Awesome man...I would say good luck but with channel you don't need it...road map to success...💯 New video just dropped... ruclips.net/video/-r-uVdqy0dU/видео.htmlsi=ywy7TyeF66H6TwdU
Oh wow, this is very intriguing, need to absorb all these and turn it into my personal business hustle during the day, passive smart income , thanks for the video
Watch my videos the ones that are up and the ones that come and you'll definitely be ready... I have a lot of interesting stuff up and a lot more to come... Appreciate you watching...
For the step of buffing with the 3M fineese pad and hard plastic polish, is it essential that one would use a drill with 7800 RPM? Can someone use a lower RPM drill and it would just take longer? Thanks for the great info.
Okay so this is a polisher not a drill.. the difference is the ratio of RPM to torque... They drill is strong and torque what you need for sanding.... Typically like 400 lbs to much great....a polisher is all speed...like 100 lb torque... You could use the drill.... and it would come out good...but nowhere near the same even if you did it all day.... You'd be lacking a lot of heat and friction and rotation per pass....1700 vs 7800 is no comparison when it comes to polishing..
I'm surprised you don't clean the lights again after buffing. Doesn't the 3M Lens Cleaner leave a residue? I wouldn't think it would be good to apply the coating over that.
Yes it for surely does the residue behind but this specific 3M hard lens and plastic polisher is designed in this method.. the video that I post today might give you some more insight on that.. But anyways it's designed for this environment in beds itself in those porous surfaces lubricates and hydrates the surface of the light that works very well with sealants to lock in all those added benefits..
The fan you use to dry the clear coat; it doesn't push dust particles or debris into the clear coat? I was thinking that would get that in the clear coat?
No they do not.. long as you keep your work environments clean and sterile which also comes into play while I use my miniature blower to keep dust gone.. It actually has the opposite effect.. With the fans on Dust does not come near the lights... It gets blown away... Which is why I leave the fans on when I start the other light to blow any debris away...
@The Headlight Restoration Pro , I'm just about to push my headlight services more this week, and this video has helped me gain a lot more solutions to questions in my process. Thank you!
If you want the highest level of clarity the quality.. some people don't but they're in product is nowhere near as clear as mine, doesn't last as long either.. Initially it might look really clear without doing it while it's wet but it won't hold up you'll get a haze eventually without the Polish.... I've tried it that way... it's not the way..
do you come across headlights that have cracks on the inside or are they all on top ? The reason i ask is actually my own personal headlights i’ve wet sanded them but the cracks never seam to come out , of course i’ve never tried dry sanding , which i can’t wait to start this spring
Yes.... it's common with older vehicles without adequate UV protection and usually happen to have lights that have gone too long without the protection on it... It comes from overheating and it is inside of the headlight surface.. stress fracturing and cracking from heat ...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro but how can you tell if it’s something on the surface that you can sand off or if it’s coming from inside but looks like it’s on the outside. I would hate to spend a hour sanding just to have the customer say it’s looking exactly the same
@@grandmastert01 it won't look like it's coming from the it will look like it's coming from the once you have clothes you wouldn't be able to see it.. or feel it... It's just that simple.. You have to have good eyes to be able to see things like this good depth perception...
You can do it by hand it just would take about five times longer, your arm would be sore..lol and you can achieve some good results but you can't get it to be as clear as in these videos you can't produce amount of heat is the thing that's missing from the rotation and RPMs and friction of the tools... You also won't be able to produce the polishing step before coding as well so it would not be quite as clear and as good looking but it would be a good likeness by hand might take you about 2 hours of work though if not more..
I've tried using a regular drill but I found it hard to hold and control. I much prefer my 12V right angle drill. It's much more ergonomic for sanding headlights. Just my opinion.
Yeah I actually have one...I tried it for a while and didn't feal the necessary control uncertain angles that come up constantly.. I found myself having to hold the back of the head to get the proper feel.. but yeah they will work I only advice is that it's the 3-in... that's the money size..
Awesome question....I will be touching base with this question soon on some upcoming videos..but the answer is NO... Not with this particular sealant.. this is one of the most well-rounded universal sealants.. lot of people think you need a heat light with this stuff and even at times I have used the heat light or heat guns during the cold winter once it drops past 60°.. in my experience I've learned this is not necessary it is more of a vapor drying sealant.. it gives off a lot of gas very fast which is why you should always use the proper mask.. even after sprayed and said and done being near it you can smell it and then the smell dissipates as it dries that's the vapor kicking off chemical reaction with the air... Therefore the best method that I found is air drying... In whatever weather.. of course in the summer is going to dry its fastest anywhere between 30 seconds - 1 minute for that surface cure which is the most important so nothing blows and adheres to the surface ruining all your hard work.. and the winter time it might take a minute and a half to 2 minutes for that surface to really lock up but it's virtually an indistinguishable time difference... Air drying is what primarily drives this so fast not the heat, that's that noise you always hear when I seal it's two of my fans going off if not one... It's similar to super glue almost if you were too heat super glue it would drive faster but not the same as if you were to blow on it it would dry 10 times faster that's why super glue stinks so bad it's a vapor effect of drying it's releasing certain chemicals to deposit rapidly into the air... More air the faster it dries.. but this is not the case with some other applications and our products.. besides being so devastating what 2K clear is to headlight some of them along with other ceramics... Take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to drive this is not optimal for headlight restoration 99.9% of the time of the person doing a headlight restoration is not going to be in a sterile zone like a paint shop.. meaning that the longer you wait for it to dry or that surface to dry it's very huge chance that something is going to fly in their dust or orange peel bugs something and ruin what you've done... The coldest no problem the wind is an issue is the biggest issue and headlight restoration even more on the rain... Thank you for watching hopefully you subscribed and stay tuned for more videos coming soon...👍
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks for detailed reply. I have been practicing and your method of the ones I have learned is best results. I appreciate your time sharing the processes. I now have my tools and am perfecting the craft.
