Headlights

[WickedWelder]

What are you guys using to make the molded chrome headlights look more like headlights?   I haven't been able to come up with anything that looks good. 

Thanks

[moparfarmer]

Two or three coats of Tamiya flat clear right over the chrome lens..I find it looks okay..Three heavy coats..

 

[slusher]

Glue a clear headlight lens over the chrome using some clear coat.  Learned that from a very smart builder..

[David G.]

I usually use some thinned Tamiya flat white as a kind of drybrush wash. After that dries, I brush on three or four coats of Tamiya clear gloss.

I use the same technique for reversing lights.

I know that technically headlights aren't "white"  but I think that's the way most people see them and I feel that this method creates an acceptable illusion.

Regards,

David G.

[Plowboy]

I put a thick coat of windshield glue over them. You can also use a drill bit the size of the headlights and drill into them creating a bucket. Then, glue clear lenses in.

This one has the glue method.

This one has the drilled out and replaced method.

[WickedWelder]

Awesome.  Thanks for your responses. I will try these ideas.

[StevenGuthmiller]

On most of my older builds, I would mix some clear with just a tiny bit of white, and possibly a little dab of silver just to "tint" the clear slightly.

On the majority of my more recent builds, I drill out the molded in lenses and replace with new buckets and clear lenses.

 

The lenses on this '63 Ford truck were done using the "tint" method.

 

 

 

 

The '68 Olds lenses were drilled out and replaced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Can-Con]

I think since someone asks this question about every 4 months or so, all the various threads on the subject should be combined and it pinned.

[StevenGuthmiller]

46 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

I think since someone asks this question about every 4 months or so, all the various threads on the subject should be combined and it pinned.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

 

 

Steve

[Plowboy]

2 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I think since someone asks this question about every 4 months or so, all the various threads on the subject should be combined and it pinned.

That clearly doesn't work. Just look at the paint stripper topic. Twenty five pages and people still ask the question. But, you can't blame someone for not wanting to wade through all of that. 

[Tabbysdaddy]

Plus the first page is already almost half pins. Uses up some prime space.

[mr moto]

To those of you who use the "drill out" method, where do you get your clear lenses?

[NOBLNG]

15 minutes ago, mr moto said:

To those of you who use the "drill out" method, where do you get your clear lenses?

I have made an impression in silly putty and cast them using Bondic. It was just an experiment and I haven’t used them on a model yet. I have also made them out of clear plastic in this thread. Maybe someone knows of another source?

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/161380-making-headlights/?tab=comments#comment-2452651

 

 

Edited September 20, 2021 by NOBLNG

[Bucky]

Sometimes, spare sprues of headlight lenses pop up on eBay. I'd say, also, that most long-time modelers, like myself, have accumulated extras over the years.

[Lunajammer]

The most impressive simple coating I've personally seen over chrome lights is clear 5-minute epoxy. If it's a carefully applied blob, it also adds a little dimensional depth. Never done it myself though.

[mr moto]

Great responses about making clear lenses! I was thinking there would be an aftermarket source where everyone was getting them but now I see that there's a lot of possibilities. I'll be trying some of those methods. 

Thanks, everyone!

[1st 700 Quad]

I use photo-etched headlights from Germany. Here's a pic with the website on it. They come in various sizes, 6 and 7mm being the best for 1/24-25 scale. I think they look just like sealed beam bulbs.

Edited September 28, 2021 by 1st 700 Quad

[peteski]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:20 PM, Lunajammer said:

The most impressive simple coating I've personally seen over chrome lights is clear 5-minute epoxy. If it's a carefully applied blob, it also adds a little dimensional depth. Never done it myself though.

I got burned on 5-minute epoxy many times that I no longer use it for making any clear parts.  It yellows (or even turns amber)  after few years.