I have a set of headlight covers for hella off road lights. I have been attempting to sand the design off them to make them flat. It has a raised fj that covers 3/4 of the light. I tried 120 grit sandpaper and and also tried a file which may have been to fine. I want to make these smooth so I can out a vinyl decal on them. I am making a small dent but after 2 hrs and there still there I want something a little more aggressive.
I may have to invest in a belt sander. I have no electric sanding devices besides an angle grinder. Be nice to have a sander around for working around the house.
How much is the lettering sticking up ? I cant see why you cant sand it off if its thick enough. Use a hard block of wood (I use a 3/4" x 4" block). Id start with maybe #120, #180, #320 then #400...and it should buff out fine. My Caravan headlites were terrible..almost like a parking lite. I DA sanded them with #320, then wet with #400, used a buffer and rubbing compound and there as good as new.
I may have to invest in a belt sander. I have no electric sanding devices besides an angle grinder. Be nice to have a sander around for working around the house.
Get a flap wheel for that angle grinder, take care of it in no time.
That will make the job a lot harder to finish...and probably send you to the store to buy new lenses... Really, it cant be that big of a job. Ive sanded off the little nubs that stick out of some headlites just to make them smooth, with very little effort.
Get a flap wheel for that angle grinder, take care of it in no time.
Lemm guess, you use a Howitzer for duck hunting too ?
As Roger said, hand-sand with a hard block and it will conme out fine, and FYI Arm-and-Hammer toothpaste is a GREAT polishing compund, and so is baking soda and water.
Lemm guess, you use a Howitzer for duck hunting too ?
As Roger said, hand-sand with a hard block and it will conme out fine, and FYI Arm-and-Hammer toothpaste is a GREAT polishing compund, and so is baking soda and water.
20 minutes with a block sander or 30 seconds with a grinder pad. Guess what I would pick I'm all about power and using the quickest tool to get the job done.
A grinder takes orange peel off really fast too. Try buffing that out...
8 years polishing stainless steel I learned how to use power tools, if your not comfortable with them then take the safe route. You can always take more off but you cant put it back.
But I do understand your caution
[This message has been edited by Jake_Dragon (edited 05-29-2014).]
Polishing stainless is a lot different. Its practically indestructible. You cant hurt it buffing. I even burn up new drill bits trying to make a hole. Ive made custom emblems from scratch with plastic and sandpaper is the way to go.
Key to drilling through stainless is short quick bursts with the drill. I've seen guys lean on that drill running it at high speed and burn up a bit in seconds. Do it my way and that bit will last for hundreds of holes.
Back on topic though, I would feel perfectly comfortable taking those letters off with an angle grinder and a flap wheel. Just because you could ruin it doesn't mean you have too...
Polishing stainless is a lot different. Its practically indestructible. You cant hurt it buffing. I even burn up new drill bits trying to make a hole. Ive made custom emblems from scratch with plastic and sandpaper is the way to go.
let it go, I would use a 7 inch if there was one laying there then clean it up with a 3 1/4 and then block it with a jitterbug then a quick polish but they would all be power tools. I also have put a lot of time working with fiber glass and wood and I wouldn't do any of it by hand if I didn't have to.
If your not comfortable with the tools then please continue to do it by hand, doesn't mean there are not those that couldn't pull it off.
Disc sander, or random orbital disc sander is what I would use. Pretty cheap in the hawk shops these days and probably 80 bucks at bLowes or Home Cheapo.
Theres always high demand for hand craftsmen, not so much for hackers. I got a lot of high end cars because I do it by hand. Nothing gets a panel as flat, or makes good body lines as a plain old piece of wood and sandpaper by hand. Impossible to do with a clumsy power air board. I have one but rarely use it except for used car quality repair work.
And yes I know how to drill stainless, doesnt make it any easier. You dont do it in spurts. You do it slow speeds and steady pressure according to a machine shop.
Theres always high demand for hand craftsmen, not so much for hackers. I got a lot of high end cars because I do it by hand. Nothing gets a panel as flat, or makes good body lines as a plain old piece of wood and sandpaper by hand. Impossible to do with a clumsy power air board. I have one but rarely use it except for used car quality repair work.
And yes I know how to drill stainless, doesnt make it any easier. You dont do it in spurts. You do it slow speeds and steady pressure according to a machine shop.
Key to drilling through stainless is short quick bursts with the drill. I've seen guys lean on that drill running it at high speed and burn up a bit in seconds. Do it my way and that bit will last for hundreds of holes.
Back on topic though, I would feel perfectly comfortable taking those letters off with an angle grinder and a flap wheel. Just because you could ruin it doesn't mean you have too...
Lubrication, lubrication, lubrication and slow speeds when drilling S.S. we used a water based lube when I worked in a machine shop and anytime we used steel blades on our chop saws in fab shops with a cooling lube to keep drills and blades cool. now aluminum we used a wax lube to keep the blades and drill tips from getting clogged up as well but we are talking plastic in this case so I would say take Rogers advise and hand sand with a block, any high speed grinder, sander, flap wheel can melt the plastic very easily and very quickly.
they also sell a plastic cleaning system that works wonders for headlight lenses now that work great for cleaning those lenses up when they get foggy on the outside that might work for cleaning up where you may have scratched the lens with the sand paper.
quote
Originally posted by Jake_Dragon:
Are those the Binfford tool galls?
