help me out with my headlight restore process please

[BrianMcLeod]

so I have been doing my uncles headlights just for cost and they did improve but not like brand new. One headlight looked new and one was faded I fixed it and looks better but not new. Just getting frustrated with it. any help will help

My process I use a porter cable

500 grit dry sanding speed 1

800 grit dry sanding speed 1

1000 grit wet sanding speed 2

1500 grit wet sanding speed 2

3000 grit wet sanding speed 2

Compound with m105 and mf pad speed 5

polish with m205 with white pad speed 4

coat with opti lens

Thanks in advance!! Feed back please :buffing:

[hernandez.art13]

Pictures would be a great help.

Were you able to remove all the sanding marks with the PC? And did you get any pigtails?

I've done headlights where it actually started discoloring/fading/yellowing whatever you want to call it. Well they were doing inside the lens.

So no amount of sanding would of helped since it was inside the lens. Idk if there is a process to correct this type of oxidation.

Makes me wonder if that's the case in your situation since 500 on a PC can be pretty aggressive.

And

Hopefully other members can help you out. And good luck.

[builthatch]

need pics but my thought is the degradation has taken place on the inside as well as the outside. you corrected the exterior but obviously can't do anything about the inside unless you are able to remove the lens through clips or baking to release the sealant so you can access the other side for correction as well.

if he's happy with the look and performance, i'd just move on, confident that the Opti-Lens will at least shield the plastic from further degradation.

[BrianMcLeod]

27996 here's my brothers car came out good but sometimes I see them and they look good and others times bad I guess if they are clean or not Ill get a pic tomorrow they don't look that good in person but maybe they need a clean?

Here's one car left is after right is before
27997 they were a lot worse when I did them the first time had to redo them felt like I could do better sorry for the phone pics

[BrianMcLeod]

Can cracking on the inside make it not look as good?

[hernandez.art13]

Both were started with 500?

[BrianMcLeod]

Yes, I'll try to get the picture of the new headlight or looks new vs the restored one

[BrianMcLeod]

Both were started with 500?

Should I not be using 500 with the PC

[hernandez.art13]

Should I not be using 500 with the PC

I've seen it done and I've done it a good number of times. So I don't think it's a yes or no answer (could be wrong)

However, I just do hand sanding now and I just do 1500 and 3000 since that is what the job called for and I am sure different situations could vary on how aggressive you have to go. but 1500 and elbow grease plus technique work wonders.

If was going to use my DA and had to go down to 500

I would do

500 DA
800 DA
1000 DA
and
1500 by hand
and 3000 by hand or DA, but probably just by hand to remove any pigtails that could have been left behind, maybe even 1000 by hand.

Sometimes even just compound and polish can do a lot of correction and no need to even sand, but every situation can be a case by case scenario.

So even doing a test spot when doing headlight correction can save you a good amount of time/tools and product.

Also if you went down to 500 and still are seeing oxidation, it could be that the headlights were corrected to their highest potential.

Just my thoughts...

[BrianMcLeod]

What are pigtails? Are they caused my a da?

[hernandez.art13]

Here is an article I found. I'm sure the answer to your question is in there.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/22234-tracers-rids-pigtails-cobweb-swirls-rotary-buffer-swirls-holograms-water-spots-bird-droping-etchings-micro-marring.html

They are the curly little scratches that look like a pigs tail in a way.

[BrianMcLeod]

Thanks this helped out is that the process you use?

[BrianMcLeod]

Here is an article I found. I'm sure the answer to your question is in there.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/22234-tracers-rids-pigtails-cobweb-swirls-rotary-buffer-swirls-holograms-water-spots-bird-droping-etchings-micro-marring.html

They are the curly little scratches that look like a pigs tail in a way.

Thanks so I guess sanding by hand will get the pig tells out let's say the picture I posted of the white car what would you of done to it?

[Calendyr]

Doing it by hand for the first steps is faster I think. Last set of headlights and tailights I did was :

600 Wet sand
1500 wet sand
2000 wet sand
(all 3 steps by hand)

DA compound
DA polish

You save time by not having to set up the tool when you hand sand, plus you don't have to mask everything in case the DA bumps against paint.

I think I will have to try both methods on the same car and time how much time it takes with hand sanding and with DA/Drill sanding.

[hernandez.art13]

Thanks so I guess sanding by hand will get the pig tells out let's say the picture I posted of the white car what would you of done to it?

You can sand with the DA and not get pig tails with proper technique. but lets say you have pigtails from a more aggressive grit, I've found that sanding them by hand does in fact help remove them. (not sure the story behind it or if it's just an illusion, maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in.)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2314/ImageUploadedByAGOnline1401772056_708725.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/77165)

Well I do take time and product usage into factor when doing work like this. Since time is money. Also a lot of times customers just want the "shiny" back not necessarily 100% highest potential correction.

^ So for those listed above. It would all depend on what the customer wanted, I don't know if this is a good approach business wise, but this is how I do it now since I try and have packages for each customer and what they are willing to spend, interior, exterior, even headlights and etc...

I just try and document everything and keep building my portfolio and little by little people are starting to notice my work and they have been actually contacting me to do work for them vs me asking them if I can do work for them. That is why I bought a new camera and should be here Thursday, plus I bought DIY 3M Sun Gun :D

Well if those were brought to me (again this is how I do it and if someone thinks its wrong of me, maybe they can lead me in the right direction)

Well I would have package:

C - a compound a polish and spray wax $
B - 1500, 3000 and sealant or upgrade to a coating such as Opti Lens $$
A - full restoration to the headlights highest potential and include the Opti Lens coating $$$

What do you all think with this approach?