How to use alumilite for headlight restoration & antique car restoration | Alumilite

Headlight lens restoration & repair. Watch how to restore your headlight lens. You can easily replicate a headlight lens or repair a headlight lens of any car using Alumilite - www.alumilite.com?KZbin&How_To_Alumilite_Headlight_Restoration_Antique_Car_Restoration
Alumilite products used in this video include:
Plat 55 Silicone Mold Making Silicone
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Alumilite Water Clear Resin
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Alumilite Synthetic Clay
www.alumilite....
Alumilite Clay Tools
www.alumilite....
Alumilite UMR Release Agent
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This video shows you how to replicate the headlight lens of a 1935 Cadillac. Fix headlight lens. Molding & Casting Tutorial Auto Restoration & Repair Tutorial.

[@GimmeEd]

I maybe missed an explanation somewhere, but, If the headlight lens is impossible to find, how do you find one to make the mold from?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Mick F. If you have just one for instance this works. There’s also ways to print these lights with cad files and then have them made like this.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

It's the lenses that are unobtainable, not the cars. You can borrow one from another car owner, but if your car has two, and you break one, you use the other for making the mold, and then you can make as many as you would like to.

[@Hathorr1067]

Cars generally have 2.

[@slashnburndotcodotuk]

Just because something is not available to buy, doesn't mean it's not available to borrow. I imagine there's someone out there who has one

[@S....]

@@AlumiliteCorporation But if we have one, we need to have it in perfect condition or any imperfections, cracks, scratches etc will show.. You think it's possible?

[@danhalfhill9169]

The real secret in this process is pulling the air out via vacuum! In mold making, I make a plaster backing to support the silicon. This greatly reduces distortion of the final product. Also, if you do it correctly, you only need a fraction of the silicon to make the mold. Nice job though. Glad to see folks keeping the classic car industry alive!👍

[@davidjacobs8558]

yes, the question is, is the labor more expensive than the silicon mold material?

[@danhalfhill9169]

David Jacobs well I guess it boils down to how valuable your time is!

[@greggv8]

For a lens with a deep shape like this I'd find some smaller hemispherical shaped item to suspend within the concave side, leaving a 1 to 1.5" space to the inside of the lens. To keep it from floating I'd use some wood paint stirring sticks and hot glue them to the insert and edge of the mold form, or fold and glue corrugated cardboard into triangular tubes to span across and support the insert. The mold then costs less, is lighter and easier to handle, and much easier to remove the casting because the inside half can be flexed away from the casting. I've been making silicone molds and resin castings for over 20 years - and have developed various methods to make better molds and make them easier. Meanwhile the companies that make the silicones and resins are still making molds the way they were 20 years ago, despite some advances in formulations of their products.

[@danhalfhill9169]

greggv8 I’ve used a similar method you describe while casting semi spherical items. We’ve always referred to them as “bungs”. It simply displaces material where it’s not needed to save weight and cost.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great tip, Dan!

[@MrMattDat]

Beautiful!!! In reading the comments, it seems a lot of folks have never tried to find replacement lenses for antique cars (and forget about finding diagrams!). Some of the old cars also had different lenses for right and left side!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great point! Thanks for watching!

[@ErvinKrauss]

The clay and silicone should be different colors, so it's easier to distinguish between the two. Good work.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You're not wrong - just a bad coincidence the clay we sell is blue and this is our one blue silicone.

[@joeyalfaro2323]

I did quick eBay search they are 600 bucks for set. It's nice to be able to make parts that are needed.great video.

[@x-man5056]

Very cool. Modern technology to keep the old classics going.

[@mcbawangyakuznouxman9439]

Good old method! You could either replace the same materials or downgrade to a lighter ones! Let say your glass headlight is replaced with plastic headlight`s and this is not recomended for something heavier like metal since metal are replaced with metal you cant downgrade from metal to alloy ( aluminium + metal ) if downgrading mechanical parts wont make the mechanics to run normally

[@exsparky8090]

Brilliant in more ways than one, Brilliant job and a brilliantly clear lens.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks so much for watching!!

[@craigpennington1251]

When Glass is no longer an option, this must be done. Thanks so much for showing how it's done. A pity that things for these elegant classics aren't being made any more.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the awesome feedback!

[@craigpennington1251]

@@AlumiliteCorporation You are welcome.

[@supdus]

just a general thought - but it may be a good idea to use a different colour of clay from the silicon - easier removal

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's definitely an option - this is just the one that we had on hand!

[@hawkdsl]

Mold casting has saved my butt quite a few times, and it's easy to do at home.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You're so right! If you ever have any questions or need product suggestions, we're here to help.

[@Desertduleler_88]

Great job, I wasn't expecting it to turn out like it did.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

I am glad to know this process is available. Thanks for a very helpful video.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@lordieshepherd]

Great to see people finding ways to restore the past.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

It's a great way to restore an old vehicle!