Taking those nubs off, not recommended because that's what the headlight aiming things mount onto, try a soldering iron with the wedge blade and then sand by hand, lots less to sand after cutting those little teats off.
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-31-2014).]
And yes I know how to drill stainless, doesnt make it any easier. You dont do it in spurts. You do it slow speeds and steady pressure according to a machine shop.
Well apparently you don't if you're burning up bits...
You might want to print that chart out and tape it up on the inside of your Job Box!
You are obviously a welder and not a welder/fabricator, there is a big difference. I had a kid come over a couple of weeks ago and tried to teach him how to use a plasma cutter, you would think him being a welder, he said he was a welder he would be able to follow directions on how to cut with a plasma cutter. he was dumber than you are in your statement on how to drill SS. But when I asked him who he worked for he said no one around here down south, then I asked him what welding machine he used he said and I quote, "A really expensive one." right then I should have known better and not even bothered to try and teach him, but my back was at a 9 pain wise and I really wasn't in the mood to end up in the hospital on a morphine drip so I watched him destroy about 6 sets of plasma cutter tips, even tried to show him repeatedly what he was doing wrong. No good, it did absolutely no good. Dumber than a bag of hammers and I really hated insulting a bag of hammers when describing how stupid this kid was.
Some people you can't teach how to use a power tool right.
in case you don't know I was a journeymen welder/fabricator/ironworker for 20 years in the heavy industrial construction field so I do know just a little bit about how to use power tools.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-31-2014).]
Drilling should only be done as a last result and only as a center hole for a punch. Hydraulic if you have it
I have to ask, just how much experience you have working with, Plastics, Steels, Brass, Glass?
Because the way you talk you have decades of experience working with them, but what you say sounds like you are a high school student in shop class with an instructor missing a few fingers who doesn't know what he is doing ether.
Sorry if that offends you but you haven't said anything that makes sense to me. And as I said I have been working with steels of all kinds for decades and sure a power tool will get the job done quickly but not as accurately.
Ok, Ok, put or shut up time. All of you go get a pair of faded headlights at the u pull it then make a video showing how you recondition them. Make it obvious what tools you are using and how. Then some of us who will admit we aren't craftsmen, like me, can decide what works. Fair enough?
84fiero123 sent you a PM, but I am done here we can move on before I suggest he blast them off
Read the PM,
You are someone who needs to get something done as quickly as possible, that is not always going to get the quality of a slower hand done job, did I really say that. When I was working for construction firms it was all get it done as fast as possible. not always the way to do the best quality job. And on plastics speed without lubrication means melted plastic. When I made a cheese press we tried using a jig saw on plastic at low speeds and still melted the plastic so we used air to cool the plastic as we cut. no more melting plastic but still needed to use low speed with the jig saw.
quote
Originally posted by heybjorn: Ok, Ok, put or shut up time. All of you go get a pair of faded headlights at the u pull it then make a video showing how you recondition them. Make it obvious what tools you are using and how. Then some of us who will admit we aren't craftsmen, like me, can decide what works. Fair enough?
I agree it should be tried on a disposable part rather than the only good part you have. and please do a video of that high speed grinders and flapper discs on plastics so we can all see the plastic melt away.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 06-01-2014).]
I already done that a few years ago and put it on you tube AND Posted it here.
I dont remember if its still there or not, ill check and repost the link if I didnt. If not you have to wait till I do another one. I already redid the ones on the caravan.
**sorry I did remove it...I will video doing the next set I do just for you.... I might be able to find a pair to do at Maaco behind me tommorrow. It wont cut into my day much, usually takes me less than 5 mins to do one lite. I do them all the time. Usually sand with 400, then 1000 and buff with rubbing compound and my shop buffer. I do really bad ones with a DA and 320 first.
Now what do you do for me when I post it....?
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 06-01-2014).]
I was answering the OPs question. He has a set of lenses that have a raised design that he wants to remove. In that context I supported he use an a grinder pad, but that is to just knock the design down. After that he will have to use something a lot less aggressive than the grinding pad. He could still use a power tool but it would not be a 7 inch grinder
You will never get a finished lens using only a grinding pad and that should be obvious so I didn't include it in my post and that is probably what took us all down this path and I apologize.
Steve I find that quick short strokes get the job done without melting prematurely.
I was answering the OPs question. He has a set of lenses that have a raised design that he wants to remove. In that context I supported he use an a grinder pad, but that is to just knock the design down. After that he will have to use something a lot less aggressive than the grinding pad. He could still use a power tool but it would not be a 7 inch grinder
You will never get a finished lens using only a grinding pad and that should be obvious so I didn't include it in my post and that is probably what took us all down this path and I apologize.
