What about when half of the lens is in great shape?

[candyman]

I dont always start with 320 either unless its rough or a pited surface. I have used just prep spray and a 3000 polishing pad. The lens in that particular case just needed cleaning. To get consistent results each and everytime is to follow the directions put out by the distributor. Once a person does a few hundred they should have a feel for the product and a better knowledge of what they are doing. I sometimes mis-judge and I have to go back and start over with a 320 or 500 pad. Seldom do I ever get a headlight that looks clear like the one in the photo posted. Most of mine are fogged, yellowed or white cloud with pits and niches or scratches.

[pommy]

I dont always start with 320 either unless its rough or a pited surface. I have used just prep spray and a 3000 polishing pad. The lens in that particular case just needed cleaning. To get consistent results each and everytime is to follow the directions put out by the distributor. Once a person does a few hundred they should have a feel for the product and a better knowledge of what they are doing. I sometimes mis-judge and I have to go back and start over with a 320 or 500 pad. Seldom do I ever get a headlight that looks clear like the one in the photo posted. Most of mine are fogged, yellowed or white cloud with pits and niches or scratches.

I don't want to sound confrontational, and my apologies if I have candy

The OP wanted to know specifically what can be done if only half the lens is damaged - the other half fine. I'm sure you seldom get them, but he obviously does.

Not sure about where you are, but where I am - most modern cars I see, have a large portion of the headlight exposed upwards to the sun - so no matter where they go, it's always in the harmful UV rays all day.

Like the posted pics - the lower portion is in absolutely perfect condition, the top is yellow and crusty.

So, if you seldom get them now, it's only a matter of time before you do.

Again, for the record - I've had the GT Glass Kit, the Dvelup Kit, 3M Kit, Delta Kit etc. etc. and I've been doing headlights for many years, so I am one of the persons who "have a feel for the product and a better knowledge of what they are doing".

I'm just pretty new to the forum mate

Cheers,

Pommy

[Old Blue 66]

Had to take a break and post about this here. Tried Pommy's method and it work very well. At first I wasn't happy because you could still see the tape line and a couple of places where I went through the clear with the 800 below the line after I used Infinity. The factory clear sorta looked like it had wipe marks. Something that I dont see when I sand the whole lens starting with 320. This was after it dried. I may have put on too thin of a coat because it had a mat finish. After a second coat, it looked perfect.

This is a 2008 Kia Spectra that I did this morning BEFORE the second coat of Infinity. I didn't get any after pics but this looks great in the picture. The lens was a perfect candidate because only the upper third of the lens was showing what I call rust and crust. The bottom 2/3 was in perfect condition. I would be very happy with the final outcome on my own car which is how I treat every single car I work on. This saved me time. Not sure how much but is certainly did.

[pommy]

Hi Paul,

That looks fantastic!

I personally love to see pics of other peoples techniques and results - never tire of it!

The second coat did the trick hey? Don't forget, the top bit you sanded would be much more porous than the bottom bit.

That explains the matt finish, due to absorption - and the streaks in the bottom bit are because it doesn't sink in as much, so a little goes a long way and can make lines with the excess.

You can wipe a bit better on the bottom half as you have more time - unlike the sanded part as it sinks in fast.

I'm glad you tried it - you can only get better at it now, which means less time and more $$$.

I hope the OP is reading this

Cheers,

Pommy

P.S Did you use the Delta sequence of discs, 3000 pad and then Infinity?

[davidc11291]

I hope the OP is reading this

I'm reading every new post, every day, lol.

[Old Blue 66]

Hi Paul,

That looks fantastic!

I personally love to see pics of other peoples techniques and results - never tire of it!

The second coat did the trick hey? Don't forget, the top bit you sanded would be much more porous than the bottom bit.

That explains the matt finish, due to absorption - and the streaks in the bottom bit are because it doesn't sink in as much, so a little goes a long way and can make lines with the excess.

You can wipe a bit better on the bottom half as you have more time - unlike the sanded part as it sinks in fast.

I'm glad you tried it - you can only get better at it now, which means less time and more $$$.

I hope the OP is reading this

Cheers,

Pommy

P.S Did you use the Delta sequence of discs, 3000 pad and then Infinity?

I kinda guessed it was because the bottom wasn't as porous due to sanding. Do you apply two coats every time you blend the two?? If so it may be cost prohibitive. Maybe two coats on the top where it was stripped?

I did the exact method you described above. 320 and 500 on the top, then 800, 1500 and 3000 on the whole lens. I dont use 1200.

You can wipe a bit better on the bottom half as you have more time

Explain a bit more please? Do yo mean use less Infinity?

[pommy]

Hi,

Sorry I meant - as the Infinity doesn't sink in right away on the OEM coating - it's easier to spread it around if you do get lines

Regarding two coats - well, the better prepared the surface, the less Infinity you need.

For instance - in those actual pictures I posted - I used a compound to polish the top to match the bottom after using the 1200 (no 3000). Then I applied the Infinity.

I used the compound to help blend and more-so to give a similar surface to the OEM coating below it.

That's the reason why it looks so shiny - and just one coat as used.

The cost of the Infinity in this case was minimal - I used 8ml/2ml for both lenses and still poured some away.

