moto-one

Last week a form menber had trouble with polishing up his tail lights, so I put to gather this how to for removing (not all) but some of the pits in the headlights.

First your on your own if you try this.

I was lucky to have been exposed to polishing plastic as a Boy Scout back in the late 1950s, when we did thing like make gear shift *****, and taking scraches out of my airplane windscreen. (back when I could afford one)

To start; the tools I use are simple at home tools.
Wet sand paper, 300, 600, and 1200
(for this project I only used 600)
Buffing wheel
Drill to spin the buffing wheel (cordless, or plug-in)
Buffing compound (Stainless steel) you can use plastic compound.
Some #7 polishing compound (white)
Spray bottle of water (for sanding and cleaning)

You start by wet sanding the surface. Take your time, I use a single layer so that I can feel the surface turn smooth, as you sand use lots of water from the spay bottle. (this keeps the sand paper working longer by stoping it from cloging) Every now and then spray with water, and wipe clean to check progress. Once you have a smooth uniform surface (you can but almost never get all the pits out, this is the third time for this set of lights)
Now that you have the sanding to your liking it's time to bring out the buffing wheel and compound. Again go slow and take your time (watch out for over heating) Keep moving about the surface. Keep working with a lighter compound (#7) to bring out even finer scraces, then go to a Swirl Remover polish to finish.
I spent about 15 min per step. depending on how bad your lens are you may spend more or less time. Againg go slow.

The tools used,
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53331/tools_used.jpg">

This is how the lights look at the start.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53331/before.jpg">

After wet sanding,
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53331/wet_sanded.jpg">

With half polished (first step of polishing, two more polishings lighter componds follow)
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53331/half_polished.jpg">

Finished,
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53331/finished_polishing.jpg">

I'm sorry for not being the best tech writer. Hope this helps.

DeutschDriver

looks good. submit that for a tech artical please!

Misplacedyankee

Nice work. Looks much better. Thanks for the write-up.

allroadbryan

I'll post some before and after pics. My lens are about the same condition as yours. It will be interesting to see if the Novus 1,2,3 steps are any easier than the sandpaper method.

skidmark

are those pits in chrome piece under headlight? how does your paint hold up on bumper?

DeutschDriver

now that they're all better, why not clear bra?

moto-one

sand on the roads, that we still get blasted over the better part of the summer. As for the paint, it's getting the one panel at a time (almost the same typ of repair) except I spray (air brush) a few layers of color, color sand, and apply a coat or five of clear, wet sand and buff. This will be the last season for that repair. and I will have the bumper/hood and flairs repainted. If you look to the left on the first photo you will see a 22cal rock hit. the leading edge of the roof just above the windshield look the same.

TeddyBGame

simply awesome!

tinker6468

Another good write up, now I can do both the fogs and headlights! Thanks. AW rocks!

MYD-WGN

Groits Garage and I think Eastwood have polishers