Need howto: OP -> smooth

[Fallingwater]

I'm in the process of turning this into the ultimate single-emitter thrower. Well, the ultimate thrower that doesn't use an aspheric lens, anyway.

I've replaced the P4 with a R2, and the original driver with a custom 4xAMC7135 two-mode one. It works, and throws quite a bit, but the OP reflector eats some of the light to provide some flood.
Now, for once I couldn't care less about flood and beam quality, I just want throw, so I'd like to make the reflector smooth.
How do I do that? Is it enough to just have at it with fine-grit sandpaper? Do I need to polish it or something?

Thanks.

 

[herbicide]

I'm in the process of turning this into the ultimate single-emitter thrower. Well, the ultimate thrower that doesn't use an aspheric lens, anyway.

I've replaced the P4 with a R2, and the original driver with a custom 4xAMC7135 two-mode one. It works, and throws quite a bit, but the OP reflector eats some of the light to provide some flood.
Now, for once I couldn't care less about flood and beam quality, I just want throw, so I'd like to make the reflector smooth.
How do I do that? Is it enough to just have at it with fine-grit sandpaper? Do I need to polish it or something?

Thanks.

I'd recommend looking for a stock smooth reflector, but if you're going to polish it - just don't complain if the below fails horribly -
I'd use really fine grit abrasive - something like micromesh to start with, and don't start below 1,800 grit. when you get to 12,000 grit, move on to a *really fine* polishing compound and felt mop/pad in a drill/dremel.

 

[DM51]

If you touch any reflector with anything, even your finger or a cleaning cloth (let alone sandpaper!) the surface will be dulled and you will lose a very large % of reflectivity. You won't be able to re-polish it properly. In short, you will ruin it, and however smooth you think you have polished it, the throw will be worse than it was as MOP before. Better to get a new one.

 

[Gunner12]

You can try to find an optic that just fits into the light.

It might be better to buy a new reflector because trying to polish the reflector might mess up the geometry and not give you much more throw.

 

[Fallingwater]

If you touch any reflector with anything, even your finger or a cleaning cloth (let alone sandpaper!) the surface will be dulled and you will lose a very large % of reflectivity. You won't be able to re-polish it properly. In short, you will ruin it, and however smooth you think you have polished it, the throw will be worse than it was as MOP before. Better to get a new one.

I seemed to remember reading about someone attempting a similar mod in the past, and after a lot of searching I finally found the relevant post here, in the italian CPF. Sorry about the language, but the really important part are the pics - that guy managed to turn the OP reflector into a pretty darn nice smooth one.

 

[Greg G]

If a textured reflector is polished out smooth, can't it be re-plated?

 

[Ty_Bower]

Sure. It's easy. You just need one of these.

 

[darkzero]

If a textured reflector is polished out smooth, can't it be re-plated?

Sure it can but usually there's a set up fee & minium charge or quantity. I highly doubt anyone would just do one reflector. When I met Varooj in person this topic was one of things we talked about. He mentioned that the places he uses normally have a $500 minimum or something like that.

 

[h2oflyer]

I tried smoothing out the reflector on my LF3XT - rotated slowly in lathe and used ultra fine jewellers polishing cloth - went from fine OP to medium smooth OP, but lost brilliance. Did I improve throw ? NO. Got slightly better spill. Could not get brilliance back. DM51 is right.

Walter

 

[Greg G]

I figured a small plating shop might already have a tank set up with the right stuff and could plate it.

 

[cerberuss]

Just a thought, but maybe once you have a smooth enough surface, you could use similar techniques that amateur telescope guys use to coat mirrors on their backyard reflector scopes.