cutting a round sealed beam headlight.

I'm trying to cut 5 3/4 round sealed beam headlight where the seam is to make a headlight mod. Can it be done or am I just wasting my time

 

Sometimes they fall apart like that when you drop them.

 

when you score glass to cut it, you need to break it from the other side. I'd try a die grinder with a thin cut off wheel.

 

Rod & Custom had an article recently about cutting the lenses off of T3 headlights and using H4 reflectors and bulbs.

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com...o_t4_halogen_reflectors_conversion/index.html

 

You didn't state if you are going all the way around or just trying for some groves. Suggest you get a junk one to experiment or if you are try to reduce OD how much or what OD ? Lot of diferrant sizes out there. More info would help us help you.

 

you can try the olke bottle cutting method of scoring the glass..heating it in hot water then imersing in cold water..if a good score line..usually will snap along the score...

 

Cole did that on the Blue Bobber, contact him for details.

 

I'm making 2, hi beam 5 3/4 headlights, with replaceable halogen elements to look like old blank guide seal beam lights and 2 more with H.I.D for the driving lights. I want to cut the lens off an old seal beam and put the two together.

 

http://mikegigi.com/bottle.htm

 

I figured out a way to cut a sealed beam headlight, I took a 1/16" tile saw and made a arbor to fit and to chuck in the drill press, I used a used up tape roll to rest the headlight on the drill press table I then set the height of the drill press so the blade is on the seam of light, I used the drill press on a low speed not sure on the exact speed or rpm. Spray water on light and saw and rotate light to make a score line around light and keep doing it until you cut through.




I than bought some headlights that you can remove or replace the halogen light bulb and cut the lens off them also I took the old seal beam lens and glued it to the new up dated headlight bucket with 3m panel bonder used for metal panels

 

Awesome little tech piece! Good job

 

I had a rusted through headlight recently where just for kicks I started peeling away all the metal around the glass very carefully. Worked OK for me.

 

I am going to try the method in the R&C article on the T-3s from my Chevy II

 

You don't want to cut it in half if you're trying to adapt to halogen lamps and sockets. You need to actually just cut the socket area off the sealed beam, then cut the sockets and perimeter metal from a halogen and JB Weld them into the back of the sealed beam.
I did this on my gasser to change from old screw in base lamps to newer halogens and it worked great.

 

um they do make conversion kits with glass lenses

 

I have some red lenses that I was wondering if there is a way to make them clear?