Headlamp covers - anybody tried.......

[GeriatricWanderer]

..... to make their own?

I'm not really a skinflint but I thought some covers would be a good idea. I had some on a previous motorhome but I'm still paying off the bank loan I had to take out to pay for them - so.. I thought..why not see if it's possible to knock a pair up myself.

I'm no plastics expert but I assume they're made from Perspex?

I have a couple of left over Perspex greenhouse windows so I'm tempted to see if putting a piece in very hot water would make it pliable enough to form to a headlamp glass but I just wonder if anyone out there has already tried (and failed?)

 

[Lenny HB]

You need to use UV proof polycarbonate, made some for my van.

 

[markh]

You'll not get it hot enough to shape it from hot water, a heat gun, for paint stripping will get it hot enough, not sure how you'll hold it when it's that hot though

 

[Deleted34567]

Check out "Lexan" .... it's a particular polycarbonate and I use it in aircraft windshields. Virtually up breakable, if you give it a form, say over something the same profile as your lights and gently heat it and let it stay formed for 24 hours it will maintain its shape. The form needs to be tighter than the required shape as it will bounce back about 20%. It's great stuff but expensive and I think it only comes in 8x4 sheets in different thickness from .5 mm up to 200mm. I usually have 1.5 mm stuff in workshop, may have enough end pieces to do you if you send me the dimensions required I will check. I'll post it off to you if any good.

 

[Lenny HB]

Lexan is what I used, cheap on eBay about 10 quid from Trent Plastics.

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[GeriatricWanderer]

Check out "Lexan" .... it's a particular polycarbonate and I use it in aircraft windshields. Virtually up breakable, if you give it a form, say over something the same profile as your lights and gently heat it and let it stay formed for 24 hours it will maintain its shape. The form needs to be tighter than the required shape as it will bounce back about 20%. It's great stuff but expensive and I think it only comes in 8x4 sheets in different thickness from .5 mm up to 200mm. I usually have 1.5 mm stuff in workshop, may have enough end pieces to do you if you send me the dimensions required I will check. I'll post it off to you if any good.

Thanks for the generous offer.
At the moment I'm far from home, and my camper, and just pondering some projects for when I get back home at the end of March.
I may well then, take you up on your offer and get my tape measure out.