Cool beacon & great job on the dome! I would love to know your process…I have a pair of clear SignalStat DualComm domes that were so clouded, I couldn’t see that one of the rotators was missing! Bar is now complete, but after much, much work, the domes are still cloudy. Share your tips?
I'll try and keep this answer compact, feel free to PM me for specifics.
1st realize you can't save every dome, and balance that with how much effort you want to put in vs the expected results. Simply put you can spend days working on a dome, get it to a certain point.. and then no matter how much time you spend any additional improvement is slow in coming vs effort expended.
Sum up the item in question, how bad is it?
I typically start by washing the dome with dish soap and water... then while still wet I will follow up with Magic Eraser, only do this to the outside of the dome. Magic Eraser does great things removing paint and other gunk like oil residue tar and sap. Not to mention dried up rubber gasket residue!
wet sanding 101.. determine how low of a starting grit you want to go with.. I rarely start with less then 1000, and even then 800 is the minimum. Also remember that for every level down you start, you will need to re-sand at a higher grit, So start @1000, then 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500.. etc. Where you start and stop depends on your desired endgame.. again balance effort vs payoff.
Fill your sink or basin with water and dish soap, let the sanding media absorb water and start to curl. Then a whole lot of elbow grease, Between stages empty the sink and rinse and wash the dome, look for areas that need more attention while the dome is dry. Fill back up and start with the next grit.. rinse and repeat.
This last section is what works for you, Auto Rubbing Compound, or Novus, or PlastX.. pick your poison. Apply to the dome either with an applicator or a power ball attachment, then let dry. Wipe with clean terry cloth or Auto Detailing towel, visually inspect. I have good luck with Auto Rubbing compound, then Novus.. it really digs into the oxidization and clears it up. Don't be afraid to mix it up abit to determine what works best for you, just remember to use clean applicator pads and attachments for each product.
Last part.. Apply a sealing wax.. Pick your poison again, I have had good luck with even the most basic Wally Mart carnuba wax. Then buff it out like you did with the previous step, this will make the domes really shine, and offer some UV and protection to your finish.
Ok so maybe not so short, Patience and effort will pay off in the end.
Rob
