tsquale's PITA dome he doesn't need but is salvaging thread

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Some of you may have seen my thread showing the Dual-Comm that I received with this dome on it. It appears it was originally clear but somewhere in it's miserable existence someone applied paint or a translucent amber sticker on it.

I was able to chip away at some of it, but that route has failed. Tried a hair dryer to heat things up like a blackberry brandy at the prom and that failed too.

I took 80 grit to the entire thing and wetsanded by hand. That quickly peeled the color away, but didn't quite cut through the rest of the paint film whatever. Out of frustration I tried a 3M headlight kit on the side I chipped away at. It made it go from a 1 out of 10 to a 3 out of 10...

Still not satisfied with it, so here I am to wine about it while I crack open a cold one to devise my next plan for another day.

Suggestions welcomed, beer (or whiskey) donations appreciated as I am sure this will further require my time and elbow grease.

Photos of what's going on:
Starting point
IMG_20190103_115514181.jpg

After wetsanding
IMG_20190107_223356075.jpg
IMG_20190107_223338019.jpg

After 3M headlight kit on the one side only
IMG_20190107_224929121.jpg
IMG_20190107_224937017.jpg
IMG_20190107_224949409.jpg
 

JazzDad

Member
Aug 5, 2011
5,165
USA
Sometimes you have to settle for translucent instead of transparent. It's a compromise for the sake of your blood pressure.
 
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Tried a hair dryer to heat things up like a blackberry brandy at the prom....
:D
Um...not sure beer or whisky will be any more effective for wet sanding....although I've had some spirits that ran more toward the "mineral" side. Try GooGone. It may not be strong enough but it won't harm the dome. Or you may have to try a stronger solvent. As Elmer Fudd once said, "Be vewy, vewy careful!"
 
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gtpts27

Member
Jul 1, 2017
579
Virginia
Assume you used a drill w the 3M kit? Also may need to take more material off with the gold discs (500 grit) and/or get more of them. You can buy the discs on Amazon.
 
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tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Assume you used a drill w the 3M kit? Also may need to take more material off with the gold discs (500 grit) and/or get more of them. You can buy the discs on Amazon.
I do use a drill. The 500 grit isn't enough. I'm thinking of getting some tougher grit for the drill
 
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Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Honestly if 500 grit isn't working you may want to try hand wet sanding then. then once everything is off go back with the drill to the higher grits to smooth things out.

I have a bunch of Twinsonic domes that need to be revitalized.. I'm just lazy ;)
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Honestly if 500 grit isn't working you may want to try hand wet sanding then. then once everything is off go back with the drill to the higher grits to smooth things out.

I have a bunch of Twinsonic domes that need to be revitalized.. I'm just lazy ;)
I started with hand wetsanding with 80grit, just wasn't cutting through... :(

If you have a blue Twin dome, I'm a buyer.
 

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