to not apply enough and have it look bad months later. I felt like the applicator pad was maybe absorbing too much, or not spreading it just right. Thoughts? Feed back please

 

[Rsurfer]

I practiced doing my first headlight restoration on my fiance's car. All went well. Just when it came to applying the Opti-Lens I wasn't sure if I applied enough. I obviously don't want to waste product because of it's cost especially when I do this as a business, yet don't want to not apply enough and have it look bad months later. I felt like the applicator pad was maybe absorbing too much, or not spreading it just right. Thoughts? Feed back please

I use a round make up applicator pad. You need good lighting to see your overlaps. Applying in a garage might be easier to see than outdoors.

 

[Detailed Josh]

I use a round make up applicator pad. You need good lighting to see your overlaps. Applying in a garage might be easier to see than outdoors.

It was pretty bright out when I did it, but then again I was in the shade of a tent so maybe I do need some artificial light to see how it's applying. So do you not use the pad that comes in the kit?

 

[Chris Thomas]

You should coat side to side seeing a trail behind the applicator...then top to bottom seeing a trail behind the applicator. Don't keep wiping because you are only applying the coating...not rubbing it in. Then when 80% of the area has flashed to clear (rainbow colors disappeared), lightly buff off any remaining wet product with a microfiber. Don't work or buff unnecessarily during application or when removing excess. Its not that hard to remove a dried high spot by hand and its better to remove them after it cures than to mess with it while it dries.

 

[Detailed Josh]

Thanks Chris. Do you wait a minute or so before applying coats of side to side, and up and down? Also I now feel like I didn't apply enough product as I did see the wiping off excess comment on the directions tube, but didn't do that step as I didn't see anything built up after I applied it.

 

[Chris Thomas]

Don't wait between changing directions. You don't want to touch it unnecessarily as it drys.


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[Part-timer]

Don't wait between changing directions. You don't want to touch it unnecessarily as it drys.


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First time user here......It does seem like the pad you supply in the kit is rather large and would unnecessarily absorb too much product. Can a smaller foam applicator work just as well? Also, I haven't seen anything about clean-up. If using the pad, do you just clean it with soap/water or do you have to get a new applicator each set of lights? If the lenses flash dry in 3-5minutes......will the applicator also dry/harden within that time period if not cleaned?

 

[DaHen]

First time user here......It does seem like the pad you supply in the kit is rather large and would unnecessarily absorb too much product. Can a smaller foam applicator work just as well? Also, I haven't seen anything about clean-up. If using the pad, do you just clean it with soap/water or do you have to get a new applicator each set of lights? If the lenses flash dry in 3-5minutes......will the applicator also dry/harden within that time period if not cleaned?

The applicator pad is to large for lenses so I cut it in half and used the same half for both lenses. Only had to place a small amount of the liquid in the center of the half-pad to use on the lens. When I was done I squeezed and twisted the pad but couldn't find where the product had dried and hardened, so used it again the next day to apply a second coat. That one pad is in with the kit and I see no problem in using it again when ever the next set of headlights need work on them. I didn't clean it either.

After about twenty-four hours, that half-pad is still soft and pliable like it was never used.

 

[Harry Da Hamster]

I use a round make up applicator pad. You need good lighting to see your overlaps. Applying in a garage might be easier to see than outdoors.

Hey Ron, Do you use the foam type make up applicator pads or the cotton ones?

 

[Rsurfer]

Hey Ron, Do you use the foam type make up applicator pads or the cotton ones?

The cotton ones works for me. Just did a headlight and it started to pour 10 minutes later.

 

[Part-timer]

Don't wait between changing directions. You don't want to touch it unnecessarily as it drys.


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I feel like I wasted my $60 on this Opti-lens. I tried my first set of lights and OMG! I sanded and compounded and compounded some more, then applied it and it looked like crap. I compounded more and it still looked like crap. Opti-lens is not for me.