@@gbradley5765 that is what I'm on here for and I'd like to hear.. please don't be shy if you have any other questions in the future have some more videos coming up this.. When I started I wish I had good quality content video with solid information from a professional with a channel laid out like this which was non-existent I would have been even better than I am now if I had so.. but what you're getting now is what I have learned from trial and error and many many different experiments and tests and literally no exaggeration over a thousand headlights and growing... Once again I appreciate it stay tuned check out all the videos it'll definitely improve everything about your headlight restorations in the future...👍
Hi....I noticed that you always do dry-sanding in the beginning, and wet-sanding at the end with a foam 3000 grit ? Compared to so many others who do basically wet-sanding from beginning till end ?
Well with respect to them... My level of knowledge of headlight restoration might be a little bit more.. just in 2 years I've done over a thousand headlights, with a lot of research a lot of education and a lot of Hands-On practicing different techniques and having different successes and different fails.. (the outcome is this process that I show) wet sanding will not give you an accurate measure of how much material to remove(depth) this is one of the biggest reasons why you look at my technique and my finish results and see that they're extremely more clear than somebody doing wet sand nine times out of 10.. wet sand is a really fine method of sanding (the finest) by nature.. it's very light sand and it's almost a mixture of polishing and sanding just because the liquid is providing a buffer almost like a compound and a coolant which does not allow you to reach a certain grind and heat point.(heat = friction). it's really rudimentary to do headlight restoration with "only" wet sanding..that is the reason why it is one of the last steps that I do with a really fine grain pad. Besides minimizing the swirls or any striations, it is because in systematic order of my methods it's a buildup. Like step by step or descending stairs it's a step down each one each step.. wet sanding is the lease aggressive and will produce the lease amount of result (in my experience to be used for fine touches) that's why it is last next to polishing with a compound which is only a step higher in aggression.. A lot of people in these videos have only done one headlight restoration or two or five or 10 literally I have done over a thousand headlights (and growing) and use different recipes and have tried different ways from different power tools, different sealants ,by hand ,steam.. Heat guns, different compounds, different pads so many different ways until I developed the best possible outcome for professional use AKA for sale..(professional grade) I strive to be the best and I don't know it all but I do know a lot.. Hopefully that answered your question thanks once again.
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Hi...Well thanks for your prompt reply, and in particular the book you just wrote to clarify and explain....LOL ! All jokes apart, your answer has certainly clarified things up and I appreciate BIG TIME !! And yes, it did answer my question Keep up the good work
No just regular glass cleaner.. industrial strength and I cut it about 40% solution 60% water.. I get it in bulk in gallons last like damn near year... I like to have a cleaning ability for one and for two I like the evaporation ability that has a good thing to do with the end product.. and sterilization in between.
thanks a lot for sharing your hard-earned knowledge with us! I love to try this to fix both our cars headlights after trying the spray paint method which doesn't look too great even though it seems to work okay. I'm concerned about the plastic dust getting into the environment or going down the sewer to the river. Is there a way to contain the dust? Maybe something creative like wrapping a bag around the headlight while sanding and connecting the vacuum but leaving space for your hand and polisher.
The dust is very minimal... nothing to worry about.. maybe the equivalent.of on tenth of a teaspoon ...or like 0.2 grams of not less...(you only have to worry about your own safety/ Wear a 😷 mask)
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks :). I worry since in the oceans there's tons of "microplastic"which is not visible but tiny microscopic stuff. Will try my best and I hope to get an awesome headlight with your technique
Any battery...any standard battery that comes with a drill.. The should last for a minimum of one complete headlight restoration..(both lights) My batteries last for a couple headlight restoration...2.0 ah and 4.0 ah.. lithium ion battery...
Technically you could... I would only advise two things that the last two steps you do in one day the polishing and the sealing.. Also always wear protective face covering a mask especially with your health concerns....
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks. I believe I should be able to do those. As far as after care, if I don't drive the car, can I wait a day or two? The car will be in a garage.
@@ralphb4012 you can do aftercare at any point it's recommended not to do aftercare for about a month after you do the headlight restoration... Driving should be fine just make sure you clean thoroughly before applying after care..
I love your videos. I've been doing headlights among painting and dent repair for about 14 years. I've picked up a couple of tips from you. Thanks. I do have one question. How the heck you you use a rotary sander? I can't seem to avoid swirling. I use a 3" da and it does a fantastic job but it's corded and would love to go to a cordless. Any words of advice?
