What does everyone charge for head light restorations?

Detailed Josh said:
Awesome video Critical Details. I also like how you popped the hood the minimize contact as I was just thinking the other day when doing headlight restorations. What is it that you used to apply the Opti-Lens? How come you don't use the provided yellow foam applicator pad, or the blue squeeze tip?

I think doing a discount for added on lights is a plus, but just not sure what to do with recessed lights like you said. I feel like taking them out would be the best option, but that's not really worthwhile unless you charged more.
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On most vehicles popping the hood give you more room to and allows you to reach more of the headlight. However on this Civic since most of the headlight mounted in the quarter panel popping the hood didn't help as much.

I use a cotton applicator to apply Opti-Lens. I don't like applying any of the Optimum coatings using a foam applicator. For Opti-Coat and Opti-Glass I put the foam applicator inside a nitrile glove and then wrap a blue shop towel around the glove. I find that the foam applicator is too grabby on the glass and absorbs an excessive amount of product.

g35_coupe said:
Wow. 3 hrs with a DA? I would have thought you'd be done in an hour using a machine. I've had to remove some factory coating (with lots of scratches) by hand but still done in 2 hrs. I'm sure you can do a few things to cut down your time if we know your breakdown.
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Whenever applying Opti-Lens finishing a headlight restoration in or around an hour is out the question. The Opti-Lens application it self takes the better of an hour.

When restoring headlights this is my process:
1. Tape off the headlights.
2. Wet the lens and 800 grit sanding disc
3. Sand 4 passes (2 horizontal and 2 vertical) with 800, 1500 and 3000 grit paper. Between each pass I wipe down the light with a microfiber towel and clean the sanding disc to prevent clogging.
4. Repeat 2 and 3 for the other headlight.
5. Compound the headlights.
6. Polish the headlights.
7. Clean up the sanding slurry.
8. Perform an IPA wipe down on the headlights.
9. Apply Opti-Lens and wait to dry.

Once in a while I will get a pair of lights that only need 1500 grit paper and I can skip the 800 grit.
 
Just an innocent question: why do you avoid the applicator pad? Critical Details

And again great work.

-Art
 
hernandez.art13 said:
Just an innocent question: why do you avoid the applicator pad? Critical Details

And again great work.

-Art
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When Opti-Coat first came out, everyone was experimenting with application techniques. The first time I applied Opti-Coat I used the applicator pad and felt that it was absorbing too much product. I came across a thread saying that if you put the foam applicator in a glove and then wrap a Scott Blue Shop Towel around it wastes less product. I still use the recommended 10cc per vehicle or as close as I can get without over applying the coating. I have been applying Opti-Coat this way ever since and have not had a problem in over a dozen applications.

I first tried Opti-Glass several months ago and applied it with the foam applicator pad and then tried using a Scott Blue Shop Towel. The applicator pad had way too much friction on the glass and I felt like I was getting an unequal application of Opti-Glass. The Scott Blue Shop Towel had less resistance on the glass and made for a more enjoyable application.

The foam applicator is far more grabby on the glass then it ever was on the paint.

When I first applied Opti-Lens I used a folded up piece of a Scott Blue Shop Towel to apply the coating. Since I am running low on shop towels I decided to try a cotton applicator pad on a few Opti-Lens applications and have noticed no ill effect.

Thank you for watching.
 
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