[@MikeJF355]

Fantastic job lads, well done,

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@stevesloan6775]

That was rad! Having a good condition part is key. 🤜🏼🤛🏼🇦🇺😎🍀🍀🍀

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You got that right!

[@OOICU812]

Wow. That's freaking cool!

[@miguelcarter1949]

I made a batch of Magnitogorsk caps for vintage rare Harley Davidson race bikes with this product They looked perfect and amazingly enough they worked since I inserted the brass spark plug connectors into the mold Excellent product

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's super cool to hear and sounds like a fun project! Thanks for the feedback!

[@urdulearner8221]

Thanks for sharing. I believe in the same way one could reproduce a more sophisticated lens like in headlight lenses of modern cars

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

It certainly would be worth trying!

[@CoolMusicToMyEars]

Thats a very impressive job, well done chaps :)

[@gavanwhatever8196]

Wouldn't it help to have the clay base a different colour to the silicone?

[@lennym1273]

That's what I kept thinking, it would be SO much easier to clean if they were different color...

[@GrimmGhost]

Ditto.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You're not wrong, it's just the color clay we sell, ha!

[@timhofstetter5654]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Wull, then... seems t' me that ya learned something, then, di'n't ya? Start carrying two or three alternative colors of clay. Right?

[@ralflang5524]

Great video! Greetings from Germany.

[@peteacher52]

Interesting, as I own a 1950 vehicle and one never knows what glass or bakelite part will break. This is one of only a few ads on Yt that I do not object to because it shows what is available and how to use it.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the feedback! This is a great way to stock up on back up pieces that can't be professionally manufactured any more!

[@chargermopar]

Wow what an amazing process! I have a lot of failed plastic parts on my old Mopars which I can buy used or reproduction but it would be interesting to mold my own. If the clear resin was not so expensive I would consider it to replace the broken Holophane glass on the lights around my home.

[@martinjp1]

I could listen t Ed all day.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@c2757]

Just watched your video about "The Science Behind Yellowing Epoxy" which explains why epoxy castings yellow and some suggested ideas to minimise the yellowing. Will the headlamp lens you made in this video, yellow over time and if so what sort of time period would it be? I've also just watched Epoxy Heat Resistance vs Heat Deflection Temperature. I need to make some lenses with similar usage to the one in this video. What effect does the bulb inside the headlamp have on the casting, or more specifically, how do I work out whether my headlamp lens is going to melt or burst into flames the first time I turn the headlights on?

[@corail53]

There is UV resistant epoxy out there that won't yellow. As for your second question - it won't be an issue.

[@patpatpat999]

I would hope you would make many extra sets and make available to the community.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Although we don't provide pre-made sets we do offer the resources and the products for you to learn to make your own!

[@JSwan-bd1tc]

Wow, this is a great way to make NLA parts! Thanks for sharing.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@divertechnology]

Great video. It may be just me, but it seems the last part when you put the content in the mold, should have some pipe to insert it. and may be another to release the air.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's one technique that a lot of people used but it isn't necessary!

[@DrStrange1000]

Mannnnnnnnn that was an AWESOME video. Thank you!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank YOU!

[@tisoy909]

How strong is this water clear resin once hardened? My original headlight lens is held to its housing with metal spring clamp fasteners and I'm concerned the tension can distort or break a molding as it is not rigid as glass. Or I would tend to assume. Are these molds uv resistant? Thank you.

[@paulbradford8240]

What a skill to be able to replicate those parts.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Yes, it's pretty fascinating! Thanks for watching!

[@pcpatel01]

Thank you for the informative video, helped me to replicate one of my product

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Glad it helped! Thanks for the comment :)

[@glikar1]

Very cool! Wondering if working in a dust free environment is advisable since your producing optical components?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Yes, we definitely recommend working in a clean area! You don't want any particulates settling on the surface of your project!!

[@TheHelado36]

I would love to do this !

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

give it a try!

[@sachsenleipzig3889]

Wow!!! Cool!!!

[@Chaosghostrider666]

Maravilloso. Ahora va salir una ley o una normativa que va a impedir que hagas esas copias y te van a multar. por que a las grandes empresas no les conviene que repares. Grandioso trabajo.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank you for watching!

[@SadAnorak]

Think you have done an amazing job here. Shame that so many comments are from those who are armchair experts at doing it another way.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the kind words! When it comes to making, there isn't one right way to do things.

[@timhofstetter5654]

Don't read them if you have an objection to them. It's all up to you to make them completely transparent. Or do you just like going around telling people to shut up?

[@keithnoneya]

Loved it. Super job guys. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks Keith!