I'm actually surprised you can not have the same issue with a da just because the motion but it is highly underpowered in terms of sanding.... You have to use the adequate or proper sandpaper very important a lot of people think the P series sandpaper which is the European scale is the same as the regular sandpaper meaning p500 is not 500 grit.. it's more complex much more better technology put into it and machined... Apple to oranges... Metaphorically a 1962 beetle is a vehicle but then again a 2023 Bugatti is two there's a huge difference in each vehicle... What the rotary sander the drill you have to have a very soft touch... It does 99% of the work for you... If you don't do that you're going to have a headache trying to get this method... I don't know if you seen this video but this is what it's about...ruclips.net/video/C12RHABN0ZI/видео.htmlsi=S5cUuSmheJBeHrRj
Thanks, gonna try a new thicker sanding pad. My headlights come out great but really want to go cordless. I normally don't do many individual cars, mainly dealerships, but I actully had a customer thought I replaced his headlights they look so good. What part of the country are you in? @@theheadlightrestorationpro
I thought of another idea to capture the plastic particles. Taping on cardboard partitions to direct the plastic into a bin or making sticky trap walls to glue the plastic on
Good question...I have tried it before, a couple different kind and different brands of ceramic coating.. Not recommended... It does not adhere or stick to headline plastic correctly correctly, ends up peeling off and other stuff weird stuff happens.. this is because it's not designed for headlights more so paint...(it is also not as clear/slightly hazy/see the Cherokee headlight restoration kit video ) Also does not have a high enough level of UV protection, so even if it did work out your lights went pretty much go bad underneath it...(seen it first hand) Generally these lights will last between 2-5 years depending on the level of care your vehicle is provided..#1 never believe anybody that says headlight restoration is forever or permanent , I see a lot of people (professionals too) saying that it is permanent ...They are highly uneducated .. My best advises to always use any product that is specifically designed for what you're trying to achieve.. namely for headlight restoration... Scientists made these formulas and they're a lot smarter than backyard science... Thank you for your question that was a good one..🤓
Should have said in the video most videos do if not it's listed in the bio.. directly to Amazon same place where I get all my supplies from.. it's a 3M hard lens plastic polish cleaner.. 🚨 3M hard lens plastic polish- amzn.to/3k2bK4E Once again everything I use listed in the bio.. even stuff not showing on the video.. Thank you very much for watching.. Plenty more videos up and to come...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro it's possible I missed it, but either way I appreciate the clarification. One more thing. I can't afford the battery-powered polished you linked, is it possible to do this with a drill? I also have a Metabo polisher I bought for auto detailing years ago, but it's a lot bigger than 3".
Yeah you don't want to use something so big a lot of these guys try to portray on here that they have the knowledge to do so and to me it looks so funny when you have this 3-in light and somebody using a 6 in 7-in polisher on a light sometimes I've even seen 10-in polishers on the 4-in light and it just makes no sense and really opens the door for you to damaging things on the light and around the light I would stick to 3 in nothing more.. and it produces and yields better results.. with that being said you can use a regular drill that you use for the sanding you won't yield as good result because the heat is not there but you can still produce decent results... Kind of like if you didn't have a NASCAR so you ran a race in a Camaro super sport metaphorically... You can't compare to those cars but you can still run a good race..
I use other ones as well but for the sake of this video are these videos what you're seeing is McGuire's headlight coating there is a direct link to purchase from Amazon in my bio for everything that I use but 99% of the stuff that I use I have obtained from Amazon. Thanks for watching..😁
I'd be careful.. I do because I know there is little to almost nothing they can do to mess up the restoration..with little to absolutely no care the lights should last a minimum to 12 months..(I give a one year) I warranty my work though...not how they take care of their vehicle.. meaning if there is an issue with applications like: premature peeling,or bubbling, defects that can from a malfunction or my work...if you they take care of thier vehicle the restoration should last for years... Especially with aftercare.. but it's all about your quality of work and application... My method is pretty solid for longevity..far as lasting goes lights like in this video won't go back to the level of being bad for many many years...when I say that the restoration should last years that is as perfect brand new looking ..then you might notice yellowing in the corner or something Minor not full blown jacked up... Hopefully that helps you out... Ps... I've only redone 1 pair of headlights in 3 years and that was a show car, one that didn't really need it done but the guy wanted that perfect perfect lights, and that was 13 months later...he just wanted it done .. Thank you for the question..👍🏼
Should have just got ceracoat (under $20) and put 30 minutes of elbow grease into it.. The results would not be close to your expertise but a helluva lot better than that hack job. A sucker is born every minute!
Thank you.. For compound use any compound that says "plastic polish" there are a bunch.. For the headlight coating use one that is specifically designed for headlights, there are many,, I recommend a spray as it is the the best method of delivery , but you must be more careful with your delivery and application,,to avoid dripping and or haziness.... Don't get to caught up on brands but at the same time use quality brands... And if possible always go with product that says for headlights... Thanks once again... And stay tuned for more content coming this week...
No...a p600 maybe... But you're sacrificing removing power... A p600 is considerably weaker than the p500 and not as common so could be more expensive.. got to make sure your sand papers have the pee in the front if not they're not the same they could be a whole different denomination a different number... And you got to think sometimes a p500 isn't enough you need to start lower sometimes with a p220 or p320. I guess you could but you don't want to start running sandpapers too close together because then it stops making sense and doesn't work the same.
I've tried to ask Tom vapor a couple times I have not yet approved it for use in the field or use an actual business setting... Still running it through tests will be having some content coming up soon about that...💪🏼 Stay tuned... Pretty interesting stuff
Thanks for the question.👍🏻 Well the headlight restoration itself generally lasts well over a year for the person who does nothing with their vehicle and does not take aftercare advice... There's many factors involved with how long a headlight restoration will last, how often wash your vehicle , with what you wash your vehicle with, how well you take care of your vehicle, and how well you take care of your headlights.etc.. the list goes on it even matters what type of headlight design you have..(every vehicle is different) I give after care instructions to all my customers and I even sell aftercare kits.. but depends on if they follow it & how meticulous they are on taking care of their vehicle I have the same headlight restoration method/process on two of my vehicles that are well over 3 years old and they look brand new still...( Chevy Malibu/ Acura TL) As far as lasting, you might notice a little difference between 2 and 5 years with moderate care around the sensitive areas might see a little yellowing but clear yellowing... That's just the UV clear coat dying or better yet the UV IN THE CLEAR COAT DYING.. but as far as to revert back to how they were at the beginning you're talking 10 years give or take .For example on these headlights that were done on this video to revert back to the way they were literally like 10 years with poor care.. The beauty of this is that when that clear coat does begin to die (UV in the clear coat) It is very easy to restore and all of the steps showing in this video or any of these videos keep the headlight in pristine condition underneath that coating so pretty much to do a restoration again after these restorations would be a matter of just removing the clear coat which comes off the way it's supposed to super easy... Which is what you want, a lot of guys out there say permanent headlight restoration.. it's permanent headlight restoration... I always laugh at that cuz headlight restoration no matter what you do will never be permanent permanent means the life of the vehicle it's utterly impossible no matter what you do headlights , headlights are to be viewed more like tires, or spark plugs, you'll probably have to replace them (have them serviced) every couple of years or so.. But far as lasting it's a variable on what the customers are doing and if they follow after care instructions, and a bunch of other things.. Thanks for the question.
