Headlight reflector resilvering

[johndee138]

Where might I get my headlight reflector resilvered? Any idea on the cost? Also I have a lens that has a #1 at the top. I is an original Duolamp piece. Should I run this or get a replacement repop to use?

[Chris Haynes]

The number 1 simply tells you the number of the mold currently in use.
I also work on Model A Fords. In that field we have found that re silvering always tarnishes so aluminum resurfacing is being done. Try UVIRA at (541) 474-5050. They do a great job.

[RvP]

Reproduction Reflectors

Without knowing what type of reflector you are looking for I came across a problem with Harley springer reproduction reflectors. I have found some reproduction reflectors are made incorrectly and the bulb is in upside down. This results in the high beam filament, the more powerful filament, projecting the light low and the low beam filament, the lower powered filament, projecting the light high. Swapping the wires doesn’t change this because it the position of the filament relative to the reflector that determines which filament is projecting the light high and low. As bad as 6V lights are, it is literally like night and day with the low beam filament projecting high and dissipating into the darkness 100 feet in front of the bike when the high beam is on.

The way to tell this is to look at the reflector with the tab pointed up. If the bulb's pins are oriented with two at the top and one at the bottom, your reflector will orient the bulb properly. If the bulb’s pins are oriented with one at the top and two at the bottom, your reflector has the bulb upside down. If you aren’t sure, check your reflector to a known original Harley reflector and the orientation of the bulb pins

The easy way to correct this is to put a notch in the bottom of the headlight shell so the reflector can be turned upside down and installed with the reflector tab down instead of up. This will orient the bulb correctly with the low power filament focused as the low beam and the higher power filament focused as the high beam.

Ronald V. Papasso
#3129

[Paps]

What ever you do, don't clean the reflector ! I made this mistake once ! Once only !! Paps

[theknucklehead]

Like Paps I also made the mistake of trying to "clean" the reflector. I have had a few re-silvered at a cost of about $50. each. The problem as Chris stated is that they imediately start to tarnish. I have recently used aftermarket relectors turned upside down, (so the high beam is corect), and have found that they work much better. They don't tarnish and they reflect more light out than silver. If you ride your bike at night and you have a 6 volt system, it's the only way to go.

[Snakeoil]

What's the story on cleaning this silver coated reflectors? One of the reflectors for the spots on my '47 was black when I got it. I asked some guys that supposedly knew antique bikes and they said they were not sure what the plating was. I assumed it was silver because it sure looked tarnished. So I went at it with the Twinkle Silver Polish and it came out fine. Figured I had nothing to lose.

I'm assuming from the "don't clean it" cautions that there must be some type of coating over the silver to prevent it from tarnishing. Any idea what that was? My headlight and the other spot were fine. Honestly cannot remember if I cleaned them, too. They have been packed away since sometime last Fall. I just checked them and all three are just as shiney as when I put them away. Granted, they are being stored in ziploc bags, which could be why they still look good. So, what's the problem with cleaning them?

Why did they use silver instead of chrome or nickel? Seems pointless, but I'm sure there was a valid reason.

Thanks,

[Paps]

The don't polish is because the plating is so thin. It usually comes off with just one polishing. You got lucky. Paps

[Snakeoil]

The don't polish is because the plating is so thin. It usually comes off with just one polishing. You got lucky. Paps

Interesting. The gasket was shot on that one spot lamp and the toggleswitch was rattling around inside. So lots of air could circulate in there. There were a number of nasty stains in addition to the tarnish. I worked on it quite awhile with the Twinkle polish. Really came out nice. I guess I would recommend Twinkle Silver Polish for anyone with a tarnished reflector. It takes a little more elbow grease than other silver polishes I've used in the past, but the results were excellent. I suspect some other polishes have chemicals that actually take a few atoms of silver off the top of the surface. I just looked at the Twinkle container and it says "anti-tarnish formula" so it might have a preservative that slows the tarnishing process.

Several years ago I polished an old steam pressure gauge that I converted to a clock. It had a silver plated brass face. I did not realize that the plate was silver and damaged it in the cleaning process. Looks okay, but not as nice as it could have.