First attempt at earning my CB title

[rturbett]

Landing light restoration- new part, $100. Restoration kit, $15

I have used the 3m headlight restoration kit successfully on car headlights, wanted to spruce up the landing light comer on the M20J.

Its a little scary when you used the first round of sandpaper on it. First 500 grit, then 800 grit then they jump to a 3000 wet sanding. The finish on it brings it to crystal clear.   a couple of points to consider- only do it with a power drill- I've never had luck doing it by hand. Use a folded towel underneath to support the curved surface.

 

pictures loaded out of order. foggy, then sanded, then clear finish in the middle.

 

 

[201er]

Does your landing light appear one bit brighter from the cabin?

[mike_elliott]

Ah yes, A proud new owner! Rob, here is what I use on the plastic lenses

https://www.amazon.com/NOVUS-PK1-8-Plastic-Scratch-Remover-Bottles/dp/B002UCYRZU/ref=sr_1_8?crid=29OBJW8FFN9AI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rEfS2Z0Nh7cGsY1LXpJOpim-1k9KW-iZwHMOJIEA1n7erCEsiVxOEt-l_I_3hc-3B7TGTI3JxAiH2XwcZhGjt9mke4pCfzUL_y0cvYEuyrcBL7B7C29wEoEtwnJ8SM-1uI4GqnUPPzJG4VsLD_qsDnIXj4Zsrp36AjGUcnLEB2mtGHg4eCA8AFMP54WNSg4YilHiEBFgCEHwH04Ljju0l71-lUwOz2U9lD6ea-ViaJ7N1HGA4ZkQ7f991Gb1EttUR-Jwlr1nZ6Euh5KpBu8-8vUPEuxlxCMYgFVTNBIm13Y.3o9EWgB8tx-d-46VuzJwSw5VtgFxT60ZjLC0WrX-aUw&dib_tag=se&keywords=plastic+polish&qid=1709159045&sprefix=plastic+polich%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-8

 

and if your J has a polished aluminum spinner, this stuff cant be beat for ease of use and for shine longevity

https://www.amazon.com/CALIFORNIA-CUSTOM-Products-Deoxidizer-Stainless/dp/B0BD1FHV8F/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3NQOQT76EB7V8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ld7IYfdD7kUshjrbI5QrU14i5Ur4YefrqcNWWyBTVHE618fG10MamFXnpjS2pi7VCejwlTyUPNAL_cFMvMVWBbbLzgXxUvkXqlbPXozc_wHySKsEoRjgrwn9XSDM5k5bslzwgIL8QUYLTNS9zQDvaPnDJl4eKjjXH61XNtV0nNDaoJJZaAPRwZD0IMrYi2ul7-ltKNzff6uTXgRY4v2mtHKWH27bTzpe8znH-Mwm3EGF-LdXLru_6Zc2YU3f1Z9jEk2UW2F3DaRyzXAdjyDqDPzI7EKwT4s1sWkOetMXUUQ.rd3UkKdFgBPtE0Oqm6mkiV5ZBwCmGA1_IfiK4pxnv3I&dib_tag=se&keywords=california+purple+metal+polish&qid=1709159193&sprefix=california+purple%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

You have my contact info, let me know if I can ever help you in ownership or flying concerns.

I hope we will see you at the Mooney Summit next Oct!

[Ragsf15e]

33 minutes ago, rturbett said:

Landing light restoration- new part, $100. Restoration kit, $15

I have used the 3m headlight restoration kit successfully on car headlights, wanted to spruce up the landing light comer on the M20J.

Its a little scary when you used the first round of sandpaper on it. First 500 grit, then 800 grit then they jump to a 3000 wet sanding. The finish on it brings it to crystal clear.   a couple of points to consider- only do it with a power drill- I've never had luck doing it by hand. Use a folded towel underneath to support the curved surface.

 

pictures loaded out of order. foggy, then sanded, then clear finish in the middle.

 

 

Sorry, no cb award because you spent 3 gallons of avgas on a restoration kit!  Coulda used toothpaste.   j/k, it looks awesome!

[EricJ]

Another CB alternative is just get a new piece of polycarb or acrylic from Home Despot and cut a new one.    Less sanding and polishing that way. 

[rturbett]

2 hours ago, 201er said:

Does your landing light appear one bit brighter from the cabin?

not sure- its more about showing the airplane the respect and attention it deserves.

[rturbett]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Sorry, no cb award because you spent 3 gallons of avgas on a restoration kit!  Coulda used toothpaste.   j/k, it looks awesome!

Damn! had I known!  Tube of toothpaste is only a couple of bucks!

[rturbett]

2 hours ago, EricJ said:

Another CB alternative is just get a new piece of polycarb or acrylic from Home Despot and cut a new one.    Less sanding and polishing that way. 

but the sawblade is $$

[Hank]

2 hours ago, rturbett said:

but the sawblade is $$

Use a coping saw, then sand the edge carefully afterwards. 

[N201MKTurbo]

When I made mine, I just covered it in masking tape, marked it from the old one. Then just started cutting straight lines on the table saw until it was close and finished it on the belt sander. It tool all of 10 minutes to get it to shape. Then I carefully and slowly heated it with a heat gun and bent it over the side of a Home Depot bucket. I didn’t make it the same radius as the HD bucket, I just used it as something to push against until the plastic cooled. It took a few go around with the bucket and heat gun to get the curvature just right. Way longer than cutting it out. It took almost 45 minutes to make it.

[mooneyflyfast]

Now we need a CB solution for the clear plastic wingtip lens $300+ last time Ichecked.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, mooneyflyfast said:

Now we need a CB solution for the clear plastic wingtip lens $300+ last time Ichecked.

Glue a few sheets of MDF together until it is thick enough. Cut it out so it is about the shape of the existing lens. Use the old lens as a guide and sand the MDF down till it fits perfectly into the old lens. If you over sand, apply some Bondo and sand it down. Once you have a plug, make a hot box out of plywood to hang the sheet of plastic. Heat it up till it is soft and slump it over the plug. If it won’t slump well, you will need to make a vacuum plate from pegboard and use the shop vac to pull it down.