headlamp silver restoration

[denper]

1932 dodge head lamp, i am going to convert to LED lamps, the silver on my reflectors are shot. does anyone know how to resilver these reflectors? thanks for what ever info you can give me

[keiser31]

Uvira in Oregon.

Uvira, Inc.

310 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Merlin, OR 97532

Telephone: +1.541.956.6880

Fax: +1.541.476.9096

[keiser31]

Check out this thread about them....

 

[Flivverking]

I believe a trip to your favorite plater is required first to have your  reflectors repaired if needed , polished and nickel plated prior to sending them to Uvira for their process of vaporized or vapor deposited aluminum reflective coating.

 

I'm ready to have a pair done also..

 

 

[C Carl]

Yes, Uvira is an evaporative aluminization process done in a high-vacuum chamber. If the coating is left unmolested,(properly protected, properly, gently and infrequently cleaned), it may be totally serviceable for your great great grandkids. Cost, preparation, and shipping with associative liabilities/risks, may be a factor in your choice. In many cases, as long as you’re at the plater, might as well have them add an electroplated silver layer and be done with it. As we know, a silver coating may last for decades if it is properly protected, properly, gently and infrequently cleaned, (use well seasoned , extremely clean cotton cloth dampened with kerosene or turpentine, and lampblack . VERY GENTLE straight radial strokes, folding and refolding the cloth to use clean portions as you continue). There is also another process of slivering , which commercial glass companies use to manufacture mirrors. 50-60-100+ years ago , amateur telescope makers such as I was when a child, would have our reflective optics so coated. It is a chemical precipitation process, and instructions were included in “how to” astronomy hobby  books of the era. We just took our mirrors to the commercial company, but certainly were capable of the chemistry at the time. Might have been fun, (or dangerous), for an “adventurous” kid, as I remember there was some percussion explosive, (fulminate of mercury ? Like those Firecraker Day “poppers”) , which either was , or could be a byproduct of the process. This might be possible for deposition on a metallic substrate rather than glass, but I am somewhat skeptical. I seem to remember that nitric acid was a component of the “brew”, so there would be the possibility of some adverse reactivity. You make your choices, and pay the prices.

                     In favor of enhanced night vision, particularly in low ambient light conditions,   -   20/20 old Carl 

 

P.S. DO NOT USE THE ABOVE TECHNIQUE FOR CLEANING THE UVIRA COATINGS. VACUUM DEPOSITED AND OVERCOATED SURFACES NEED EVEN MORE DELICATE CLEANING. WATER BATH WITH EXTREMELY DILUTE SOAP AND ALCOHOL SOLUTION AND BARE CLEAN HANDS. USE AS LITTLE PRESSURE AS YOU CAN APPLY ! 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by C Carl
Add P.S. (see edit history)

[Akstraw]

I have had mine re-silvered by Steve’s Auto Restorations in Portland,Oregon.

http://www.stevesautorestorations.com/services/headlight-resilvering/

 

[Bloo]

Is Uvira still doing it? I thought I read in a thread here that they were not.

 

Here are a set I had done in real silver at Frank Mance Plating, of Pittsburgh PA.

 

.

[denper]

thank you everyone for your replies, will take your recommendations. 

[Flivverking]

Note..when all is said and done..there is approximately a $150.00 difference between the 2 processes...The re-silver the higher.

 

Cost of shipping and your local pre nickel plating for Uvira is the variant of up or down a few bucks.

[JACK M]

I am not a big fan of LED headlights as they don't really seem to lend themselves to a beam.

I don't think the technology is there yet.

BUT they are certainly obnoxious to oncoming traffic.