Blacking out tail lights - Page 2

RiceRocket · 11-11-2003, 12:59 AM

Do you spray the inside or the outside? Seems like if you made the inside dark the color would be hard to see and you wouldn't have to worry about the finish.

CelticShadow · 11-11-2003, 02:35 AM

Consider it sticky....lol

RiceRocket · 11-11-2003, 09:13 PM

The guy at the shop said not to sand the tailights or it will leave a bad finish. I don't like conflicting opinions. Does anyone have a tech link?

monkeyracing · 11-12-2003, 05:53 AM

Has the guy at the shop actually done this? I have, and if you want to paint to adhere to the plastic, you're going to need to give it something to hang onto. A slick plastic surface will start chipping pronto.

As far as sanding goes, light is the key here.

What happens is that the transparent paint fills in the tiny rough surface of the sanded area, relevelling it, and giving it the gloss you want.

Another way to look at it. If you're refinishing furniture, you sand between coats of varnish, so that you get a very smooth surface, and a very clear and glossy one.

Jim

RiceRocket · 11-12-2003, 10:48 PM

Yes he has done it. But I know that sanding would make sence. One problem. When I painted my hood holding up rod thing, I sanded it first cuz it was shinny. I put on 4 coats of ceramic paint and the finish still looked like shat. Same thing with my oil cap, worse actually. I don't want rough looking taillights and I don't see how 1-2 coats of this stuff is gona filling in 180 grit sanding scratches. Since the stuff is ment for taillights I would assume its made to stick to the shinny surface, maybe not. I just don't want to frick up my lights and have to buy new ones or have this $12 worth of paint chip off the next day.

How light is light? Low speed dremel light? Hand sanding light? Barely touching it light? Should I even use sand paper or would a soft wire brush be better or something like a brillo pad attachment for the dremel (3000 grit equivalent (sp?))

Any other tips? Like drying time? Is 6 hours enough?

picksl1 · 11-13-2003, 02:27 PM

first i wiped it down with soap and water, then i used wet sandpaper and sanded it down a lil bit using like 400-800 grit. i dont remember the exact grit of paper i used

RiceRocket · 11-13-2003, 04:21 PM

How has it held up? Is it worth doing and do the cops mind?

What about cold weather. I'm gona try to do it today and its gona be in the 40s.

monkeyracing · 11-13-2003, 06:19 PM

Use 600-1200 to break the gloss. Use the 1200 to refine the surface. (wet paper)

By light, I mean LIGHT. Just enough pressure by hand to take the shine off the surface, and make it a nice even fog.

Tail light paints are known for adhesion problems. Generally speaking, making a paint bond to plastic has always been tricky.

Just go slow, be careful, don't get excited, and don't worry about the cops. As long as you still have your legally required reflectors (coated or not) back there, you'll be okay.

Jim

DCxMagus · 11-19-2003, 01:58 AM

ok so you sand the outsides and put the tint on the outside right?

DCxMagus · 11-19-2003, 02:06 AM

Ok going to try this tommarrow I think so basically I get some

600 grit sand paper
VHT nite shades paint
soap and water
clearcoat paint

take out the taillights
clean them with soap and water
lightly sand it out
light spary like 4-6 coats of paint waiting 30 mins or so inbetween
let that dry a bit and then clearcoat
put talislights back in after paint dry

anything i miss out?

11-11-2003, 12:59 AM	#11 (permalink)
RiceRocket Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 3,300 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Do you spray the inside or the outside? Seems like if you made the inside dark the color would be hard to see and you wouldn't have to worry about the finish. __________________ Think before you type. Search before you post. Understand before you accuse. And never forget, silence is better than misinformation.

11-11-2003, 02:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
CelticShadow Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New House......York, PA Posts: 11,398 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Consider it sticky....lol __________________ Mike Hoffman StreetStylez.org Owner SPOC-National President

11-11-2003, 09:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
RiceRocket Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 3,300 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	The guy at the shop said not to sand the tailights or it will leave a bad finish. I don't like conflicting opinions. Does anyone have a tech link? __________________ Think before you type. Search before you post. Understand before you accuse. And never forget, silence is better than misinformation.

11-12-2003, 05:53 AM	#14 (permalink)
monkeyracing Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,439 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Has the guy at the shop actually done this? I have, and if you want to paint to adhere to the plastic, you're going to need to give it something to hang onto. A slick plastic surface will start chipping pronto. As far as sanding goes, light is the key here. What happens is that the transparent paint fills in the tiny rough surface of the sanded area, relevelling it, and giving it the gloss you want. Another way to look at it. If you're refinishing furniture, you sand between coats of varnish, so that you get a very smooth surface, and a very clear and glossy one. Jim __________________ You've got a 10 second car, huh? How fast does it go on the track?

11-12-2003, 10:48 PM	#15 (permalink)
RiceRocket Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 3,300 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Yes he has done it. But I know that sanding would make sence. One problem. When I painted my hood holding up rod thing, I sanded it first cuz it was shinny. I put on 4 coats of ceramic paint and the finish still looked like shat. Same thing with my oil cap, worse actually. I don't want rough looking taillights and I don't see how 1-2 coats of this stuff is gona filling in 180 grit sanding scratches. Since the stuff is ment for taillights I would assume its made to stick to the shinny surface, maybe not. I just don't want to frick up my lights and have to buy new ones or have this $12 worth of paint chip off the next day. How light is light? Low speed dremel light? Hand sanding light? Barely touching it light? Should I even use sand paper or would a soft wire brush be better or something like a brillo pad attachment for the dremel (3000 grit equivalent (sp?)) Any other tips? Like drying time? Is 6 hours enough? __________________ Think before you type. Search before you post. Understand before you accuse. And never forget, silence is better than misinformation.

11-13-2003, 02:27 PM	#16 (permalink)
picksl1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 7,780 My Photos: 1 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	first i wiped it down with soap and water, then i used wet sandpaper and sanded it down a lil bit using like 400-800 grit. i dont remember the exact grit of paper i used __________________ Patrick "the irish leprechaun"

11-13-2003, 04:21 PM	#17 (permalink)
RiceRocket Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 3,300 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	How has it held up? Is it worth doing and do the cops mind? What about cold weather. I'm gona try to do it today and its gona be in the 40s. __________________ Think before you type. Search before you post. Understand before you accuse. And never forget, silence is better than misinformation.

11-13-2003, 06:19 PM	#18 (permalink)
monkeyracing Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,439 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Use 600-1200 to break the gloss. Use the 1200 to refine the surface. (wet paper) By light, I mean LIGHT. Just enough pressure by hand to take the shine off the surface, and make it a nice even fog. Tail light paints are known for adhesion problems. Generally speaking, making a paint bond to plastic has always been tricky. Just go slow, be careful, don't get excited, and don't worry about the cops. As long as you still have your legally required reflectors (coated or not) back there, you'll be okay. Jim __________________ You've got a 10 second car, huh? How fast does it go on the track?

11-19-2003, 01:58 AM	#19 (permalink)
DCxMagus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Mission viejo California Posts: 1,159 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	ok so you sand the outsides and put the tint on the outside right?

11-19-2003, 02:06 AM	#20 (permalink)
DCxMagus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Mission viejo California Posts: 1,159 Marketplace Feedback: 0 Status: Offline	Ok going to try this tommarrow I think so basically I get some 600 grit sand paper VHT nite shades paint soap and water clearcoat paint take out the taillights clean them with soap and water lightly sand it out light spary like 4-6 coats of paint waiting 30 mins or so inbetween let that dry a bit and then clearcoat put talislights back in after paint dry anything i miss out?

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