[@chuahyucheng9896]

How to cast tail lights with different color tone? Could you guys do a video on it? It would be really helpful. Thank you in advance! 👍👍

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Awesome idea! In short, you would follow this same process, but add a tiny bit of our flow dye to your resin before pouring!

[@GotScout]

Just a thought... is it smart using clay and silicone that are the same color?!!!!! I mean a grey clay and a blue silicone would be easy to tell which is where...

[@1959Berre]

The result is amazing.

[@NotViewed]

Transparent Aluminum (in a scottish accent)

[@timhofstetter5654]

You missed the second 'i' in "alumin(i)um"... 8)

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@WatchRichRebuildsChannel]

Is the guy still happy with his light covers to this day?

[@policarpiojrgonzales2349]

"Perfect!"

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@SquirrelsForAll]

Beautifully done! WOW!

[@D3Sshooter]

amazing, something I need to do for the lotus lenses

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@javedsahibzada4069]

Sir exceptionally good wood

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@mtacoustic1]

How about making the clay and rubber mold material different colors so it would be easier to insure all the clay is removed?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You could always do that! This is just the clay that we had on hand!

[@jorgerostagnol3602]

Exellent. Muy bueno. Desde colonia uruguay.!!!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@albertovaldez4580]

Incredible mold ! I wonder if a lens obtained with this resin will yellow at sunlight

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great question! Urethane resins tend to hold up way better to yellowing than your typical epoxy - which makes it perfect for making headlights!

[@cocolumberwearenotalike2677]

Now im going to make clear motorcycle panel😍😍 thanks

[@muratseven3910]

Hi, it is not a glass, may be epoxy is this true? epoxy materials not using for long time.

[@roberttill3787]

Its not epoxy it is water clear acrylic casting resin, a different product.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

The end product is made from urethane resin!

[@hazyhaul5720]

Thanks exactly the knowledge i needed

[@jamiecampbell3068]

Wow. That is kick*ss !!! Haven't gone to your site, yet. Typing just after viewing. Question is : Would this resin be tintable ?? As in RED, for tail lights ??? Going to website now. Thanks for posting this process. Very cool !!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Yes! We have pigments available on our site as well!

[@KallePihlajasaari]

This is a great video with 382 comments, how about people give it a few thumbs-up so it gets more exposure.

[@mostafashokatzadeh1855]

hi..thanks..very useful but why keeping the mold horizontal and not vertically?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank you for watching! The mold is kept that way to allow air to escape - if the lid was pressed on top as resin was being poured in, there'd be more room for error/air to be trapped within the mold.

[@stivi739]

awesome stuff guys

[@fly2crawl]

The clay should be another color to make it easier to see for removal from the silicon.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's definitely an option! This is the color that we just happened to have on hand!

[@houseofno]

That blue was pretty easy for me to see. No problems here.

[@yourselfdotcomlol]

Pretty impressive

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@arealivreProjeto100k]

Perfect 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@bugwuggy]

That is awesome thanks for sharing that didn't know that could be done

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank you for watching!

[@kencohagen4967]

Cool stuff!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching Ken!

[@jimallen9442]

Why do you use blue clay, surely a different colour would be easier so see for removal?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Any color clay would work, this just happens to be the one we had on hand.

[@jimallen9442]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Haha, cant beat an honest answer. Does make me wonder tho, whats the chances of them both being so similar colour.

[@radanyadak6362]

Hello thanks for the cool video. How many times can I use this silicon mold without ending up withe a cloudy resin look? would the silicon mold`s surface roughen up over time? Thanks

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Go ahead and check out our more recent video on Silicone mold care!

[@franchescoencinas2875]

maravilloso trabajo (y)

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank you!

[@Doogleraia]

I have always wondered.. how would you go about doing it to "mirror-molding" something? Say for instance you have an antique car that was available in both left hand drive and right hand drive, but your left hand drive model's headlights are nigh on impossible to find parts for, but you can find the parts for the right hand drive version.. how would you create one for that?

[@dautm]

I imagine you need to scan it, 3D print the part, and if the printed part cannot be used then make a moulding from the print.

[@curvs4me]

Absolutely incredible!!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks so much!

[@FranciscoAngelini]

Amazing work ❤😮

[@igorzavaleta]

Regards from Lima, Peru. Do you have distribution in Perú?

[@TheTarrMan]

How long will it last in service? Won't the UV light from the sun yellow the plastic parts? It's cool to see people remaking these hard to find parts but it's too bad he can't find originals.

[@movieman6750]

Epoxy is way stronger than Plastic is , also you can apply Polyurethane UV protective layer and it will be fine

[@zorans5200]

Amazing!

[@bobussum]

Looks good, but is it functional? No doubt the resin has a different refractive index from the original glass. Probably not an issue in this case though.