Steve I find that quick short strokes get the job done without melting prematurely.
obviously it wasn't and should have been stated in you OP. lots of people don't have the experience to know how to use power tools properly even after being shown how to use them by a pro like myself, Roger or You. things need to be explained so even a baby could do them and in a lot of cases here we have many people who are to put it kindly less experienced with tools and the use of said tools.
I answered a post in tech on how to remove a windshield, something I had done many, many, many times to so many vehicles at the factory when I worked there that it took one entire 6 month period of my life of 12 hour days removing and reinstalling them because of some Engineering mistakes. both at the factory and in real life outside GM for friends and family. one of my many talents that have gotten me into more free work for friends and family than paying jobs.
but like I said when you try to tell someone how to do something, try to put all the steps in so that those who don't know how to do things like many here and in real life. I forget things when trying to tell someone how to do something myself but always try to fix that by editing my posts or advise because if they follow what you or I or others here say to the letter thinking we know how to do it they can not read into it something we don't right.
I am a lousy teacher, I have no patience's with people in person or otherwise when I give a good example or instructions on how to do things and they can't or don't follow them. I also have no patience's with myself when I forget tot tell someone a step involved in something I take for granted. but when I do that it is MY fault not theirs, and that pisses me and them off so I try to be very descriptive to the point of overkill sometimes. plus with my short term memory loss writing can be a big problem because I think I put that word or step in but didn't' or will repeat a step.
So I guess I am no better and shouldn't be ripping you a new one, but remember if you don't include a step not everyone knows to do it.
And you need to learn how to use a tool properly. Roger is right, look at this drill press speed and feed chart and learn something...
You can show me charts on the internet all day long but until you've drilled thousands upon thousands of holes into 20 ga stainless steel, I'll still go with my way. I worked for Featherlite for 5 years after high school/during college doing rework. Anytime a trailer got damaged during production it was up to us to fix it. I worked on everything from flat bead car trailers up to Nascar Haulers. Almost every trailer has a mirrored stainless steel "nose" on it and during the course of normal production a punch/press makes the holes for the rivets that fasten it to the frame of the trailer. When this piece gets damaged however, the punch/press operator cannot be bothered with punching out a "custom" piece for us so we end up drilling all the rivet holes by hand. Now it would be wonderful to have this curved piece of steel laying on a nice flat surface where you could control your drill's RPM's, thrust, feed, etc along with the proper lubrication but for obvious reasons we could not do that. I know that when you have all the proper tools in place in a perfect work environment, your handy chart you found on the internet is probably right. However, in most real world applications, my way will work better. I'm sorry I do not have a chart on the internet to prove it.
And by the way, insulting my intelligence and comparing me to some other idiot you've met was very childish. I would have expected that sh!t out of Roger, but not you Steve, I guess I may have been wrong about you.
You can show me charts on the internet all day long but until you've drilled thousands upon thousands of holes into 20 ga stainless steel, I'll still go with my way. I worked for Featherlite for 5 years after high school/during college doing rework. Anytime a trailer got damaged during production it was up to us to fix it. I worked on everything from flat bead car trailers up to Nascar Haulers. Almost every trailer has a mirrored stainless steel "nose" on it and during the course of normal production a punch/press makes the holes for the rivets that fasten it to the frame of the trailer. When this piece gets damaged however, the punch/press operator cannot be bothered with punching out a "custom" piece for us so we end up drilling all the rivet holes by hand. Now it would be wonderful to have this curved piece of steel laying on a nice flat surface where you could control your drill's RPM's, thrust, feed, etc along with the proper lubrication but for obvious reasons we could not do that. I know that when you have all the proper tools in place in a perfect work environment, your handy chart you found on the internet is probably right. However, in most real world applications, my way will work better. I'm sorry I do not have a chart on the internet to prove it.
And by the way, insulting my intelligence and comparing me to some other idiot you've met was very childish. I would have expected that sh!t out of Roger, but not you Steve, I guess I may have been wrong about you.
I'm not for sure if you were really drilling through true stainless steel. Chrome plated pot metal, stainless coated aluminum, but I don't see any trailer company slapping stainless steel on cheap aluminum trailers.
I could be wrong, but I've worked with stainless steel and you drill slow and steady, with lube if possible.
[sarcastic font] No, you're probably right. You would know better than me what type of metal I was working with. Featherlite Trailers are far from a "cheap aluminum trailer" and yes they did slap some stainless on the front of one.
I guess all of the other stainless I cut, bent, welded, and even drilled at my last job was probably aluminum (or maybe cardboard) too. [sarcasticfont]
Really, it cant be that big of a job. Ive sanded off the little nubs that stick out of some headlites just to make them smooth, with very little effort.
I'm all about power and using the quickest tool to get the job done.
I thought I felt someone watching me.
When I was working for construction firms it was all get it done as fast as possible. not always the way to do the best quality job. And on plastics speed without lubrication means melted plastic. When I made a cheese press we tried using a jig saw on plastic at low speeds and still melted the plastic so we used air to cool the plastic as we cut. no more melting plastic but still needed to use low speed with the jig saw. 