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks! I bought that clear coat a couple of years ago. I was worried a out overspray so I never used it. Will use it this weekend! They look phenomenal, the lights you have done! Also, I know you hit it with 3k grit but does the clear coat it fill in scratches?
@@cxlmobileheadlightrestorat7906 what's that 3K grit /wet sand second to last final step literally takes out about 95% of the final small scratches.... The high power polishing takes out another 4% if I had to estimate... So usually when I'm on that step 99% of them are gone or not visible and yes that clear fills in any little imperfection left over but I do my best to make sure there's none or a real minimum before I apply... It's much better at feeling very minor minut blemishes then heavier ones... I mostly use this one because of the videos it's easier to use and put in the screen with the camera there.. there are some other pretty amazing ones out there if you do a broad search on Google they come up with new ones literally like every month.. if you follow these methods pretty much any of those sprays will work the same.. As far as overspray that's one of the biggest reasons I tape off about 5 in most of them will only over spray an inch at Max from the point you're trying to spray... But wear a mask it's a high vapor product very small particles don't want it in your lungs.... Thanks once again.
@@cxlmobileheadlightrestorat7906 I don't really go into this type of conversation or questions on this platform.. Just trying to keep it about headlight restoration not busines. That's why this is a separate entity than a business...
Some guy makes a luxury headlight restoration on a expensive vehicle with a high end Da dual action polisher...well that 4,000+ starting rmp just seems to fast for the first stage off removal...im burning through 8 pads of 400 grit to get the clear off...takes way too long. I start with dry sanding. My end result is perfection though in the end, nit thrilled with the effort.
Should slow down your RPMs,,, you should take note of the speeds that I use on my videos.. also 400 grit is different than a p500. P in the front of the number is a European scale, a much higher quality of sandpaper grits.. the equivalent and regular sandpaper is different so you might want to adjust look up a chart on Google and it will tell you that equivalent of a p500 which is ideally what I use to remove my first stage of about 99% of vehicles, the harder stuff that I can't get off easy I'll use a p350 much more coarse harder graduates but really need to be careful to keep it moving as to not overheat or damage the light...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro all is good...i meant to say p400. And i use p-320 on heavier defects, but i know now that fresh cheap clear coat kits need removed from the lens with water sanding from the start to get back to dry sanding until the end. I need to perfect a last sand stage with compound, & finish polish method incase the lens needs vinyl wrapped for max protection or effect.
I use dry sanding to remove those all the time... Used to try that way but to me doesn't work as well.. I should try sending method to remove everything.. being that it's dry it's uncut on lubricated so you get the max amount of friction and removing power .. But to each his own... Good to find out what works for you...
20 cars? . Also so you start from the edges like a picture frame then spray in the middle and side to side 3 times and up and down 3 times . Ive watched every video of yours . Its hard to tell how many sprays you do. It goes so fast
I’m about to restore my families cars because of you sir thank you!
Awesome man...I would say good luck but with channel you don't need it...road map to success...💯
New video just dropped...
ruclips.net/video/-r-uVdqy0dU/видео.htmlsi=ywy7TyeF66H6TwdU
Best headlight Restorer out thete
Thank you..😊👍🏽
Yes, very clear and beautiful, great work, thanks for sharing enjoy watching and learning.
Thank you.. appreciate you...
Thank you for watching... 👍🏽
Talking marital art to another level ...the art of life .
Aside of your great job there, I really like those random pop up GIFs 😂👍
Thank you appreciate it just trying to keep it fun.
Oh wow, this is very intriguing, need to absorb all these and turn it into my personal business hustle during the day, passive smart income , thanks for the video
It's extremely possible this is how I started...
Watch my videos the ones that are up and the ones that come and you'll definitely be ready... I have a lot of interesting stuff up and a lot more to come...
Appreciate you watching...
I love how you use dry sanding versus wet!!!! 💯💯💯💯💯
Much much better... Far faster and Superior...💯👍🏼
New subscriber, love your content!! Great job and thank you for all the advice/tips! 😊
Thank you appreciate it very much.
Continue watching and there's a lot more to come...
💯
For the step of buffing with the 3M fineese pad and hard plastic polish, is it essential that one would use a drill with 7800 RPM? Can someone use a lower RPM drill and it would just take longer? Thanks for the great info.
Okay so this is a polisher not a drill.. the difference is the ratio of RPM to torque...
They drill is strong and torque what you need for sanding.... Typically like 400 lbs to much great....a polisher is all speed...like 100 lb torque... You could use the drill.... and it would come out good...but nowhere near the same even if you did it all day....
You'd be lacking a lot of heat and friction and rotation per pass....1700 vs 7800 is no comparison when it comes to polishing..
I'm surprised you don't clean the lights again after buffing. Doesn't the 3M Lens Cleaner leave a residue? I wouldn't think it would be good to apply the coating over that.
