My lens making thread.

Zymurgy

Old Man with a Hat
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OK, I am going to attempt this. I came across a very informative video on how to do this. I have been interested in trying to do this myself for years. After watching the video I felt it was doable. When I then came across my NOS taillight for sale I decided it was fate.

I am lucky enough to have a very helpful local supplier who also uses all the products he sells, which is Smooth-on. I am going to make a silicone rubber mold, and use a UV resistant urethane resin for the actual lenses.

I got a basic starter kit. I want no bubbles in the lens so I need to use a pressure pot. I have a 2 1/2 gallon pot, but it is only good for 50psi max. I need 60 continuous for the process. I would not be able to make the big wrap around taillight in the smaller pot, so I have ordered the 5 gallon pot. I've made the investment and am committed to doing this now. I will be doing this in the new year when I have gathered all my supplies, and will update the good and the bad in my journey.

Here is the video if anyone is interested.

 
Great. Don't know if you saw the thread I started for people wanting lenses for our 300's. If they turn out good, and you are interested, in making them for others I will get you a copy of the list. Bill
 
Great. Don't know if you saw the thread I started for people wanting lenses for our 300's. If they turn out good, and you are interested, in making them for others I will get you a copy of the list. Bill

I remember reading your thread a while back Bill. Have you had any luck with your process? Any prototypes?

Sorry Bill I was confused. I went back and realized you posted about getting someone to reproduce the lenses. I guess that was the spark that had me revisit the thought of making lenses, so thank you.

There was someone here that mentioned it earlier in the year, of making them clear. Did I miss a follow-up from him?
 
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I’ve been using the smooth on clear to fill knot holes where necessary. I just finished a big oak island top using their product and I’m very pleased with how workable it is for this process but there is shrinkage necessitating the need for a couple of applications to get it to be flush with the wood surface. This is after overfilling the void to the point that it has a surface tension dome but still I come back in the next morning and it’s sunk below.
 
I remember reading your thread a while back Bill. Have you had any luck with your process? Any prototypes?

Sorry Bill I was confused. I went back and realized you posted about getting someone to reproduce the lenses. I guess that was the spark that had me revisit the thought of making lenses, so thank you.

There was someone here that mentioned it earlier in the year, of making them clear. Did I miss a follow-up from him?
I did miss that thread. Between F.C.B.O. and Facebook I have interest in about 15 sets. When I finish the list I will P.M. it to you. But it won't be until next year.
 
Yes I am going take my time. I will work with some of the clear flat areas first. My next goal will to match the red in the lenses. The guy said the UV pigment is quite strong and can even go opaque if you add too much. The UV resin is quite expensive, I might use a cheaper resin during the prototype stage if it reacts the same to the pigment.
 
I’ve been using the smooth on clear to fill knot holes where necessary. I just finished a big oak island top using their product and I’m very pleased with how workable it is for this process but there is shrinkage necessitating the need for a couple of applications to get it to be flush with the wood surface. This is after overfilling the void to the point that it has a surface tension dome but still I come back in the next morning and it’s sunk below.


I saw that product when I was looking through their stuff. I have a huge piece of burr oak I would like to use that product.
 
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Yes I am going take my time. I will work with some of the clear flat areas first. My next goal will to match the red in the lenses. The guy said the UV pigment is quite strong and can even go opaque if you add too much. The UV resin is quite expensive, I might use a cheaper resin during the prototype stage if it reacts the same to the pigment.

That looks cool. I see in the second video they use a vacuum chamber to de-gas the resin instead of a pressure pot.

Proto-type stage. .... Start with a small lens. Maybe a chunk of your broken one. You will get the thickness and some of the shapes, but much smaller to color experiment with. You will also have the small chunk to compare it back to.
 
I watched that very same video a couple months ago, along with several others on the subject. It will be very interesting to see how this works with larger, more complicated parts.

Jeff
 
Mike, what about the other side? :poke:

Good luck with this, and thanks for taking on this project for those that need these lenses. :thumbsup:
 
Mike, what about the other side? :poke:

Good luck with this, and thanks for taking on this project for those that need these lenses. :thumbsup:

If I have success on the left side I fully intend on making a cast of the right side too. My right side is in excellent condition so it should be a good candidate for duplication.
 
Update. I was going to set up a pressure pot. They are quite expensive but found one on amazon that had good and bad reviews. I got a bad one, I need 60 PSI, at 50 air started rushing out around the welded protective rods, mounted on the lid. This one is going back and I will not buy another. This was of course after I made a nice mount to rest it on it's side. Oh well.

With more research I have been told a vacuum pot is what I really want. I can make one of those for about half of the pressure pot. The place where I bought the molding supplies do not use a pressure pot, but do use a vacuum pot. Back to square one, but I have all the rest of the supplies to make my first mold.

Found another video that had a lot of good information. I will be using some techniques from both.

 
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I don't really have a need to know how to do this, but it's interesting and I like learning something new so I will be watching
 
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