I have a stupid idea in my head... Anyone know how to go about having custom design interior light lenses made???
If its a glass lens, you get the type and color of glass you want, make a form to the shape you want and have a blown glass place heat it in their oven to so the glass forms to the shape. Same as they do with the glass sinks.
That's a pretty wide topic. You could make a mold and cast them in epoxy etc. Depends on what you have in mind to use for a light
I'd probably use this stuff... http://www.alumilite.com/HowTos.cfm#Mold http://www.alumilite.com/HowTos/TailLightCastingNoEquipment.cfm rick
There is always reusing something not intended to be a dome light. Old flashlight lens and bezel or something like that.
It's not a stupid idea! You can make the lens out of a pourable plastic from Smooth On. They have a clear plastic that comes in two parts A, and B. You mix them in equal amounts and pour them into a mold like just like pouring a cup on tea. The liquid turns to a solid in a matter of a short time. Smooth on has different clear materials with different working times. This allows you to work with different materials to perform different jobs. I would think a lens would use a very fast cure allowing for a rapid turn around if you where manufacturing lenses. You will need: Lens with logo as a pattern. Mold to make the finished lenses. Mold materials: Silicon platinum mold materials. Smooth Cast clear pourable plastic. OK, next you need to make a pattern, or model of the lens. You mentioned that you wanted a Logo on the lens. One way to get a model, pattern of your Logo would be to make a drawing. If your not gifted in artistry have a friend or a profesional artist do a line drawing of the intended logo. Find a sign shop that has a scanner, and a milling machine that cuts out letters, or any design scanned into the computer. They can cut the logo out of plastic, mica, wood, metal. I take it that the logo will be rather small. ones you have your logo you next need a lens to place it on If you have an original lens you can us it as a model, and pace the logo onto it. Next you must make a mold of the pattern/model with the logo. I would suggest that you do a U Tube search on making a silicone mold. I say silicone because they will last longer than a urethane molds. I have some silicone molds that I made over twenty years ago and there still in perfect shape, but the urethane molds only lasted a few years. Once you have a mold it's as simple as pouring the lenses. If you want to add a tint to the lens they sell tinting colors as wide as a rainbow. I would say to spend your time looking at the Sooth On website and get yourself aquanted with the different products available to you. There are some great videos showing you how to make molds and making parts. This stuff has been around for some time. The movie industry uses Smooth On materials in almost all the set designs and special effects. The possibility's are endless. Your only obstacle is your own imagination. If you need any help email me and I can walk you threw the steps. Good Luck, Johnny Sweet [email protected]
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