As promised: DIY Plexiglass Headlight CLEAR Lenses
05-05-11, 09:36 PM
#19
Keeper of the light
iTrader: (17)
+1 for creativity and I'll be looking forward to the finished project, but you know that the types of plexi you get at home depot don't have the UV additive that is used in plastics that are going to be sitting in the sunshine, right?
When plexi is formed, if it is a plexi that persons will use outdoors a special UV dye is added to keep it from turning yellow and going cloudy from the UV ray damage of the sun. Plexi that doesn't have the UV dye clouds and turns yellow. Auto headlights for instance have a super high concentration of UV dye in them as well as an overspray or they would turn yellow in practically no time.
You may get away with a UV protectant spray for a little white, hard to say. Unfortunately that method is used by cheaper headlight manufacturers like the knockoffs from overseas and the spray on tends to look much worse as far as wear over a short time.
When plexi is formed, if it is a plexi that persons will use outdoors a special UV dye is added to keep it from turning yellow and going cloudy from the UV ray damage of the sun. Plexi that doesn't have the UV dye clouds and turns yellow. Auto headlights for instance have a super high concentration of UV dye in them as well as an overspray or they would turn yellow in practically no time.
You may get away with a UV protectant spray for a little white, hard to say. Unfortunately that method is used by cheaper headlight manufacturers like the knockoffs from overseas and the spray on tends to look much worse as far as wear over a short time.
05-06-11, 01:11 AM
#20
Advanced
Thread Starter
+1 for creativity and I'll be looking forward to the finished project, but you know that the types of plexi you get at home depot don't have the UV additive that is used in plastics that are going to be sitting in the sunshine, right?
When plexi is formed, if it is a plexi that persons will use outdoors a special UV dye is added to keep it from turning yellow and going cloudy from the UV ray damage of the sun. Plexi that doesn't have the UV dye clouds and turns yellow. Auto headlights for instance have a super high concentration of UV dye in them as well as an overspray or they would turn yellow in practically no time.
You may get away with a UV protectant spray for a little white, hard to say. Unfortunately that method is used by cheaper headlight manufacturers like the knockoffs from overseas and the spray on tends to look much worse as far as wear over a short time.
When plexi is formed, if it is a plexi that persons will use outdoors a special UV dye is added to keep it from turning yellow and going cloudy from the UV ray damage of the sun. Plexi that doesn't have the UV dye clouds and turns yellow. Auto headlights for instance have a super high concentration of UV dye in them as well as an overspray or they would turn yellow in practically no time.
You may get away with a UV protectant spray for a little white, hard to say. Unfortunately that method is used by cheaper headlight manufacturers like the knockoffs from overseas and the spray on tends to look much worse as far as wear over a short time.
Maybe so, but I've been running these for a few months now and I've had no issues with them turning yellow.
05-06-11, 09:36 AM
#24
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05-06-11, 12:31 PM
#25
Keeper of the light
iTrader: (17)
(2) See #1, then figure the next few months will test you pretty strongly on UV. Hopefully it won't be TOO damaging, but I don't make the rules..... Nature does what nature does. Cars have suffered since their inception with UV damage to paint and interior.
(3) The seam looks a little rough and wiggly. Have any pics closer than 4 feet? I'd like to see how the headlights turned out.
Nice DIY.
05-06-11, 12:55 PM
#26
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Thread Starter
(1) you're in iowa, the UV rays have merely began to creep in at this point in the year according to the UV index.
(2) See #1, then figure the next few months will test you pretty strongly on UV. Hopefully it won't be TOO damaging, but I don't make the rules..... Nature does what nature does. Cars have suffered since their inception with UV damage to paint and interior.
(3) The seam looks a little rough and wiggly. Have any pics closer than 4 feet? I'd like to see how the headlights turned out. Nice DIY.
(2) See #1, then figure the next few months will test you pretty strongly on UV. Hopefully it won't be TOO damaging, but I don't make the rules..... Nature does what nature does. Cars have suffered since their inception with UV damage to paint and interior.
(3) The seam looks a little rough and wiggly. Have any pics closer than 4 feet? I'd like to see how the headlights turned out.
Nice DIY.I can appreciate your quasi-pessimism. Really. Let me respond in your numerical fashion:
1. You say that Iowa UV rays have "merely begun to creep in at this point." According to this: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...les/dsm_09.png, you are wrong. In fact, the complete opposite shows true. We are experiencing VERY high levels right now.
2. I am off to the Middle-East for a few months here shortly, so the SC will be parked in the garage. I will not be able to verify your prediction, but assuming that even stock SC headlights turn yellow from UV damage, I am not sure why this would be a concern specific to this mod...
3. The seam is a little rough and wiggly. Though a pic from 4 feet is pretty good at this point. It's not like I took the pic from 20 feet away.
Honestly, if I had more time, I would have smoothened it out better, but my priority is my 2 kids. If you attempt this mod, you can take all the time in the world to smooth it out to your desire. Hope this helps. Thanks for viewing my DIY.
EDIT: See post #32 for pic of "10 year guarantee against yellowing" label that came with my Plexiglass.
Last edited by Mike552; 05-14-11 at 01:33 AM.
05-06-11, 07:22 PM
#27
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pretty interesting! amazing creativity. i have used the hardware store plexi before in a cage made for 2x 6' iguanas. yes big frickin lizards.lol it was a long time ago when i was a kid. lizards need u.v. rays for their skin. so large u.v. bulbs were installed that simulate the sun. after about a year or so the plexi had yellowed significantly. never knew why until now. still though for the price you can replace the lenses every year. lol and a further thought what about uv protective window tint? get the lowest tint rating and wrap the outside of the lenses in it. problem solved. and they would look slightly smoked. just a thought. cool job though bro.
