Headlight polishing: how deep?

[buddiiee]

Had the vehicle's headlights polished and there was a touch of that oxidation left over that I could see, that he said would be "taken care of by the sealer" kind of like when you wax an oxidized black car it looks "newer" until the wax wears off of course, and I wasn't fully satisfied with that. He told me you can only go so deep on these before you cut through the manufacturers thick clear coat that's on these things. If you do that you'll have to repolish every three months or so if that happens. Is this true?

[Mike@ShineStruck]

My process
S0 compound with LC blue foam wool
If hazing is left over then I do
600grit dry 1500 grit wet, then compound..

If it's crazed(crow feet cracks in UV coating) then I do
320 500 800 1000 3000 , prep, UV coat


Anytime I sand I use a UV coating
If I just compound I use a ceramic coating
I don't bother with sealants as they'll recloud in 3-6 months..maybe 9months depending on how much usable factory UV is left

[tattooman]

My process
S0 compound with LC blue foam wool
If hazing is left over then I do
600grit dry 1500 grit wet, then compound..

If it's crazed(crow feet cracks in UV coating) then I do
320 500 800 1000 3000 , prep, UV coat


Anytime I sand I use a UV coating
If I just compound I use a ceramic coating
I don't bother with sealants as they'll recloud in 3-6 months..maybe 9months depending on how much usable factory UV is left

I didn't know you could use a ceramic coat on plastic lenses. Is this an "off label" or recommended application ? It sounds like it would work well if it bonds properly to the plastic. Is that your experience vice a polymer wax ?

[buddiiee]

How deep can you go though?

[Mike@ShineStruck]

I didn't know you could use a ceramic coat on plastic lenses. Is this an "off label" or recommended application ? It sounds like it would work well if it bonds properly to the plastic. Is that your experience vice a polymer wax ?

Just about every ceramic coating works on plastic
I currently use Pearl Nano HD..it's a 3-5 year coatings specficly for marine and rims..I've personally got 3 years and counting with this on compounded headlight jobs

Yes, my personal results with compound and seal..never lasted a year..typically 3 to 4 months
No customer is gonna take the time to reapply a sealant on their lens..
Ceramic won't burn off in months..

UV coating is best for when you sand away the usable factory UV

They have specific headlight ceramic coatings and UV coatings

[Mike@ShineStruck]

How deep can you go though?

320 grit will be a definite removal of factory UV

I'd say 1000grit would be equivlent to a compound

How deep prior to factory coating is compromised to where it'll just recloud is all dependant on condition of headlights, type of coating it has on it and your region you live in.

Fact is if it's already clouded than theirs not much left to keep protecting the lens on its own and it needs lasting protection like a ceramic coating, UV coating or 2 k clear

[Mike@ShineStruck]

Also got to think...sealants only last 3-6 months on paint and the clear is UV stable.. headlights theirs no UV inhibitors left to prevent oxodation

[glfnaz]

I've been using the Mckees headlight polish with a wool pad on a drill with great results.
Afterward, I use Pinnacle BL Surface Coating--usually 2 coats.
Great results. The Surface Coating is for any non-porous surface.
It's been a year on all of the ones I've done with no issues.

[Mike@ShineStruck]

I've been using the Mckees headlight polish with a wool pad on a drill with great results.
Afterward, I use Pinnacle BL Surface Coating--usually 2 coats.
Great results. The Surface Coating is for any non-porous surface.
It's been a year on all of the ones I've done with no issues.

That's what I started off using, but it always dried up fast before I could make a second pass..any compound on hand will work