Ever tried to cut a taillight lens? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Zacharias · #16 04-17-2013, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

I wonder if he is waiting on the free 300TD rear passenger tail light lense from me to attempt this procedure.

NAIL

HEAD

BANG

So didja ship 'er yet

???

Zacharias · #17 04-17-2013, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

at this point, just buy a good used one. Your time should be factored into the cost and if my time spent hacking a part together is more than buying a good used part or new is more then I just buy the new part.

Says the man who has obviously not recently shopped for a used w123 wagon RIGHT lens

.

I tried to buy one off a guy who was parting two w123 wagons on the parts for sale subforum. I got this like, dude, like rant, like dude, like it's cold dude and I been skiiing all day so like dude I want like $80 plus one hour labour plus postage to pull it 'cause it's cold outside dude.

Any reasonable, not-substance-altered humans on this list want to sell a decent one... drop me a line

.

vstech · #18 04-17-2013, 08:07 AM

I think my 85 euro still has lenses in it.. I'll look.

KAdams4458 · #19 04-17-2013, 12:49 PM

Even the sedan lenses are getting pricey you ask me, but you wagon folks have really got it bad. If I can find the time, I will go try a few slicing and bonding techniques on the broken lens from my parts car, and report back. I feel that the previous suggesting of leaving a little of the bad lens section on each piece you intend to reuse and sanding it down to the final cut line with a belt or block is going to provide the best results. Wetting the bonding edges with acetone or MEK and clamping them is also likely to be the best bonding method.

MBZ123 · #20 04-17-2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

I got this like, dude, like rant, like dude, like it's cold dude and I been skiiing all day so like dude I want like $80 plus one hour labour plus postage to pull it 'cause it's cold outside dude.

I pictured Floyd from "True Romance" as I read that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

Any reasonable, not-substance-altered humans on this list want to sell a decent one... drop me a line

.

Yeah, saying he wants labor to pull it is a crock. WE. You might not do much better on pricing though. What's your budget? I might just have a few around here somewheres.

TX76513 · #21 04-17-2013, 05:03 PM

There is a saw blade for circular saws called Ti-Cut that are specificaly made for hard plastic, no chip welding and are a thin profile so you don't loose a lot of material.

Zacharias · #22 04-17-2013, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBZ123

Yeah, saying he wants labor to pull it is a crock. WE. You might not do much better on pricing though. What's your budget? I might just have a few around here somewheres.

Believe it or not this will be the third I have put onto this car in two years. I paid $35-65 plus shipping for the others here and on the Bay. The car isn't a pile of beauty, hence the taillights need not be either (within reason). Also, not to whine but I am a Canuck and if you haven't shipped anything the size of a taillight cross-border in the last 24 months... be prepared for sticker shock from USPS.

I DO plan to piece one together from my current one and daw_two's broken one, but the key to success here will be to keep that one in reserve after I put an intact one on the car. I have discovered that whatever I hoard as spare parts... never fails on my cars.

Hence I expect the result of this cunning strategy will be that the next taillight I install will last until at least 2020.

Seriously, let me know if you have one, anyone, but I want to see DT's one when it arrives to see if it will make do.

Volker · #23 04-17-2013, 05:41 PM

for you just have it sent UPS and held at the depot in Plattsburgh or Dundee. Cross border and install it on the car in the parking lot...

Graham · #24 04-17-2013, 05:58 PM

Zach,
After reading this convoluted thread, I still am not sure if you really want to merge two broken lenses.

I have no good ones to offer, which is a pity, because then we wouldn't need to use USPS.

What I would do, is cut with a fine tooth blade - rotary on dremel or manual. But cut about 3/32" away from desired line for both parts. Then use a sanding machine and carefully sand both parts to the marked lines. Do it slowly, but even so, you may get some melting. Let it harden and cut away excess with a knife.

Once both parts are cut and trimmed, next step is to glue. But what glue? Ideally something clear. Depends on type of plastic the lenses are made from. Maybe a hobby shop has a suitable plastic glue? Weldoon has many adhesives. 3M have also have many plastic adhesives. Cyanoacrylates (crazy glue) might work. Maybe NAPA has a specific taillight glue?

Have fun!

KAdams4458 · #25 04-17-2013, 06:19 PM

Found five minutes to take a broken chunk of red lens to the 270 FPM belt sander. It sands pretty well. Just used a light touch. You really have to shove the piece in to the belt for it to start melting.

t walgamuth · #26 04-17-2013, 07:00 PM

I'm not sure but I suspect that I could cut it straighter with a saw than cutting long and trying to sand it square. With model cement it does not have to be perfect.

eatont9999 · #27 04-17-2013, 08:19 PM

Cutting the lens and gluing it back together will likely not look as good as a replacement unit.

If W123 tail lights are that rare for some people, let me know if you need any. I see lots of W123s in the yards down here but I pick very few parts from them because I have a W126 and most parts are not compatible. I can't justify buying parts for a car that I do not own but if someone wants me to pull parts for them, I can do that. Just pay PNP price plus shipping and give me a little to wet my beak and make up for my time; I'll be happy to pull small parts like that for members here. I'm at the yards at least once a month looking for parts for my car, so it's not like I won't already be there.

MBZ123 · #28 04-17-2013, 10:50 PM

Another possibility you might wantto try is making the cuts at congruent angles. The result would be much less noticeable. Plastic would require you keep the angle moderate though.

Better options would be: make the cut at the color change or the bottom of one of the horizontal projections? (technical nomenclature unk.)

Snap some pics. May just find someone here suggests a technique that hadn't crossed your mind.

I'd sure be curious. The DS/LHS taillight of one pair I currently have has a chip near the top of the amber around the tailgate end. A little smaller than a dime-sized semi-circle. I contemplated attempting the same fix, cut & epoxy, but decided not to. Hardly noticeable with lift gate closed. This could change my mind.

MBZ123

samboyellowsub · #29 04-18-2013, 12:00 AM

use a wood cutting blade on a chop saw. you're using an abrasive cutting wheel on your dremel which is designed for cutting metal. count your fingers when you're done.

t walgamuth · #30 04-18-2013, 05:48 AM

The chop saw may be the best idea yet. I'd use a fine tooth blade designed for plywood I think. With allowances for the blade thickness you should be able to get it almost perfect. The 123 sedan has a sizable straight and flat surface to work with, I cannot remember off the top if the wagon light is the same in that respect or not.