Painting the Lexan windows/light covers

[Eric McClellan]

I talked with Howard last night, neat guy with lots of useful information. I felt bad because I had to cut the conversation short, but will definitely follow up with him to pick his brain more.

I asked him about painting the lexan windows/light covers and how guys were doing that. I understand that the paint is a specific type to stick to lexan.

My question extends to the accent trim paint some people are doing, which looks very sharp I might add, to the windows and light covers, sort of like a trim ring, but in black mostly it seems.

How are you guys accomplishing this?

Thanks for the help!

~Eric

 

[Howard Jones]

Here's some Google search results:

http://www.gt-racing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/GTR_WIndshield_Install.pdf

Lexan & Border Black Paint [Archive] - Competition Diesel.Com - Bringing The BEST Together

Lexan window border paint prep - Yellow Bullet Forums

Lane's SCA - 92 SC Performance Enhancements (3)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/86857-lexan-window-question/

Good Lexan info:

I need instructions on making lexan windows (step-by-step) - Honda-Tech

Lexan Goodness | 4amRacing

 

[Eric McClellan]

Well Christ, now I feel stupid! LOL

Howard comes through again

 

[Jack]

Eric, Howard is a wealth of information. Ask and you shall receive.
I have followed his lead on a few related projects for my SL-C.

 

[Mesa]

As a kid my second racing discipline was 1/8 scale gas R/C cars (first was HO slot). I can tell you, you could not get solvent based paint off of those lexan bodies with a bomb once painted (and trust me these car were crashed HARD at times). The only thing you needed to do was put it on medium wet (no sanding needed), too dry and it would not bite into the lexan, too wet and it would bleed under the masking. Now all of this was done with an airbrush not a bomb can, and there would be some trial and error to get yourself dialed in.

As far as scuffing lexan windows, I would say it would will be influenced by the type of paint applied. In some cases where the paint has some chemical bite to it a gray scuff pad would be fine, in others where (say water based paints) it does not bite into the substrate then a more aggressive grit would be needed. As long as one does not get too sloppy with the sanding, I'd say hiding the sand marks from a back side application would be easy with anything less than 400 grit. make sure you 'wash' away any sanding residue before application of paint. The thinner paints will flow into the scratches easier and fill them in better, the thicker paints will sit on top and not flow into the scratches as well and have a chance of ''bridging'' the sand gaps. This is when you would be able to see ''scratches from the top side of a clear lexan glass.

In all cases I'd get a scrap piece of lexan to test which methodology works best with your materials.

 

[Jack]

Like Rob mentioned, I would use a gray scuff pad just to take the gloss off of the surface areas to be painted. The Lexan Border paint seems to work well.

 

[Kent]

I would just vinyl wrap the whole part, then trim/ peel-away the part I wanted exposed with a razor blade and cardboard template.