Yes it for surely does the residue behind but this specific 3M hard lens and plastic polisher is designed in this method.. the video that I post today might give you some more insight on that..
But anyways it's designed for this environment in beds itself in those porous surfaces lubricates and hydrates the surface of the light that works very well with sealants to lock in all those added benefits..
The fan you use to dry the clear coat; it doesn't push dust particles or debris into the clear coat? I was thinking that would get that in the clear coat?
No they do not.. long as you keep your work environments clean and sterile which also comes into play while I use my miniature blower to keep dust gone..
It actually has the opposite effect..
With the fans on Dust does not come near the lights... It gets blown away... Which is why I leave the fans on when I start the other light to blow any debris away...
@The Headlight Restoration Pro , I'm just about to push my headlight services more this week, and this video has helped me gain a lot more solutions to questions in my process. Thank you!
Awesome....I'm glad to be of assistance..
Continue to watch plenty more coming soon...💯💪🏼😎
Did the headlights need to be polished before using clear coat ?
If you want the highest level of clarity the quality.. some people don't but they're in product is nowhere near as clear as mine, doesn't last as long either..
Initially it might look really clear without doing it while it's wet but it won't hold up you'll get a haze eventually without the Polish....
I've tried it that way... it's not the way..
do you come across headlights that have cracks on the inside or are they all on top ? The reason i ask is actually my own personal headlights i’ve wet sanded them but the cracks never seam to come out , of course i’ve never tried dry sanding , which i can’t wait to start this spring
Yes.... it's common with older vehicles without adequate UV protection and usually happen to have lights that have gone too long without the protection on it... It comes from overheating and it is inside of the headlight surface.. stress fracturing and cracking from heat ...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro but how can you tell if it’s something on the surface that you can sand off or if it’s coming from inside but looks like it’s on the outside. I would hate to spend a hour sanding just to have the customer say it’s looking exactly the same
@@grandmastert01 it won't look like it's coming from the it will look like it's coming from the once you have clothes you wouldn't be able to see it.. or feel it...
It's just that simple..
You have to have good eyes to be able to see things like this good depth perception...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro ok thank you
How long does this clear coat last?
And what brand is it?
Most of my videos list what brand it is used.. also everything I use is in the bio for viewing or for direct purchase through Amazon..
very impressive good job!
Thank you... Much more to come I'm good but every day I get better and come up and find new little secrets in doing headlight restoration..😎👍🏼
Great video, thanks.
Can this be done by hand , or should one NOT compare this to a compound job and wax for the body paint of an automobile?
You can do it by hand it just would take about five times longer, your arm would be sore..lol and you can achieve some good results but you can't get it to be as clear as in these videos you can't produce amount of heat is the thing that's missing from the rotation and RPMs and friction of the tools... You also won't be able to produce the polishing step before coding as well so it would not be quite as clear and as good looking but it would be a good likeness by hand might take you about 2 hours of work though if not more..
@@theheadlightrestorationpro
Thanks for replying.
I've tried using a regular drill but I found it hard to hold and control. I much prefer my 12V right angle drill. It's much more ergonomic for sanding headlights. Just my opinion.
Yeah I actually have one...I tried it for a while and didn't feal the necessary control uncertain angles that come up constantly.. I found myself having to hold the back of the head to get the proper feel.. but yeah they will work I only advice is that it's the 3-in... that's the money size..
Thus is the step I have to practice how much and how heavy the amount of clear sprayed on
You'll get it...
When the weather gets colder do you have to change to a different final step with the headlight clear spray?
Awesome question....I will be touching base with this question soon on some upcoming videos..but the answer is NO...
Not with this particular sealant.. this is one of the most well-rounded universal sealants.. lot of people think you need a heat light with this stuff and even at times I have used the heat light or heat guns during the cold winter once it drops past 60°.. in my experience I've learned this is not necessary it is more of a vapor drying sealant.. it gives off a lot of gas very fast which is why you should always use the proper mask.. even after sprayed and said and done being near it you can smell it and then the smell dissipates as it dries that's the vapor kicking off chemical reaction with the air... Therefore the best method that I found is air drying... In whatever weather.. of course in the summer is going to dry its fastest anywhere between 30 seconds - 1 minute for that surface cure which is the most important so nothing blows and adheres to the surface ruining all your hard work.. and the winter time it might take a minute and a half to 2 minutes for that surface to really lock up but it's virtually an indistinguishable time difference... Air drying is what primarily drives this so fast not the heat, that's that noise you always hear when I seal it's two of my fans going off if not one... It's similar to super glue almost if you were too heat super glue it would drive faster but not the same as if you were to blow on it it would dry 10 times faster that's why super glue stinks so bad it's a vapor effect of drying it's releasing certain chemicals to deposit rapidly into the air... More air the faster it dries.. but this is not the case with some other applications and our products.. besides being so devastating what 2K clear is to headlight some of them along with other ceramics... Take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to drive this is not optimal for headlight restoration 99.9% of the time of the person doing a headlight restoration is not going to be in a sterile zone like a paint shop.. meaning that the longer you wait for it to dry or that surface to dry it's very huge chance that something is going to fly in their dust or orange peel bugs something and ruin what you've done...
The coldest no problem the wind is an issue is the biggest issue and headlight restoration even more on the rain...
Thank you for watching hopefully you subscribed and stay tuned for more videos coming soon...👍
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks for detailed reply. I have been practicing and your method of the ones I have learned is best results. I appreciate your time sharing the processes. I now have my tools and am perfecting the craft.
@@gbradley5765 that is what I'm on here for and I'd like to hear.. please don't be shy if you have any other questions in the future have some more videos coming up this..