[@andrewkaminskas7721]

when you are doing this process its usually for cars created in a time when people didnt know what those words meant

[@timhofstetter5654]

I'm thinking that the greater problem is that these lenses, being only a methacrylate, will weather very badly compared to glass and need to be replaced again & again as a result.

[@timhofstetter5654]

@@andrewkaminskas7721 "...In a time when people didn't know what those words meant..." ... meaning... like... 1500 years ago, right? People have had a pretty good clue about refractive indices for a very, very, very long time. Like since the first lenses.

[@GustavMeyer]

@@timhofstetter5654 And they will most likely yellow over time. Even the so called "UV stable" resins we use at work for weatherproofing electronics yellow after a couple of years outdoors. Even here in Norway where we aren't exactly spoiled with huge amounts of sunshine every year.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

It is functional! We have a few makers that use our Alumilite Water Clear urethane resin to restore headlights on their cars and they function just like normal! They will eventually weather or yellow from the elements - but this is the same for anything. Urethane resin is a tough, durable, long lasting material - but if you keep the mold on-hand, you can always make another one if need be!

[@MBB5658]

Is there a way to remove bubbles without vaccum chamber Or pressure pot?!!

[@1959Berre]

Insert a plastic straw and suck.

[@bara2ban]

One way is to heat up the resin but not too hot so it starts curing but it's not a perfect way. If you want 100% bubble free - gotta use vacuum chamber.

[@cherifowler137]

Wow!!

[@MidlandTexan]

Wow!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@worldlife954]

Is this type of epoxy resistant to UV. Any clue how long until it goes dull and yellow?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

The product used in this video is a urethane resin and is able to stand up to UV rays much better than your typical epoxy. It will still yellow eventually but it will take much much longer.

[@shyamyelamarti3113]

Great work. Great Skills.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the positive feedback and thanks for watching!

[@ferretface8782]

I would like to see a method to cut down on the amount of Alumilite. Maybe spray or brush on a layer, then build up the rest with some cheap filler like foam.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

There are a ton of ways to save silicone when working with these types of molds - it's typically a more advanced version of mold making which is why it isn't shown in this video!

[@spectre057]

Молодец мужик!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@rogerarseneau9728]

Great Video! Never knew this was possible... Very Interesting

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@juanvazquez-torres5676]

Thank you great 👍🏼

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@elvago777]

EXELENTE VIDEO, ME GUSTO MUCHO Y ESTARE PENDIENTE DE LOS NUEVOS VIDEOS QUE SUBA.....SALUDOS!!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@chuppoacobra]

Awesome!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@pedroalmodovar6709]

How does this reaction with the sun??? Will it haze or fade???

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Just like any plastic it will wear with time and environmental interactions.

[@pedroalmodovar6709]

@@AlumiliteCorporation so there's not something that I can add that will keep it from fading???

[@Veyron640]

excellent work.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@TurboMiniTV]

Interesting, I wonder how well that resin lens will fare when it gets hit by a rock ?

[@timhofstetter5654]

Very badly. Worse than glass.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

This resin has a shore hardness of 72 D which is about as durable and strong as a hardhat!

[@iddymalilo1367]

Please!, mention all the required materials used to make this..

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Plat 55 Silicone Mold Making Silicone www.alumilite.com/products/plat-55-silicone-rubber/ Alumilite Water Clear Resin www.alumilite.com/products/alumilite-water-clear/ Alumilite Synthetic Clay www.alumilite.com/accessories/synthetic-modeling-clay-1lb/ Alumilite Clay Tools www.alumilite.com/accessories/4-piece-carver-set/ Alumilite UMR Release Agent www.alumilite.com/accessories/umr-12oz/

[@othername1000]

UV?

[@quickturn66]

Impressive

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@rochewijnaar5374]

wow that looks really good

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching, we appreciate it!

[@utubemutube4255]

very clever loved it

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@chamaramax5841]

Wow clear

[@tyroneclarke1666]

Brilliant work sir. Regards 🦘🇦🇺

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@haa3604]

That must of cost a lot of money in time and product to reproduce the lense cover.

[@jdmderick]

aah the funny KZbin algorithm bringing up videos from 2016..

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Our 2016 videos seem to be our most popular 😅

[@destinybrakebill8970]

Wow awesome

[@robsonlinsalves6847]

Muito bom mesmo valeu

[@arundas2267]

EXCELLENT!!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Glad you found it helpful, thank you for the feedback!

[@babuji7363]

Great video! I have one question. Quick question about the clay. Can plastilina clay be used for the base?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You can use alternative clays but you'll want to check the ingredients to make sure they don't include any cure-inhibiting properties like sulfer!

[@andrewmendez6136]

How did this hold up with the heat of the light? Also if i wanted to make a replica with out the ridges is possible to make a clear lense any tips for a beginner?