158 replies to this topic

[gaffer1986]

Thanks

 

I never really clean my car so I can't see myself topping up the uv wax so I've decided one last attempt at spraying it.

 

Here is the first coat:

 

First coat by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

orange peel effect from spray can, I have plans to sort this:

 

First coat orange peel effect. by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

[gaffer1986]

Second coat, slightly more hazy

 

Second coat by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

Orange peel looks a bit better, I think

 

Second coat orange peel by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

[gaffer1986]

Third coat

 

Third coat by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

Third coat orange peel. by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

[gaffer1986]

Fourth coat

 

Fourth coat by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

Fourth coat orange peel by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

[gaffer1986]

I think that should be enough coats. I will see what it looks like in 12 hours and show you. May have to use rubbing compound in an attempt to smooth it out.

[gaffer1986]

Protective lacquer has dried to a haze so I've 2500 grit sanded it and started to polish is with Meguiars scratch x 2.0

 

20151004_110643 by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

[gaffer1986]

So just polished through the lacquer, to be fair it was only 4 very thin coats and I hadn't left it a long time to dry. But I know I can get a good gloss transparent finished with it so I've sanded it with 2500 grit again and will put a thicker layer of lacquer on it and leave it a lot longer to dry before polishing.

[gaffer1986]

Fourth coat of Lacquer second time round. Thicker coats by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

 

Shiny! This is after four coats of lacquer. The trick is thicker coats by moving my arm slower when painting. The sort of speed you'd move your arms if you were walking slowly.

[gaffer1986]

Ok, so starting the second lense now. Instead of going straight to 60 grit, I've gone 600, 400 then 280 all wet and with no such luck in removing the clear cracked plastic coating. I'm going to try 180 grit dry and see if that gets rid of it.

[AlexHillTVR]

Nice work mate! 

 

I used 1200, 2000, 2500 when I did mine. Polished out with a dual action and they look 80% as good as new. You have to go down to a grit as low as 120 then back up in steps with good quality and paper to get it 99% perfect, unless you want to sand with 1200 for a few months.

 

Just don't use halfords shitty sandpaper as one wrong grain can bugger the final result.

 

[Bargi]

As you've found out the lacquer will make it look wrong but leave it and it'll come good.

[gaffer1986]

Nice work mate! 

 

I used 1200, 2000, 2500 when I did mine. Polished out with a dual action and they look 80% as good as new. You have to go down to a grit as low as 120 then back up in steps with good quality and paper to get it 99% perfect, unless you want to sand with 1200 for a few months.

 

Just don't use halfords shitty sandpaper as one wrong grain can bugger the final result.

 

 

Agreed, this is exactly what I've found. I've managed to get all the plastic coating off using 180 grit so I haven't had to go down as low as 120 but it took me nearly an hour. Next up is 320 grit.

[gaffer1986]

As you've found out the lacquer will make it look wrong but leave it and it'll come good.

 

The lacquer is already starting to look awesome on the one I've completed. Just needed thicker coats, barely no orange peel effect although I'll still polish it after a couple of days.

[gaffer1986]

Jumping from 180 to 320 was successful, I managed to convert all horizontal scratches to vertical scratches (this is important) in 30 mins. I'm now going to try jump to 800 lets see if I can make such a jump. First things first, start cooking dinner.

[gaffer1986]

Jumping to 800 grit didn't work, it was taking ages to remove the scratches from the 320 grit. So I did a wet 600 grit which worked fine. Now I'll try 800 again.

[gaffer1986]

Gosh, done the second one. That took ages, lets hope they last!

[RabnaKS]

You've got some bloody patience gaff! But at least you're getting there!

[gaffer1986]

So pleased, so shiny!

 

2015-10-05_12-50-26 by Richard Fanders, on Flickr

[fezzasus]

 

That guide appears to use glass headlight lenses.

 

Good thing someone makes replacement lenses.

 

Tom, if I mess this up, how long will it take to get replacement lenses. How much are you selling them for these days?

 

Thanks,

Richard

 

 

Missed this. They're £180 per pair shipped and can be posted out next day. However looks like you got there in the end (however they're now more at risk of stone chips and UV damage)

Edited by fezzasus, 05 October 2015 - 12:31 PM.

[AlexHillTVR]

Well done gaffer! Patience is a virtue and if you'd buggered it up then there's the fezzasus lenses d