When I started I wish I had good quality content video with solid information from a professional with a channel laid out like this which was non-existent I would have been even better than I am now if I had so.. but what you're getting now is what I have learned from trial and error and many many different experiments and tests and literally no exaggeration over a thousand headlights and growing...
Once again I appreciate it stay tuned check out all the videos it'll definitely improve everything about your headlight restorations in the future...👍
Hi....I noticed that you always do dry-sanding in the beginning, and wet-sanding at the end with a foam 3000 grit ?
Compared to so many others who do basically wet-sanding from beginning till end ?
Well with respect to them... My level of knowledge of headlight restoration might be a little bit more.. just in 2 years I've done over a thousand headlights, with a lot of research a lot of education and a lot of Hands-On practicing different techniques and having different successes and different fails.. (the outcome is this process that I show) wet sanding will not give you an accurate measure of how much material to remove(depth) this is one of the biggest reasons why you look at my technique and my finish results and see that they're extremely more clear than somebody doing wet sand nine times out of 10.. wet sand is a really fine method of sanding (the finest) by nature.. it's very light sand and it's almost a mixture of polishing and sanding just because the liquid is providing a buffer almost like a compound and a coolant which does not allow you to reach a certain grind and heat point.(heat = friction). it's really rudimentary to do headlight restoration with "only" wet sanding..that is the reason why it is one of the last steps that I do with a really fine grain pad. Besides minimizing the swirls or any striations, it is because in systematic order of my methods it's a buildup. Like step by step or descending stairs it's a step down each one each step.. wet sanding is the lease aggressive and will produce the lease amount of result (in my experience to be used for fine touches) that's why it is last next to polishing with a compound which is only a step higher in aggression..
A lot of people in these videos have only done one headlight restoration or two or five or 10 literally I have done over a thousand headlights (and growing) and use different recipes and have tried different ways from different power tools, different sealants ,by hand ,steam..
Heat guns, different compounds, different pads so many different ways until I developed the best possible outcome for professional use AKA for sale..(professional grade) I strive to be the best and I don't know it all but I do know a lot..
Hopefully that answered your question thanks once again.
@@theheadlightrestorationpro
Hi...Well thanks for your prompt reply, and in particular the book you just wrote to clarify and explain....LOL !
All jokes apart, your answer has certainly clarified things up and I appreciate BIG TIME !!
And yes, it did answer my question
Keep up the good work
@headlight restoration pro, do you use ammonia or ammonia free glass cleaner?
No just regular glass cleaner.. industrial strength and I cut it about 40% solution 60% water.. I get it in bulk in gallons last like damn near year... I like to have a cleaning ability for one and for two I like the evaporation ability that has a good thing to do with the end product.. and sterilization in between.
thanks a lot for sharing your hard-earned knowledge with us! I love to try this to fix both our cars headlights after trying the spray paint method which doesn't look too great even though it seems to work okay. I'm concerned about the plastic dust getting into the environment or going down the sewer to the river. Is there a way to contain the dust? Maybe something creative like wrapping a bag around the headlight while sanding and connecting the vacuum but leaving space for your hand and polisher.
Perhaps a milk jug or something. Like that and the opening is perfect to tape a vacuum hose onto
The dust is very minimal... nothing to worry about.. maybe the equivalent.of on tenth of a teaspoon ...or like 0.2 grams of not less...(you only have to worry about your own safety/ Wear a 😷 mask)
This process is extremely green...no foot print...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks :). I worry since in the oceans there's tons of "microplastic"which is not visible but tiny microscopic stuff. Will try my best and I hope to get an awesome headlight with your technique
You got it... You can always watch my video step by step and perform the restoration....👍🏼🤠💯
What battery do recommend fam? Does the battery last to do a pair of headlights ?
Any battery...any standard battery that comes with a drill..
The should last for a minimum of one complete headlight restoration..(both lights)
My batteries last for a couple headlight restoration...2.0 ah and 4.0 ah.. lithium ion battery...
I thought the sealant wouldn’t adhere well if sprayed right over polishing compound?
It holds very well, no peeling anything like that.. not even after years it will yellow way before it peels or bubbles..
Weird question, can I do this in steps over multiple days due to my health issues?
Technically you could... I would only advise two things that the last two steps you do in one day the polishing and the sealing..
Also always wear protective face covering a mask especially with your health concerns....
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks. I believe I should be able to do those. As far as after care, if I don't drive the car, can I wait a
day or two? The car will be in a garage.
@@ralphb4012 you can do aftercare at any point it's recommended not to do aftercare for about a month after you do the headlight restoration...
Driving should be fine just make sure you clean thoroughly before applying after care..
I love your videos. I've been doing headlights among painting and dent repair for about 14 years. I've picked up a couple of tips from you. Thanks. I do have one question. How the heck you you use a rotary sander? I can't seem to avoid swirling. I use a 3" da and it does a fantastic job but it's corded and would love to go to a cordless. Any words of advice?
I'm actually surprised you can not have the same issue with a da just because the motion but it is highly underpowered in terms of sanding.... You have to use the adequate or proper sandpaper very important a lot of people think the P series sandpaper which is the European scale is the same as the regular sandpaper meaning p500 is not 500 grit.. it's more complex much more better technology put into it and machined... Apple to oranges... Metaphorically a 1962 beetle is a vehicle but then again a 2023 Bugatti is two there's a huge difference in each vehicle...
What the rotary sander the drill you have to have a very soft touch... It does 99% of the work for you... If you don't do that you're going to have a headache trying to get this method...
I don't know if you seen this video but this is what it's about...ruclips.net/video/C12RHABN0ZI/видео.htmlsi=S5cUuSmheJBeHrRj
Really appreciate your viewing... Got over 100 videos up a lot of interesting stuff...
