softening plastic

I would use a cardboard template, cut the lens as required. Then I would put the housing and pieces in the oven at about 220-240 on some parchment paper. Let warm until pliable and press into shape. You will need to wear gloves.

 

Good post. Let us know how it works out!

 

gonna try this lense next,

 

heres what i did,
cut a template then cut the lense

check the fit,used a heat gun and a deep socket to persuade the lens into shape

heres what it looks like,now need to do 1 more.


i know the top of the lens is bowed but i think its the compound bend and i will have to live with it or if i can make the other one better i may try it again.
this is the back of the first tail light turn signal assembly i bought.it fits almost perfectly.just a little trim.

 

looks pretty good

 

Waaaay back in my Jr. High shop class we heated plastic in an oven. It provide even heat. Sorry I don't remember the temp. Maybe practice with some cheap lenses(?)

 

well im afraid the housing might warp more than the lens in the oven.

 

The oven is the way to go!! I used to vacume parts, what your doing is not much different. Place it in the oven on something slick, cookie sheet will work with some wax paper. I would start at around 220 degrees F. Keep checking it till it gets soft and plyable. Once plyable, you can form it however you want with gloves on. Once you got the shape you want, hold it under running water to harden. There you go. Trust me, this will work great.

 

ok i'll try it.just cut to shape the lens, put in the oven on wax paper,then push it into the openings?

 

Just a thought. You might wanna cut a peice of wood or something to the desired shape so that once the plastic is soft enough, you can apply the needed pressure evenly. It looks like the one you did before was bent more in the middle, this might prevent that.

 

yeah it kinda wanted to tuck in the middle.i think its the multiple angles that meet right there.

 

Or maybe put something on the outside to kind of push against. It was easy for me in the thread I posted because the holes were much smaller. So it may take shape better if you had something to push against like that. If you could take a peice of wood and make a pretty accurate cut you could have a peice to push with and against that would be pretty close.

 

Like cretin said, find something thats got the curve you want. A small bowl or dish. Use that as a buck to hold it down on with even pressure. You might could mash it on the inside of the housing that doesnt have the holes. If you try to fit it to the hole, its just gona want to push through the opening. If you use the inside of the housing, the side without the holes, make sure its real slick or you will wind up with little dimples from the rust inside. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

i will try that.gonna sand the housing anyway.then i was thinking how to keep the lens up,maybe epoxy it in?

 

that is a cool tool, but i think the next thing is a e-wheel from low buck tools.

 

What's the housing a Merc air duct falppy thing ?

 

Shit, you don't even see those things unless you are wiring in a radio. Or trying to steal the car.

 

so ive been told.not sure if im going to paint it or chrome it.

 

well i got this piece off a "custom" tail light that was on my car when i got it.

cut it to shape and heated it in the oven.formed it to the housing,looks like a spaceship,

then i made a pattern to cut the bucket

painted the inside of the bucket with Tijuana chrome and painted the housing,

now the lenses have kinda clouded up is there a good way to clear them up?some kind of polisher?
once the lenses are cleared up i'll epoxy them into the housing and hook it all up.i'll post more pics then.

 

Dare I ask what this is going on?

 

rear package tray on my merc as a 3rd brake light.i got a 3m plastic cleaner that cleared up the lenses.one is being epoxied in right now.i'll do the other when i get home from work.

 

It looks like it was originally a boat bow light