Glass Lens Polishing
This is a project I decided to take on as I could not find any information on the web about it. I'm sure all of us with the stock fog lamp lenses have the same problem, cloudy, and pitted. While this process is not a full restoration, as some of the pitting cannot be removed, it will bring back the clarity of the glass. Another draw back, all of the text on the face will be removed. This process also requires a lot of patience, and time. On the lens used in these pictures, it took two hours to finish, your time will vary. With new diamond files, is should reduce the time required for shaping. The diamond files are about $9.00 each, and the polishing discs are $1.24 to $1.95 each. I used one discs per lens. For about $50.00 you can polish a set of lenses. All of the work was done wet, just work over a bucket of water. It is very important while using the rotary polisher to keep the lens wet, you do not want to overheat it. Always wear safety glasses too.
Tools
Ez-Lap Diamond file, medium grit
3M Diamond file, thin flat profile, red, 74 micron grit, #240-3015
3M Diamond file, thin flat profile, yellow, 40 micron grit, #240-3016
3M Diamond file, thin flat profile, white, 20 micron grit, #240-3017
The Ez-Lap files can be found at most home improvement stores.
The 3M files can be found at this web site,
http://www.gesswein.com/p-9987-3m-di...and-files.aspx
The polisher is a Flex L3403 VRG, high speed rotary polisher, 1100 to 3700 rpm. This tool is used by detailers for paint correction.
Polishing discs
3M Trizact, 3.0” diameter, adhesive back
Green, coarse
Pink, Medium coarse
Blue, Medium
Orange, Fine
White, Polishing
http://www.gtglass.com/3m-trizact-di...rotection-film
Diamond files
Flex polisher
3M Trizact disc
Before
5 minutes with the first file.
25 minutes later.
25 minutes with the second file.
The next 2 files, yellow, and white, took 15 minutes each.
Moving ahead to the blue polishing disc. The green, and pink took 10 minutes each. The blue, and orange, 5 minutes. Flex polishing machine set at 2700 rpm.
I just hit the 10 picture limit. See the next post for the finished lens.
