Tinting Tail Light DIY?
08-18-14, 09:58 PM
#31
daaammmmnnnn...holy mother of throw forward...your car looks sooooo greattttt!!!!!
So what all do i exactly need to use...
VHT Nightshades spray paint - where do i get this? i seen it on ebay but do any stores carry this?
clear lacquer spray paint ??? - what kind exactly?
few different grades of sandpaper 800 grit??? - where do i get this?
sorry i'm a newbie...
So what all do i exactly need to use...
VHT Nightshades spray paint - where do i get this? i seen it on ebay but do any stores carry this?
clear lacquer spray paint ??? - what kind exactly?
few different grades of sandpaper 800 grit??? - where do i get this?
sorry i'm a newbie...
08-19-14, 02:02 AM
#32
what is the exact best process to use to get that shiny blacked out look...
this is what i just seen on utube video...
5 Nightshade layers 10 min between layers...
then dry 3 hours
wet sand it with 1000,
then clear coat it 6 layers - 15 min between each layer...
then again wet sand it with 2000...
then polish it with that meguiars ultimate polish
does this sound about right...
what is the best process to get that shiny blacked out look
thank you
this is what i just seen on utube video...
5 Nightshade layers 10 min between layers...
then dry 3 hours
wet sand it with 1000,
then clear coat it 6 layers - 15 min between each layer...
then again wet sand it with 2000...
then polish it with that meguiars ultimate polish
does this sound about right...
what is the best process to get that shiny blacked out look
thank you
08-19-14, 09:42 AM
#33
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Supplies:
Bucket, water, masking tape, 800/1000/2000 grit sand paper, VHT Nightshade, Krylon clearcoat, Turtle Wax rubbing compound, Meguiar's PlastX, car wax of your choice, towel, application and buffing pads. Screwdriver, pliers, 10mm socket and ratchet.
1) Remove tails from vehicle. There is a thread for this somewhere if you search but you'll need the screwdriver and pliers to remove the plugs holding the trunk carpet (these are a pain and you'll probably destroy one or two if you don't take your time but they're cheap to replace) and the 10mm socket and ratchet to remove the nuts holding the tail light housing.
2) Remove light harness from tails. Simple twist for the reverse lights and a plug for the LEDs (if you have them).
3) Three stage wet sand: Add water to your bucket and soak the sand paper in the water. While the sand paper is soaking you can tape off your lights; any areas you don't want tinted and the sides of the housing to prevent overspray where you don't want it. Wet the desired surface to be tinted (I just used my hand after dipping it in the water bucket). Lightly sand the tail (wetting surface as you go and before changing grit) with 800, 1000, and finally 2000 grit sand paper.
4) Dry the lights with a towel. They should have a white fog look to them.
5) Apply the first coat of VHT Nightshade. This should be a 50% coat. A very light base coat used for the rest of the coats to stick to. Use long constant sprays across the lights. Avoid short sprays as this will cause the tint to texturize.
6) Let the tint dry for about 5-10 minutes.
7) Apply your second, thrid, etc. coats to your desired tint level (again allowing 5-10 min dry time in between coats). These coats can be heavier than the initial 50% but not too heavy as that will cause the paint to drip/run. The next step is going to be wet sanding again which will remove a little bit of the tint. Because of this you're going to want to tint slightly darker, if you accidently tint too much you can sand more to achieve your desired tint.
8) Remove masking tape from the face of the tail lights if you blocked off any areas. Leave the masking tape on the sides of the lights to prevent overspray of the clear coat to be applied in step 10.
9) After drying, repeat wet sanding process. End product should again have the fog look but darker due to the tint.
10) Apply your clear coat. Remember to use the long constant spray technique to avoid textured look (a.k.a. orang peel). Repeat this 5-7 times.
11) After drying, repeat wet sanding process. End product will have the familiar fog look, slightly lighter than step 9.
12) Dry the tails and apply the rubbing compound. Follow the directions on the label for your specific product of choice.
13) Apply the PlastX. Again, use the label for application guidelines.
14) Finish with the car wax. After buffing you will be left with your "shiny blacked out look."
15) Remove all masking tape and reassemble harness to tails.
16) Tails are ready to be mounted back into your car. Ensure operation of all lights before replacing your trunk carpeting.
Bucket, water, masking tape, 800/1000/2000 grit sand paper, VHT Nightshade, Krylon clearcoat, Turtle Wax rubbing compound, Meguiar's PlastX, car wax of your choice, towel, application and buffing pads. Screwdriver, pliers, 10mm socket and ratchet.
1) Remove tails from vehicle. There is a thread for this somewhere if you search but you'll need the screwdriver and pliers to remove the plugs holding the trunk carpet (these are a pain and you'll probably destroy one or two if you don't take your time but they're cheap to replace) and the 10mm socket and ratchet to remove the nuts holding the tail light housing.
2) Remove light harness from tails. Simple twist for the reverse lights and a plug for the LEDs (if you have them).
3) Three stage wet sand: Add water to your bucket and soak the sand paper in the water. While the sand paper is soaking you can tape off your lights; any areas you don't want tinted and the sides of the housing to prevent overspray where you don't want it. Wet the desired surface to be tinted (I just used my hand after dipping it in the water bucket). Lightly sand the tail (wetting surface as you go and before changing grit) with 800, 1000, and finally 2000 grit sand paper.
4) Dry the lights with a towel. They should have a white fog look to them.
5) Apply the first coat of VHT Nightshade. This should be a 50% coat. A very light base coat used for the rest of the coats to stick to. Use long constant sprays across the lights. Avoid short sprays as this will cause the tint to texturize.