 

[Calendyr]

I feel like I wasted my $60 on this Opti-lens. I tried my first set of lights and OMG! I sanded and compounded and compounded some more, then applied it and it looked like crap. I compounded more and it still looked like crap. Opti-lens is not for me.

Hum... I am not sure I follow you there.

Opti-Lens is not what will make the headlight look good. If it looks like crap before applying, it will look the same afterward. The job of opti-lens is to provide UV protection to the plastic and seal it to protect it from the weather...

Try again to sand and polish it, here is what I suggest:

Start with 500 grit sand paper and dry buff until the entire lens looks opaque and the same white color.

Next step, clean the lens with a damp microfiber towel making sure no sanding dust remains.

Now use a 800-1000 grit sandpaper to remove the 500 scratches. Sand until the lens is uniform.

Clean again

Then you have 2 choices, you can either go to a 1500-2000 sand paper to remove the 800/1000 scratches or you can go directly to 3000. If you go directly to 3000 it will take more time to do the job but you save a step. Up to you. For the 3000 step, use a wetsanding method. So keep the lens wet with a spray bottle filled with water.

Once you can't see any scratches and the plastic looks uniform and clear. It's time to switch to polishing.

Make sure to clean the lens well before starting the compound/polishing.

You can pick what ever compound and polish you like.

Once you are done with the polishing step your headlight should be completelly transparent. If they were neglected for a very long time the plastic may be cracked (maybe that is why you feel they look like crap?). Either way, if you are pleased with the way they look, now is the time to seal them. If not, keep polishing. Note that cracks can't be removed, so don't waste your time trying. If the reason you feel it looks bad is because they are scratched, then you have not sanded enough or maybe you skipped steps so you have scratches that you put in and where not removed by the later steps. If it's still opaque/yellow then you simply either did not use an agressive enough sand paper or you did not sand long enough. 500 should take care of pretty much anything, I heard some people going lower but I would not recommend that!

Do you have pictures? Maybe someone can give you more specific advice for the problem you are having?

 

[Part-timer]

Hum... I am not sure I follow you there.

Opti-Lens is not what will make the headlight look good. If it looks like crap before applying, it will look the same afterward. The job of opti-lens is to provide UV protection to the plastic and seal it to protect it from the weather...

Try again to sand and polish it, here is what I suggest:

Start with 500 grit sand paper and dry buff until the entire lens looks opaque and the same white color.

Next step, clean the lens with a damp microfiber towel making sure no sanding dust remains.

Now use a 800-1000 grit sandpaper to remove the 500 scratches. Sand until the lens is uniform.

Clean again

Then you have 2 choices, you can either go to a 1500-2000 sand paper to remove the 800/1000 scratches or you can go directly to 3000. If you go directly to 3000 it will take more time to do the job but you save a step. Up to you. For the 3000 step, use a wetsanding method. So keep the lens wet with a spray bottle filled with water.

Once you can't see any scratches and the plastic looks uniform and clear. It's time to switch to polishing.

Make sure to clean the lens well before starting the compound/polishing.

You can pick what ever compound and polish you like.

Once you are done with the polishing step your headlight should be completelly transparent. If they were neglected for a very long time the plastic may be cracked (maybe that is why you feel they look like crap?). Either way, if you are pleased with the way they look, now is the time to seal them. If not, keep polishing. Note that cracks can't be removed, so don't waste your time trying. If the reason you feel it looks bad is because they are scratched, then you have not sanded enough or maybe you skipped steps so you have scratches that you put in and where not removed by the later steps. If it's still opaque/yellow then you simply either did not use an agressive enough sand paper or you did not sand long enough. 500 should take care of pretty much anything, I heard some people going lower but I would not recommend that!

Do you have pictures? Maybe someone can give you more specific advice for the problem you are having?