Thanks, gonna try a new thicker sanding pad. My headlights come out great but really want to go cordless. I normally don't do many individual cars, mainly dealerships, but I actully had a customer thought I replaced his headlights they look so good.
What part of the country are you in? @@theheadlightrestorationpro
@johnweaver3282 West Coast
Also one question the mothers amd a wool pad method no sanding what’s your thoughts on it . Thanks
Have to sand..one of my favorite sayings is..."if you didn't remove it...then where's it at" ????????
@@theheadlightrestorationpro got it
One more question if I already have a 5 inch orange polishing pad do still have to use the 3 inch
I thought of another idea to capture the plastic particles. Taping on cardboard partitions to direct the plastic into a bin or making sticky trap walls to glue the plastic on
Cool... could work....
Nice, man. How long does it last & you ever put a ceramic coat over em?
Good question...I have tried it before, a couple different kind and different brands of ceramic coating.. Not recommended... It does not adhere or stick to headline plastic correctly correctly, ends up peeling off and other stuff weird stuff happens.. this is because it's not designed for headlights more so paint...(it is also not as clear/slightly hazy/see the Cherokee headlight restoration kit video ) Also does not have a high enough level of UV protection, so even if it did work out your lights went pretty much go bad underneath it...(seen it first hand)
Generally these lights will last between 2-5 years depending on the level of care your vehicle is provided..#1 never believe anybody that says headlight restoration is forever or permanent , I see a lot of people (professionals too) saying that it is permanent ...They are highly uneducated ..
My best advises to always use any product that is specifically designed for what you're trying to achieve.. namely for headlight restoration... Scientists made these formulas and they're a lot smarter than backyard science...
Thank you for your question that was a good one..🤓
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks man. Good info. Noted!
Can u post links to buy all the necessary equipment please?
Still working on that .
But all equipment and supplies available on Amazon or by a broad search on Google..
Which specific polish did you use in the purple bottle to dab on the headlight at about the 12:10 point in the video?
Should have said in the video most videos do if not it's listed in the bio.. directly to Amazon same place where I get all my supplies from.. it's a 3M hard lens
plastic polish cleaner..
🚨 3M hard lens plastic polish- amzn.to/3k2bK4E
Once again everything I use listed in the bio.. even stuff not showing on the video..
Thank you very much for watching..
Plenty more videos up and to come...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro it's possible I missed it, but either way I appreciate the clarification. One more thing. I can't afford the battery-powered polished you linked, is it possible to do this with a drill? I also have a Metabo polisher I bought for auto detailing years ago, but it's a lot bigger than 3".
Yeah you don't want to use something so big a lot of these guys try to portray on here that they have the knowledge to do so and to me it looks so funny when you have this 3-in light and somebody using a 6 in 7-in polisher on a light sometimes I've even seen 10-in polishers on the 4-in light and it just makes no sense and really opens the door for you to damaging things on the light and around the light I would stick to 3 in nothing more.. and it produces and yields better results.. with that being said you can use a regular drill that you use for the sanding you won't yield as good result because the heat is not there but you can still produce decent results... Kind of like if you didn't have a NASCAR so you ran a race in a Camaro super sport metaphorically... You can't compare to those cars but you can still run a good race..
Fantastic workmanship. Amazing results. Who makes the UV sealant spray you use?
I use other ones as well but for the sake of this video are these videos what you're seeing is McGuire's headlight coating there is a direct link to purchase from Amazon in my bio for everything that I use but 99% of the stuff that I use I have obtained from Amazon. Thanks for watching..😁
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks!
You do amazing work!
Should I give a warranty to a customer? And if so can you offer some advice.
I'd be careful..
I do because I know there is little to almost nothing they can do to mess up the restoration..with little to absolutely no care the lights should last a minimum to 12 months..(I give a one year)
I warranty my work though...not how they take care of their vehicle.. meaning if there is an issue with applications like: premature peeling,or bubbling, defects that can from a malfunction or my work...if you they take care of thier vehicle the restoration should last for years... Especially with aftercare..
but it's all about your quality of work and application... My method is pretty solid for longevity..far as lasting goes lights like in this video won't go back to the level of being bad for many many years...when I say that the restoration should last years that is as perfect brand new looking ..then you might notice yellowing in the corner or something Minor not full blown jacked up...
Hopefully that helps you out...
Ps... I've only redone 1 pair of headlights in 3 years and that was a show car, one that didn't really need it done but the guy wanted that perfect perfect lights, and that was 13 months later...he just wanted it done ..
Thank you for the question..👍🏼
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. Along with the perspective.
Should have just got ceracoat (under $20) and put 30 minutes of elbow grease into it.. The results would not be close to your expertise but a helluva lot better than that hack job. A sucker is born every minute!
Yes for sure...💯
How many cars can you do with the can of clear meguires
That's in many videos... the answer to that
Nice work man! Could you share the compound polish you use as well as the clear coat? I’m inspired to get up and do mine now. Lol
Thank you..
For compound use any compound that says "plastic polish" there are a bunch..
For the headlight coating use one that is specifically designed for headlights, there are many,, I recommend a spray as it is the the best method of delivery , but you must be more careful with your delivery and application,,to avoid dripping and or haziness.... Don't get to caught up on brands but at the same time use quality brands...
And if possible always go with product that says for headlights...
Thanks once again...
And stay tuned for more content coming this week...
Can I start with 600grit?
No...a p600 maybe... But you're sacrificing removing power... A p600 is considerably weaker than the p500 and not as common so could be more expensive.. got to make sure your sand papers have the pee in the front if not they're not the same they could be a whole different denomination a different number... And you got to think sometimes a p500 isn't enough you need to start lower sometimes with a p220 or p320. I guess you could but you don't want to start running sandpapers too close together because then it stops making sense and doesn't work the same.
