Headlight restoration?

[chips1144]

Wilz, that looks like a NO on the caswell kit, An Interesing site for polishing supplies.

[wilz]

yeah, i was hoping that someone had tried their polishing supplies. Still hoping though that someone have tried.

[SGT]

As IPS (Innovative Polishing Systems) plastic polishing kits are approved by FAA and Bae for use on multi-million dollar aircrafts eg windshields and transparencies, then I know they will work on automotive headlights. We use their plastic and glass kits with superb results. see www.ipsglass.com

Okay, I wanted to touch briefly on this and I am in no way suggesting IPS is good or bad equipment.

I am trying to find the IPS FAA certificate of approval for use. There site says pending approval at the moment. I will contact them to see if they have recieved approval. It sure is a good selling point to be approved for aviation use but if you are having the $$$$$$ signs going off in your mind about doing this on aircraft, please keep in mind, just becuase you own a system that is approved by the FAA and took a training course that certainly does not mean you are certified to work on aircraft.

It will not be as easy as just going to the airport and doing work. There are different legal avenues to work on aircraft with out having your gov't FAA issued airframe and powerplant licenses but it usually involves working under a licensed & certified tech. or a licensed repair station who will sign off your work. All work performed on aircraft legally should be documented and you have to be licensed to sign off work performed. Insurance and liability are huge I might add.

Below I posted what we use for minor damage at line mx stations. Maybe those intersted headlight restoration should also consider this company if they have products that apply to your needs.




Micro-Mesh Acrylic Restoral Kit -
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• The most popular kit for the individual aircraft owner Contains seven (7) 3x6 in. Micro-Mesh sheets, 1500 to 6000 grit, a 2 oz. Bottle of Micro-Gloss, a foam block and 2 sheets of flannel
• Restores up to 30 sq. ft.

Micro-Surface Finishing Products is a leader in quality abrasive products, polishing pads, compounds and finishing kits. The Micro-Surface Micro-Mesh is approved by Boeing / McDonnell Douglas, the military and the FAA. Micro-Surface Finishing Products has been a leader in acrylic restoral for 30 years.

• Restores optical clarity to scratched or damaged acrylics
• Step-by-step process produces uniform results
• Micro-Mesh is a unique cloth-backed cushioned abrasive with a resilient layer of material between the back and the abrasive
• For mechanized restoral use an air tool with approximately 11,000 RPM

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[SGT]

Update:

Just spoke with Dave G. at IPS. Outcome was basically this... After he realized I was a licensed airframe and powerplant technician, he was all for trying to set up a meeting and getting me onboard with some kind of franchise setup. Seemed like you travel around to small FBO's and do work across the nation. When I explained I was an independant looking to stay that way and requested documentation of FAA approval so I would not be inviolation of FAR's he was no longer interested and would not sell eqipment to me or product. Maybe he felt like he was on trial, who knows. The call ended. So I am still not sure if the product is approved for aviation use. It very well could be.

If I ever consider headlight restoration, based on all the positive feedback I have read here I would consider there company in addition to a few others.

[SGT]

A little more info for those interested in acrylic repair. I tried to cut and paste our 757 maint manual procedure on what the approved repair process for acrylic windows on the Boeing 757 is and approved materials but it is in PDF format and wont paste in the forum. Sorry. In addition to the micro mesh kit I mentioned we also use 3M's Finesse-it Plastic Repair. I believe you can buy both kits no strings attatched and you could also buy the common tooling required retail.

[harrellbenjamin]

Update:

Just spoke with Dave G. at IPS. Outcome was basically this... After he realized I was a licensed airframe and powerplant technician, he was all for trying to set up a meeting and getting me onboard with some kind of franchise setup. Seemed like you travel around to small FBO's and do work across the nation. When I explained I was an independant looking to stay that way and requested documentation of FAA approval so I would not be inviolation of FAR's he was no longer interested and would not sell eqipment to me or product. Maybe he felt like he was on trial, who knows. The call ended. So I am still not sure if the product is approved for aviation use. It very well could be.

If I ever consider headlight restoration, based on all the positive feedback I have read here I would consider there company in addition to a few others.

Just gos to prove what many on here have been saying all along.If you are smart enough not to pay the"stupid tax" they dont want to talk to you.There is nothing!! in any one of the systems on the market today that anyone can not source for themselves in the real world.The only people praising the IPS system are people with no experience looking to get started in headlight restoration.They sell nothing new.All it is is a way to buy all the things needed in an over priced kit.They sell nothing but products that can be sourced off the shelf .All you have to do is research past posts and you will put together a superior system for 1/2 of the price.If you dont agree its OK.Just remember what PT Barnum used to say......................

[chips1144]

Harrellbenjamin.

Your point is well taken and I have to agree with what you are saying.
Im one of those people who would let someone else do the research and then pay for an over priced kit, as long as its not too over priced, I want to buy something that has proven results.

[harrellbenjamin]

I you feel the need to buy a complete kit check out Dvelup products kit.Real good people to do business with and unlike some systems that require you to pay the "stupid tax" first to gain acess to their products you can buy anything you need anytime you need it.I am talking about a headlight system only.
If you need to polish plastic aircraft screens etc. well then thats another story alltogether.Buyer beware.............

[chips1144]

The Dvelop system is one I'm really interested in.

After the mention of a 2 day training course with IPS I was no longer interested in that system, I dont want to fly out to Florida.

The posts from SGT were helpful, I'm not looking at airplane restoration and I don't want to play games with vendors.
Thanks again for your Input.

[harrellbenjamin]

No training needed.They will give you everything you need.They have a video on their wedsite that shows you how its done and when you buy their kit they will supply all the info needed to get you going.What sets them apart is the 2 part sealer/slicker.I have tried them all and this one works .Also think they still sell a few kits on EBAY.Hope this helps.