The method that I've used for the past 3years is
all wet-sanding 400, 800, 1500, 3000.......then clean off, dry, wipe with mineral spirits......let dry and use the spar method. Any light scratches are filled and the lens has a glossy, like new look. This Opti-lens must need about another 1/2 hour of compound and polishing. Even then, I'm not sure it will look as good. So now I would need to spend 1/2 hour more time compounding/polishing and also pay $60 for 10cc compared to $17 for a quart of spar.
That is why I said it feels like I wasted $60. I didn't realize how much more time and money it would costs me to make the switch.
I'm not sure about others but most of the lenses I do have small corners and points that can't be sanded with any machine, so I do them all by hand. Sanding, compounding and polishing takes time. How do others do it without taking the lenses out of the vehicle?

 

[Phathooddetail]

i use the Amazon.com: 3M 02516 Headlight Lens Restoration System: Automotive
works like a charm. i would have ordered the one from autogeek with the guns but they were unavailable at the time. It's definitely worth the investment. i also use these as an applicator

Quickie Quickie Lysol Clean-Flip Dry Sweeping Cloths QCK56766 | CleanItSupply

i cut them up in applicator size pads and they work pretty good. absorb just enough to apply depending on what size headlights you have to adjust for.

 

[mr.fusion]

Part-timer, try using the Optilens on some easier cars that don't require your full sanding process, 400-800-1500-3000. If you can get with 1500-3000-compound-coating, I think you will see good results. Your spar coating is likely masking the marks left behind from the first couple sanding steps, which the optilens doesn't hide. If the lens doesn't look really good after compounding... it shows that there is still either some damage not fully removed or some sanding haze left over from at least one sanding step. 400-800-1500 is a little steep to get a truly restored surface. Add a 600 and 1200 and I bet you get a much better result. Sounds like a lot, but it's only a couple minutes per step... but you will get that time back because the compounding will be easier/faster.

You might find that Optilens isn't right for every job, because it does indeed require more work to refine the lens prior to coating, vs the spar. But it's great for the cars that have damage mainly on the top edge, and the easy-sand cars like toyota and nissan. Those cars only need 1500 or 2000 to start, and are easily wet sanded by hand. Give that a try, and leave the spar to the nasty jobs that HAVE to be sanded with heavy grit.

 

[Part-timer]

Part-timer, try using the Optilens on some easier cars that don't require your full sanding process, 400-800-1500-3000. If you can get with 1500-3000-compound-coating, I think you will see good results. Your spar coating is likely masking the marks left behind from the first couple sanding steps, which the optilens doesn't hide. If the lens doesn't look really good after compounding... it shows that there is still either some damage not fully removed or some sanding haze left over from at least one sanding step. 400-800-1500 is a little steep to get a truly restored surface. Add a 600 and 1200 and I bet you get a much better result. Sounds like a lot, but it's only a couple minutes per step... but you will get that time back because the compounding will be easier/faster.

You might find that Optilens isn't right for every job, because it does indeed require more work to refine the lens prior to coating, vs the spar. But it's great for the cars that have damage mainly on the top edge, and the easy-sand cars like toyota and nissan. Those cars only need 1500 or 2000 to start, and are easily wet sanded by hand. Give that a try, and leave the spar to the nasty jobs that HAVE to be sanded with heavy grit.

Yes, probably good advice adding the 600, 1200........95% of the vehicles I do are only worn on the top 1/4 -1/3.........yeah, I wish I could get more of the ones that are all worn off already so I could start with 1500.
How do you handle the ones that are shaped funky and can't be done with a machine?

 

[Evan.J]

The method that I've used for the past 3years is
all wet-sanding 400, 800, 1500, 3000.......then clean off, dry, wipe with mineral spirits......let dry and use the spar method. Any light scratches are filled and the lens has a glossy, like new look. This Opti-lens must need about another 1/2 hour of compound and polishing. Even then, I'm not sure it will look as good. So now I would need to spend 1/2 hour more time compounding/polishing and also pay $60 for 10cc compared to $17 for a quart of spar.
That is why I said it feels like I wasted $60. I didn't realize how much more time and money it would costs me to make the switch.
I'm not sure about others but most of the lenses I do have small corners and points that can't be sanded with any machine, so I do them all by hand. Sanding, compounding and polishing takes time. How do others do it without taking the lenses out of the vehicle?

