Smoking Plastic Light Lens

O

Outlaw

Does anyone have any experience with smoking or shading plastic light covers and clear coating with SPI? There is a product made by several manufactures for making red, clear, and orange light lens smoked or gray in color. They recommend a clear coat over 2-3 coats of the product. Several coats of single stage clear is applied over that. Some of the reviews say the clear does not hold up real well and takes a beating from the elements. I was wondering about a higher end clear like SPI but not sure of what will happen when its sprayed over the aresol can product used to tint the lens. I can give it a go, but I was hoping someone already had and might have something to share. One of the products for tinting is VHT Night Shade.
 
I just did a set for a buddy. I just prepped with a gray scotchbright Then I mixed in some black base with some intercoat.. light passes unitl I achieved the level of darkness he wanted. Then cleared with production clear.

I've never tried the store bought tinting products.



After tinted basecoat: (pro-spray mixed with spi intercoat)





After 3 coats of SPI production clear.


This is with just the running lights on.

 
shine;n72216 said:
naw they burn too hot and are hard to roll ................................
Click to expand...

Shine, you lost me. Are you saying the heat from the bulbs is too hot? Hard to roll?
 
Thanks for the link AAE, one of the posters even used the VHT rattle can. My project is nothing major. A set of old style cab roof lights that are orange and I want to tone down.
 
Nice job there orange juice. I like the process you used to get awesome results. Im thinking the clear you used will look good for a long time and may even hold up better than the original plastic.
 
I've tinted quite a few sets, and i have tried t many ways. When I would just add the black to the clear it have it a cloudy look on the lighter tints and where the clear would build up on the edges it would cause a darker ring. I found my best results are with a tinted base and then just clear on top.

i may have to try the nightshades once and then clearing on top. It would save me a step when cleaning my gun.
 
there is a good you tube video on it, but Im not big on what I see there. The guy is using VHT rattle can and some kind of rattle can clear. I thought if SPI clear would stick to the vht night shade, it might be an option.
 
I dont see a rattle can clear giving you a real nice deep shine. but I could be wrong. No matter what I do for the tint, I have to put a quality clear on top like SPI.
 
Even if it did give you a nice deep shine, I dont think it would be wise to use a rattel can single stage clear. Guys talk about putting 4-6 coats of the rattle can clear on and then color sanding and polishing to a nice finish. I think it might be possible to get a nice finish, but I do not believe it would hold up like a two part clear. A year down the road and I suspect there will have to be a do over if using a lower end clear, just my opinion.
 
I can actually get replacement lens for $3.00 per lens. I am going to scracth them and have them on standby for a coat of SPI Clear.
 
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