What you're really asking is which is the best TEMPORARY protective coating? Virtually all these coatings boil down to some form of UV blockers in the form of wax. Some are better than others. None...
Restoring headlights is a two step process; remove the old coating, replace it with a new one. There's no one size fits all for removing the old coating because there are too many variables....
I've been out of the business for 2 years. We developed a chemical stripper to eliminate most sanding and 2 different hard coats; a 2 part poly coat and a conventional varnish based coat.
3M is great for removing the original coating, but doesn't provide a replacement coating. With no protection, you will be redoing the headlights quite soon.
ray6
Probably the best bet would keep them waxed. Any UV blocked by the wax will make the factory coating last longer. It is possible to add an additional protective coating, but not knowing what the...
Many times you can see internal damage by applying alcohol or mineral spirits to the headlight before you start. This usually allows you to see internal moisture or damage. You could then talk to the...
It may be that the coatings you are using (polish) are very thin and won't fill in fine scratches like a real sealer. The other problem with polishes is that 1 trip to the car wash and the protection...
If the Meg's polish has anything other than abrasive in it, I wouldn't use it. Might interfere with adhesion of the spar, especially if it contains any wax or silicone. Also, scrub the headlight with...
It looks to me that all of the original coating was not removed. There's two parts to the equation; selection of grit and sanding duration. Many times with BMWs and many SUVs or some Chevys I start...
When you say drip marks, do you mean the coating ran? Maybe your coating is too thin and is running. You might try mixing 70% spar and 30% MS. This will give you a thicker coating and less likely to...
It's hard to say without seeing the headlight. If streaks are left from applicator or paper towel, and occur at the width of the applicator, suspect water vapor. If there is a general haziness with...
I would suggest not using 70% IPA for your final clean. 70% contains 30% water. Water is your enemy. You're better off just using the MS as a final clean.
We've been working on a partial headlight restoration process for some time. Starting to get good results. The problem has always been feathering between the old and the new and potential adhesion...
There's been so much talk about using the spar/MS method we were able to get a sample from one of our out of state dealers (can't buy it in California) and run some tests. Was actually surprised how...
Spar (and most other solvent based coatings) require a 2 step curing process. The first, sometimes called flash or flashing, is the evaporation of the solvents. In the case of spar/MS, it's the MS....
Not sure what you would gain. OptiCoat is a great sealer, but does not block UV. Not having worked directly with the spar method but I would think it seals adequately. The enemy is UV, not moisture...
I recommend using sanding aid for all steps.
Eliminates dust.
Lubricates abrasive and keeps headlight cooler.
Makes removed particles float on the surface instead of clogging up abrasive.
Lower...
When you say fogginess are you talking about being cloudy or from sandpaper scratches? No direct experience with spar/MS method, but I would assume it would fill in any sanding scratches at 3000...