harder then normal lights list

Discuss all aspects of headlight restoration, including marketing, technical, and business advice.
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candyman
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by candyman »

Master mend! What is a 3 cp d/a ? I use the metabo. After 30-40 HLR's I find I have to clean it more often. I really dont want to take it apart. I've had several hard lens to restore lately and the metabo gets hot. I have to stop and let it cool. I try to apply only enough pressure on the lens that is required to get the job done. The new 180 grit pad saves time and reduces the number of additional pads needed to do some of the tough lens. That also reduces the wear on the orbital sander. I need to order a new one or something else that has more endurance. I have the original orange orbital from Deltakits as a backup and 2 metabo's. The white residue from the lens gets into the air vents along the sides and around the inside below the pad. I use a air hose to blow the dust out. My newest metabo works fine when I turn it on, however the minute I apply it to the lens it sometimes starts squeling or it will simply slow down. I normally operate it between the 3 to 4 setting range. Has anyone else on the forum had the same experience with their Metabo. Is there a better type of orbital 3" sander available? I like the metabo, because its light and easy to use. I 'll check my files today to see if I can find the manual for my Metabo.
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mend master
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by mend master »

Candyman, sorry to write in code! The tool in question is a Chicago Pneumatic CP7202, air powered, dual action sander, pistol grip design, using a 3" pad like you normally use. It runs at 40-50 psi, and has a low cfm requirement, which makes it handy for a small to medium compressor. I originally bought a 3M kit that included this gun. The gun is available as a stand alone, in small kits, or a complete kit like I bought. It works well if you have a compressor, which obviously you do, but I suspect there are some here that don't, which is probably the reason the Metabo was the recommended tool here. From what I read, the new recommended tool, per Delta, is one from Griot's. I'm a former mechanic, and a full-on recon tech, so I'm partial to air tools.
candyman
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by candyman »

I have a small shop tank and I dont think it would be big enough for some of the jobs. I used mine mainly for blowing saw dust out of corners, and my power tools, and operating a small staple gun. I would need to buy hoses, a gun etc... The metabo was easy and handy. I will try the new orbital next month. If business continues to pickup I may end up purchasing air tools and mount a platform to my SUV Hitch to haul it around. I will do some pricing before next month to see what the cost factor would be. Thanks for the information.
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mend master
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by mend master »

You are more than welcome. Electric tools do have their place. If I limited my services to wsr and headlights, I doubt that I would carry a compressor and all the related paraphernalia. Extra stuff is extra expense, extra upkeep, and extra weight. All that together equals less dollars to go into the bank account!
Rudy2813

Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by Rudy2813 »

what grits did you use to get that great look back into those head lights?
mend master
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by mend master »

Depending on the condition and type of vehicle, I have started as low as 180 grit, then 320, 500, 800, 1000 Trizac (wet), 3000 Trizac (wet). You have to get all of the contamination off of the lens. If the factory coating is failing, I will remove it entirely as well. On some newer cars like Ford trucks and SUV's for example, there is a narrow band that seems to fail at the top. If you are careful, you can feather that area, scuff the rest, and apply your coating for a very nice result if you are using the wipe-on product from Delta or Dvelup. If you spray a coating like Speedokote, the lines may be visible if you don't do a superior job of feathering, just like on a paint job. The wipe-on products are more forgiving than a spray-on as a general rule in my experience with both.
part-timer
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by part-timer »

In my experience,.....the worst headlights are (not in any order) Nissan Quest vans because of the shape of the lenses, Chevy/GMC trucks, most GM cars because of the hard original coatings, I've heard BMW's are hard too but I've only done one so far and it gave me fits. I've had a few Mitsubishi Eclipse that took extra time. The easier ones seem to me to be..Dodge Neon, PT Cruiser, Sebring (a lot of Dodge), Mustangs, Mercury, Mazda Miata, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Accord. Most of my jobs are from local used car lots so I get a variety. I use a razor blade on the harder coatings instead of using 180 grit discs. It just seems a lot faster for me. In 5 minutes both lenses have the old coating off and I can move on to sanding. I understand everyone has their own prefered method, this works best for me.
t4k
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by t4k »

BMW's, in my opinion, are one of the easiest and the final results are great.
mend master
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by mend master »

t4k wrote:BMW's, in my opinion, are one of the easiest and the final results are great.
I agree with the final results, but being a BMW specialist, I would totally disagree with the easy part. Some do seem easier than others, but they nearly always require multiple 180 grit pads to get all the original coating off. Sometimes they have already been shot with clearcoat and that's no problem to get off at all. But the original stuff? Dude, you must be smokin' something! :) If a person doesn't try to get all the original coating off, then they wouldn't be any harder than any other lens. My dealer services what he sells, so I don't have the luxury of the "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" mentality. Not saying this is what you are doing, t4k, but have seen a lot of folks take shortcuts which are acceptable to their customers. That being said, different parts of the country do seem to have more or less issue with lenses. A buddy of mine in Maryland says he rarely sees the kind of barnacle-like build up like we get in SC. He sees cloudiness, but not the "scuzzies". Maybe this is the case here.
t4k
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Re: harder then normal lights list

Post by t4k »

So you assume, because someone doesn't find BMW lenses difficult, that person is doing a poor job? That is quite an assumption on your part.

I am further south than you and I do see the lenses with "barnacles" as you referred to them, everyday. I still do not find these to be an issue. It is all in the sanding.

I guess at this time I should same something negative about your ability or the job you perform but I am not going to lower myself to that level.

Good luck in the future with you BMW lenses!
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