I use a very simlar method to Calendyr. I go all the way up to 3000 grit and once im finished with that I then go to a compound with a MF cutting disc. Once I have compound the entire lense I then use a polish with a foam pad to bring out the gloss and clarity in the lense.

Once The lense is back to normal I then give a wipe down with CarPro Eraser then finally apply Opti-lense.

I think you may no understand the use of Opti-lens. Its not going to fill and mask any scratches that are left you need to completely remove them all prior too the application. The coating is meant to give the UV protection to the lens that you have sanded off. Proper prep work is a must when usin opti-lens.

Opti Lens is just like Opti-Coat is will not fill or mask anything. Us shoube be able to get 8-10 sets of head lights with one 10cc tube.

 

[abwmma]

You should coat side to side seeing a trail behind the applicator...then top to bottom seeing a trail behind the applicator. Don't keep wiping because you are only applying the coating...not rubbing it in. Then when 80% of the area has flashed to clear (rainbow colors disappeared), lightly buff off any remaining wet product with a microfiber. Don't work or buff unnecessarily during application or when removing excess. Its not that hard to remove a dried high spot by hand and its better to remove them after it cures than to mess with it while it dries.

Sorry, Chris, I'm first time user. Am I ONLY lightly buff (try to take off too much product) the area that are not showing rainbow colors until it shows rainbow colors? And leave all the other area alone until it sets!

 

[mr.fusion]

Yes, probably good advice adding the 600, 1200........95% of the vehicles I do are only worn on the top 1/4 -1/3.........yeah, I wish I could get more of the ones that are all worn off already so I could start with 1500.
How do you handle the ones that are shaped funky and can't be done with a machine?

I think I see the issue. With OL, I suggest you only strip-fix the top 1/4-1/3 and then compound and coat the entire lens. Saves a ton of time and effort that isn't required. On many cars, that means no more heavy grits because it's not needed to fix what's already gone. Often all you need is 1500 give or take, blended into the good coating. That is the equalizer, and is what I meant by doing some of the easy cars with optilens. They aren't so easy if you sand down the entire lens. :buffing:

 

[cardaddy]

I feel like I wasted my $60 on this Opti-lens. I tried my first set of lights and OMG! I sanded and compounded and compounded some more, then applied it and it looked like crap. I compounded more and it still looked like crap. Opti-lens is not for me.

Applying a coating to a heavy sanded, medium sanded, lightly sanded, compounded, polished, super polished (whatever) headlight is no different than painting a newly prepped body panel.

If you do not properly prep what is underneath, no amount of paint (coating) on top will matter! The old saying crap in = crap out fits here.:dunno: OC is not meant to be a filler, or to hide scratches and rough edges of what may or may not be left of the factory coating.

I have a client that got his Mazdaspeed wagon back from the body shop week before last. His FATHER wrecked it, (some $12K worth of work) and when he got it back the entire right side was orange peel city (which can be fixed, just wet sand it). But the hood (they sourced a crash part that was the same color) had deep sanding marks UNDER the paint behind the hood scoop.

After I looked at the car he was like "Do you think you can fix it?", to which my reply was "TAKE IT BACK!". No need to have me fix it when they can fix it. FWIW the shop is an excellent shop and has all the needed tools, just didn't do great quality control the day his left the shop. In fact the shop manager I've known for years. So I went back up to the shop with him and pointed out the problems. Note there wasn't any trash, no fisheyes, no paint lifting, and one very very minor run. Overall the paint was great, just it needed finishing (on the orange peel).

The sanding BELOW the paint though required repainting the hood. (As I suggested.)

Bottom line; do the prep work and the coating will look fine. rops: