Problem with nightshading my 3rd brakelight.

[ppself]

Today i decided to nightshade(spray paint for lights) my 3rd brake light. Well i pull the light out sand it down and do the instructions on the can. This isn't my first time doing this and have done the same thing on my blinkers and reflectors. So my problem is, is that after i painted i noticed that their was more dominate veins in the coat. Looked like stress cracks with a rigid finish, not as smooth as my other jobs.

I don't know what went wrong i painted the same as my other jobs. So i tried wet sanding it down and repainted with lighter coats. This time around i finished and the veins were not as visible. Can't really notice unless the brake light pressed now.

Sucks that this isn't "perfect" but i was wondering what would cause this to happen? I am not a paint pro so i wanted to know if it was something that i didn't know. If i can i will just get some more nightshade and resand and try again in the future.

 

[Zoomzoom17]

Not sure on this man but how did you pull of the light, and are you using VHT? Just mapping out what I'm going to be doing to mine, how did you do that for the reflectors?

 

[ppself]

Not sure on this man but how did you pull of the light, and are you using VHT? Just mapping out what I'm going to be doing to mine, how did you do that for the reflectors?

Yea i pulled the light out when painting, same as my reflectors and blinkers. It's best to pull out whatever it is your painting. The light all you have to do is pop the trunk cover off and unscrew the light casing from the bumper. Unplug the bulb too.

The reflectors should pop out, there is a hook on one side of them that you can wiggle out with a flat head screwdriver. Just make sure to use a soft towel around the screwdriver when handling around the reflectors and blinker. Or you will scratch the metal of plastic bumper, I learned the hard.

I used VHT nightshade which i got a new can today and redid the brake light and came out prefect. I don't know what it was, i am guessing it was the old paint that was what causing it to crack and vein up.

 

[Zoomzoom17]

Yea i pulled the light out when painting, same as my reflectors and blinkers. It's best to pull out whatever it is your painting. The light all you have to do is pop the trunk cover off and unscrew the light casing from the bumper. Unplug the bulb too.

The reflectors should pop out, there is a hook on one side of them that you can wiggle out with a flat head screwdriver. Just make sure to use a soft towel around the screwdriver when handling around the reflectors and blinker. Or you will scratch the metal of plastic bumper, I learned the hard.

I used VHT nightshade which i got a new can today and redid the brake light and came out prefect. I don't know what it was, i am guessing it was the old paint that was what causing it to crack and vein up.

How many layers of paint? Any sanding? Primer? And did you do your Tail lights also?

 

[ppself]

No i didn't do anything to my tail ligths. They already have a black backing inside of them so it compliments the blacked out 3rd light.

All i did when painting is sand the light casing with a medium grit and then sand with light grit. 3 light coats of the nightshade, and then 3 coats of a clear coat. You can do more coats of the clear coat but i wouldn't go more than 3 coats on the nightshade. 3 is already pretty dark.

No primer is needed since you want light to pass through the nightshade paint.

Hope that helps.

 

[Zoomzoom17]

No i didn't do anything to my tail ligths. They already have a black backing inside of them so it compliments the blacked out 3rd light.

All i did when painting is sand the light casing with a medium grit and then sand with light grit. 3 light coats of the nightshade, and then 3 coats of a clear coat. You can do more coats of the clear coat but i wouldn't go more than 3 coats on the nightshade. 3 is already pretty dark.

No primer is needed since you want light to pass through the nightshade paint.

Hope that helps.

Thanks man that's perfect.

 

[DarkSpeed3]

Always wipe the tail lights down with alcohol before spraying the night shades on. Let it (alcohol) dry and go at it.

 

[dark3]

^^ thats is true but the plastic on tail lights are different from the 3rd brake light
had the same thing happen to me on other plastics.
usually its the plastic. the vht acts as an "corrosive" substance, when it hits the plastic it "cracks" it. its best, at times, to spray it from the inside not outside.
idk if that makes sense.