New Headlight Polish Technique

[crazyhorse]

I polished my headlights yesterday. I use a different technique than most. Being a scale modeler, I'm used to making glass smooth paint from a hazy rattlecan job. This method can be fairly quick to time consuming depending on the condition of the lenses.
Before


After


Here's my preferred method.
You need a polishing kit from a local hobby shop or www.micro-mark.com Item #80939. This kit will do as many sets of lights as you can handle, until you lose a sheet.
A bottle of your favorite wax.

Start with the 2400 grit. It helps if you let water run over the headlights. Scuff the WHOLE light. Make sure that the tone is even all over.
If the lights are EXTREMELY bad/rough, you can start with 1500 grit dry, then use 2000 grit before starting with the polishing kit.
Work your way through the grits one at a time, DO NOT skip a grit. Once you finish with the last grit, dry the lenses thouroughly, then wax with your favorite car wax.

Hope this helps someone.

[SSSVX]

Is that look a lot better in person?

Maybe you should take some better pictures.

[nextse7en]

I've always stuck with 600 grit wet sand, 2000 grit wet sand, rubbing compound, polishing compound, then wax...


makes em look like they just came from the factory..

[nexus_7]

My way:

PlastX buff, invisible glass clean (5-6 times per lens)

6 coats of the new turtle wax Ice paste polish. Takes a little time but they now look clean as new. Probably about 30 minutes per lens.

Greg

[Manarius]

I just wet sanded mine with #0000 steel wool. Worked pretty well, but I think I need some more wax to get all the scuffing out....

[SilverSpear]

PlastX is gr8