Very interesting video. I think I would rather have it done by a professional though.
It's always the best bet I would just make sure that they are professional as I fix a lot of so-called professionals mistakes.lol
Have you ever use this method ?? Restore Headlights With Acetone Vapor. Your thoughts,,,,from NZ
I've tried to ask Tom vapor a couple times I have not yet approved it for use in the field or use an actual business setting...
Still running it through tests will be having some content coming up soon about that...💪🏼 Stay tuned... Pretty interesting stuff
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks ill be waiting
Please if you can send me the link to buy the drill ryobi from Amazon and I will be thankful to you
Not sure how to do that..
But it's a Ryobi 18 volt driver..
So how Long does this last?
Thanks for the question.👍🏻
Well the headlight restoration itself generally lasts well over a year for the person who does nothing with their vehicle and does not take aftercare advice...
There's many factors involved with how long a headlight restoration will last, how often wash your vehicle , with what you wash your vehicle with, how well you take care of your vehicle, and how well you take care of your headlights.etc.. the list goes on it even matters what type of headlight design you have..(every vehicle is different) I give after care instructions to all my customers and I even sell aftercare kits.. but depends on if they follow it & how meticulous they are on taking care of their vehicle I have the same headlight restoration method/process on two of my vehicles that are well over 3 years old and they look brand new still...( Chevy Malibu/ Acura TL) As far as lasting, you might notice a little difference between 2 and 5 years with moderate care around the sensitive areas might see a little yellowing but clear yellowing... That's just the UV clear coat dying or better yet the UV IN THE CLEAR COAT DYING.. but as far as to revert back to how they were at the beginning you're talking 10 years give or take .For example on these headlights that were done on this video to revert back to the way they were literally like 10 years with poor care..
The beauty of this is that when that clear coat does begin to die (UV in the clear coat)
It is very easy to restore and all of the steps showing in this video or any of these videos keep the headlight in pristine condition underneath that coating so pretty much to do a restoration again after these restorations would be a matter of just removing the clear coat which comes off the way it's supposed to super easy...
Which is what you want, a lot of guys out there say permanent headlight restoration.. it's permanent headlight restoration... I always laugh at that cuz headlight restoration no matter what you do will never be permanent permanent means the life of the vehicle it's utterly impossible no matter what you do headlights , headlights are to be viewed more like tires, or spark plugs, you'll probably have to replace them (have them serviced)
every couple of years or so..
But far as lasting it's a variable on what the customers are doing and if they follow after care instructions, and a bunch of other things..
Thanks for the question.
Stay tuned have a lot of interesting content coming up..
Thanks again 👍🏻😎
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks! I bought that clear coat a couple of years ago. I was worried a out overspray so I never used it. Will use it this weekend! They look phenomenal, the lights you have done! Also, I know you hit it with 3k grit but does the clear coat it fill in scratches?
@@cxlmobileheadlightrestorat7906 what's that 3K grit /wet sand second to last final step literally takes out about 95% of the final small scratches.... The high power polishing takes out another 4% if I had to estimate... So usually when I'm on that step 99% of them are gone or not visible and yes that clear fills in any little imperfection left over but I do my best to make sure there's none or a real minimum before I apply... It's much better at feeling very minor minut blemishes then heavier ones...
I mostly use this one because of the videos it's easier to use and put in the screen with the camera there.. there are some other pretty amazing ones out there if you do a broad search on Google they come up with new ones literally like every month.. if you follow these methods pretty much any of those sprays will work the same..
As far as overspray that's one of the biggest reasons I tape off about 5 in most of them will only over spray an inch at Max from the point you're trying to spray...
But wear a mask it's a high vapor product very small particles don't want it in your lungs....
Thanks once again.
@@cxlmobileheadlightrestorat7906 I don't really go into this type of conversation or questions on this platform..
Just trying to keep it about headlight restoration not busines.
That's why this is a separate entity than a business...
Some guy makes a luxury headlight restoration on a expensive vehicle with a high end Da dual action polisher...well that 4,000+ starting rmp just seems to fast for the first stage off removal...im burning through 8 pads of 400 grit to get the clear off...takes way too long. I start with dry sanding.
My end result is perfection though in the end, nit thrilled with the effort.
Should slow down your RPMs,,, you should take note of the speeds that I use on my videos.. also 400 grit is different than a p500. P in the front of the number is a European scale, a much higher quality of sandpaper grits.. the equivalent and regular sandpaper is different so you might want to adjust look up a chart on Google and it will tell you that equivalent of a p500 which is ideally what I use to remove my first stage of about 99% of vehicles, the harder stuff that I can't get off easy I'll use a p350 much more coarse harder graduates but really need to be careful to keep it moving as to not overheat or damage the light...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro all is good...i meant to say p400.
And i use p-320 on heavier defects, but i know now that fresh cheap clear coat kits need removed from the lens with water sanding from the start to get back to dry sanding until the end.
I need to perfect a last sand stage with compound, & finish polish method incase the lens needs vinyl wrapped for max protection or effect.
I use dry sanding to remove those all the time... Used to try that way but to me doesn't work as well.. I should try sending method to remove everything.. being that it's dry it's uncut on lubricated so you get the max amount of friction and removing power ..
But to each his own... Good to find out what works for you...
20 cars? . Also so you start from the edges like a picture frame then spray in the middle and side to side 3 times and up and down 3 times . Ive watched every video of yours . Its hard to tell how many sprays you do. It goes so fast
It's in the videos
volk broke islam round 5. thoughts?
Have no idea...have to look it up .