Cheers,

Pommy

Oh, if you don't have/like compounds - use the 3000 polish pad wet - you will be able to get a slightly better glossy finish before applying the Infinity.

UPDATE:

I did the exact method you described above. 320 and 500 on the top, then 800, 1500 and 3000 on the whole lens. I dont use 1200.

I just saw that! - I don't sand the OEM coating - I meant you can blend the line from 800 onwards but only on the line to hide it.

OK here is how I do it...

The set I did yesterday (should have taken pics!) were damaged on top, I found where they were damaged to - then about 2/3 from the bottom up I masked a straight line.

I used 320, 400, 800, 1200 and then I took off the tape and used a compound to clear the haze and match the lower portion. I then applied Infinity over the whole lens.

Just one coat. Perfect.

Because I used the compound - the two surfaces were similar, so there was no matt effect from absorption.

Hope this helps, this is the way I normally do it - sorry if I misled.

The way I described earlier was for blending/feathering the line.

[Brent Deines]

This is a very interesting topic. In our area it's very difficult to get anyone interested in having their headlights restored until the entire lens is so bad the light barely shines through so doing half a lens is not something we get to practice. Could be the local economy, my lack of salesmanship, or perhaps the general mentality in our area. People really don't take care of things here like they do in some other places I visited.

I'll try not to get too far off topic here but I'm really interested in the comments about porosity. We know some factory coatings are harder to remove and presumably some polycarbonates have somewhat different characteristics as well, so my question is this. Do you guys find that some lenses are more porous than others after sanding?

We rarely find it necessary to apply a second cote of Infinity 4.1 on a lens but have noticed that some lenses do not come out as clear as others no matter how much time we spend on preparation. In these cases a second coat does improve the appearance. Infinity is made to penetrate the surface of the lens as opposed to simply coating the surface, so it stands to reason that the more porous the lens the less shine you will see after the product has completely dried. A second coat deepens the shine just as a second coat of clear deepens the shine on sanded metal, wood, etc. Just as with any other clear coat, two or more thin coats will also provide a better bond than one thick coat.

If you have noticed some lenses being more porous than others, have you been able to single out any brands or models of vehicles with extra porous lenses?

[pommy]

Hi Brent

In our area it's very difficult to get anyone interested in having their headlights restored until the entire lens is so bad the light barely shines through so doing half a lens is not something we get to practice. Could be the local economy, my lack of salesmanship, or perhaps the general mentality in our area. People really don't take care of things here like they do in some other places I visited.

Speaking from Australia - most of this type of work (semi damaged) is in dealerships/lots or people trying to sell their car. Usually, the car is in great condition, being so new - but the headlights let them down. So many designs now have the lens upward as much as facing ahead - So you will get more and more of these to test as time goes on.

That said, I REGULARLY I fix crystal clear lenses with slight scuffs on! It might just be a mentality thing

Do you guys find that some lenses are more porous than others after sanding?

Unless they are really, really old ones - no. I refinish the surface to a point where the Infinity doesn't make a massive difference in the appearance, it's purpose is only as a sealer.

We rarely find it necessary to apply a second cote of Infinity 4.1 on a lens but have noticed that some lenses do not come out as clear as others no matter how much time we spend on preparation.

I only use two coats when I can see sanding marks in the lens, the second coat helps hide it with filling and extra gloss it brings. Generally though, my lenses are clear before the application of Infinity - to the point, I could leave them as they are if it wasn't for the UV protection in the Infinity and the scratch resistance they need with the OEM coating gone.

In these cases a second coat does improve the appearance. Infinity is made to penetrate the surface of the lens as opposed to simply coating the surface...

That's the beauty of the Infinity - it's not a cracking peeling nail varnish type coating - it bonds like a dream.

If you have noticed some lenses being more porous than others, have you been able to single out any brands or models of vehicles with extra porous lenses?

I've noticed "softer" lenses - ones that scratch when you wipe them clean even, but not so much porus

Have a lovely day all!

Pommy

[candyman]

Good morning from the wet east coast. I agree with pommy with the application of only one coat with the infiniti 4.1 It would also dip into the profit margin if you did this enough times. If I have a lens that is a little rough after sanding I will use the Develup Chemical coating instead. It does a better job of filling in spots. The dealerships I do HLRs for, dont do them unless the lens are bad or a major concern from a buyer. I prefer the polish instead of the 3000 pad on some vehicles. However, due to the extreme heat and humidity in the south it sometimes will cause the UV coating to flake off after a few months and sometimes in a few weeks. I have vehicles that I restored more than 3 years ago using this method that still looks good. It depends on the lens and how the customer takes care of their vehicles in most cases. For some of you new to using HLR kits, remember this. Nothing is set in stone. Do what works best for you. I trained a guy at a detail shop and he experimented and broke away from the suggested formula of sanding. He lost customers and had a lot of redos. Reputations can be damaged and that means business. I buy my products from a known distributor that test these products all the time and uses feed back from the field of customers that use their products. Why risk needless dollars if it works. Taking a short cut to save a few dollars is not always a sure thing. Experment on your vehicle and not always the customers. Many of my customers watch me during the restoration and are keen on what I am doing. I like to see their faces when I do the WOW with the UV.