Hi,
In a box of Minor related spares that I recently bought came a pair of rear light lenses, serviceable apart from the fact that one had a problem which I've seen a few times before and, I'm guessing, might be quite common, in that the bottom screw fixing point had broken off (Rusted in screw?? Who knows...).
Anyway, rather than throw it away I thought why not repair it with some Araldite I had lying around. Araldite sets like a resin and adheres to most things brilliantly, also once it's gone off it can be cut with a knife or small hacksaw blade and filed or sanded to shape, as required.
So placing the damaged lens on a flat piece of hardboard I set to work. Once mixed the Araldite just needs holding in place until it starts to go off, I used a piece of flat plastic and a match box to keep it in position....
[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
Once it had gone off I set about separating it from the hardboard and trimming it with a Stanley knife / junior hacksaw blade, roughly to shape. I then shaped it further with a small file.
[frame][/frame] The under side, once shaped with hacksaw blade and knife. I mixed a generous amount of Araldite, to ensure I got the depth required, both to rebuild the sides bottoms that had fractured away as well and to get the depth for the area that would form the new fixing point for the retaining screw. [frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
I then drilled the hole for the retaining screw, this can be 'adjusted' later, as required, with a small file I have, to ensure it sits right.
Which just leave the problem of colour.....
Using Humbrol enamels I gave it a thin coat of red as a base, on top of that I used the top layer from an unmixed tin of Humbrol gloss red (see pictures), this gives it the 'see through' lens look, or a close as I can get, so far, I'm still playing with the colour effect but I think I'm getting there.....
[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
Unfortunately the photo's bring the red colour to the fore, it looks better (more lens like) in the flesh, so to speak.
Not perfect I know and certainly not one for the concourse boys but for mere mortals like me I hope this will be a useful 'how to', both as a way of saving money and you get the satisfaction of rebuilding / reusing something rather than just throwing it away.
Plus, as this is the bottom screw hole, it will be out of sight to most people looking at your car anyway.
Best wishes,
Mike.
Last edited by jagnut66 on Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
Cracking bit of Blue Peter work there fair play I have the same trouble with the lens on my 69 tourer I might just give that a go when I get around to it my late father was a big fan of araldite!
Nice job Mike
When I built and flew model aircraft I used to use a product called microballoons to help bulk out the epoxy when using epoxy to add strength to joints in the airframe. It can also be added to wood glue too. It helps make sanding and shaping easier. http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/product ... heres.aspx
Richard
Opinions are like people,everyone can be different.
As an aside, for those not old enough to remember where this phrase came from:
Make Do and Mend was a pamphlet issued by the British Ministry of Information in the midst of WWII. It was intended to provide housewives with useful tips on how to be both frugal and stylish in times of harsh rationing. With its thrifty design ideas and advice on reusing old clothing, the pamphlet was an indispensable guide for households. Readers were advised to create pretty ‘decorative patches’ to cover holes in warn garments; unpick old jumpers to re-knit chic alternatives; turn men’s clothes into women’s; as well as darn, alter and protect against the ‘moth menace’.
[frame][/frame]
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
Good job!! I keep meaning to sort out the cracks on the steering wheel of my series 11 with some areldite.
Recently I was using my old triumph bicycle and the pedal rubber came off, and they are pretty hard to find. So I went back the way I had come and found it. I thought to myself how would Dad have fixed that??? After some head scratching and some tying wire its back were it belongs
Hi,
As a post note I would like to say that I am very pleased with the end result, a few more applications of the unmixed Humbrol red glosses top layer has left it looking quite lens like and, in my view, once more fit for purpose.
I will also make a mental note of what 'Whyperion' says about overtightening the screws.
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
Nicely done.
Anything you could add to the araldite to colour it without stopping it going off? I tried this sort of repair on a steering wheel crack with a bit of black boot polish. Anything more than a small amount would stop it going off.
Great work i love to see anything mended and re-used rather than be thrown away, Araldite is amazing for many jobs and I have used powder pigments from plastic industries with it in the past, they were normally left over from clearances, but i have found i can buy pigments and all sorts of plastic moulding supplies from a place i get fibre glass matting and resin from.