6) Let the tint dry for about 5-10 minutes.
7) Apply your second, thrid, etc. coats to your desired tint level (again allowing 5-10 min dry time in between coats). These coats can be heavier than the initial 50% but not too heavy as that will cause the paint to drip/run. The next step is going to be wet sanding again which will remove a little bit of the tint. Because of this you're going to want to tint slightly darker, if you accidently tint too much you can sand more to achieve your desired tint.
8) Remove masking tape from the face of the tail lights if you blocked off any areas. Leave the masking tape on the sides of the lights to prevent overspray of the clear coat to be applied in step 10.
9) After drying, repeat wet sanding process. End product should again have the fog look but darker due to the tint.
10) Apply your clear coat. Remember to use the long constant spray technique to avoid textured look (a.k.a. orang peel). Repeat this 5-7 times.
11) After drying, repeat wet sanding process. End product will have the familiar fog look, slightly lighter than step 9.
12) Dry the tails and apply the rubbing compound. Follow the directions on the label for your specific product of choice.
13) Apply the PlastX. Again, use the label for application guidelines.
14) Finish with the car wax. After buffing you will be left with your "shiny blacked out look."
15) Remove all masking tape and reassemble harness to tails.
16) Tails are ready to be mounted back into your car. Ensure operation of all lights before replacing your trunk carpeting.
Last edited by Kohut1987; 08-19-14 at 04:20 PM.
08-19-14, 04:24 PM
#35
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08-22-14, 12:38 AM
#36
Not happy with outcome...looks very dull...no shine at all...
where did i go wrong and how can i fix it now???
This is what i done:
wet sand 1000, 1500, 2000
applied 4 light coats of vht - 10 minutes between each coat
wet sand 2000
applied 5 clear coats - 10 minutes between each coat
wet sand 2500
polish
NO SHINE...LOOKS VERY DULL
on the clear coat bottle, it did say after your last coat wait 24 hrs before polish...but i only waited 15 minutes...and i wet sand 2500 and then polished...
how can i make it shine???
please help!!!
where did i go wrong and how can i fix it now???
This is what i done:
wet sand 1000, 1500, 2000
applied 4 light coats of vht - 10 minutes between each coat
wet sand 2000
applied 5 clear coats - 10 minutes between each coat
wet sand 2500
polish
NO SHINE...LOOKS VERY DULL
on the clear coat bottle, it did say after your last coat wait 24 hrs before polish...but i only waited 15 minutes...and i wet sand 2500 and then polished...
how can i make it shine???
please help!!!
08-22-14, 06:01 AM
#42
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Oklahoma
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As long as the clear coat was dry there shouldn't be a problem. After wet sanding the clear coat, when you wiped them down with water to get rid of the white film before drying with a towel did the tail have the shiny see-through appearance?
They look like mine did during the rubbing compound application process. This is where you get that clear shiny look from. I've seen people leave the lights with the clear coat as their final step and it doesn't look too bad but the polishing steps are to give it that next level look. The rubbing compound for the large flaws, PlastX for the small ones, and Wax for the extra shine.
Dumb question but, did you wipe off the excess compound/PlastX/Wax after each was applied?
They look like mine did during the rubbing compound application process. This is where you get that clear shiny look from. I've seen people leave the lights with the clear coat as their final step and it doesn't look too bad but the polishing steps are to give it that next level look. The rubbing compound for the large flaws, PlastX for the small ones, and Wax for the extra shine.
Dumb question but, did you wipe off the excess compound/PlastX/Wax after each was applied?
08-22-14, 07:24 AM
#43
throughout the whole process, my lights NEVER had any shine
i NEVER used rubbing compound NOR plastx...i only used meguires ultimate polish...
after clear coat, there was NO shine, then i wet sand with 2500 grit, then i wiped and dried it and next i used meguires ultimate polish ... still NO SHINE
now what should i do?
should i buy plastx and rubbing compound?
"As long as the clear coat was dry there shouldn't be a problem. After wet sanding the clear coat, when you wiped them down with water to get rid of the white film before drying with a towel did the tail have the shiny see-through appearance?" NO...NEVER had any shine thru out whole process.
"Dumb question but, did you wipe off the excess compound/PlastX/Wax after each was applied?" - NEVER used compound - NEVER used plastx - ONLY used meguires ultimate polish
i NEVER used rubbing compound NOR plastx...i only used meguires ultimate polish...
after clear coat, there was NO shine, then i wet sand with 2500 grit, then i wiped and dried it and next i used meguires ultimate polish ... still NO SHINE
now what should i do?
should i buy plastx and rubbing compound?
"As long as the clear coat was dry there shouldn't be a problem. After wet sanding the clear coat, when you wiped them down with water to get rid of the white film before drying with a towel did the tail have the shiny see-through appearance?" NO...NEVER had any shine thru out whole process.
"Dumb question but, did you wipe off the excess compound/PlastX/Wax after each was applied?" - NEVER used compound - NEVER used plastx - ONLY used meguires ultimate polish
Last edited by andy350; 08-22-14 at 07:37 AM. Reason: additional comments
08-22-14, 10:35 AM
#44
ok...just now...
i applied rubbing compound, cleaned it...
then applied plastx, cleaned it...
then applied polish...cleaned it...
still looks the exact same as my previous pics above...
no luck...
now what should i do???
i applied rubbing compound, cleaned it...
then applied plastx, cleaned it...
then applied polish...cleaned it...
still looks the exact same as my previous pics above...
no luck...
now what should i do???