Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
-
Topic author - Posts: 182
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Schwab
- Location: Northwest Ohio
Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
I need to have a couple plain glass headlight lenses cut. What is the correct thickness?
-
- Posts: 6463
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Jelf
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
- Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
- MTFCA Number: 16175
- MTFCI Number: 14758
- Board Member Since: 2007
- Contact:
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
I believe I got the next size thicker than regular window glass. I don't know exactly how thick that is, but it's been fine.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring
-
- Posts: 1011
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:18 pm
- First Name: Mark
- Last Name: Osterman
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 runabout
- Location: Rochester, NY
- Contact:
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
Need a glass circle cutter?
-
Topic author - Posts: 182
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Schwab
- Location: Northwest Ohio
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
"I believe I got the next size thicker than regular window glass."
I've got some of that around the shop.....I figured it needed to be thicker than that. THANKS!
I've got some of that around the shop.....I figured it needed to be thicker than that. THANKS!
-
Topic author - Posts: 182
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Schwab
- Location: Northwest Ohio
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
I don't have a circle cutter, I figure if double strength is thick enough I should be able to "freehand" that OK.
-
- Posts: 5407
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
I needed a lens cut for a speedometer. Hardware store butchered a piece of window glass (were going to charge $5). Went to a local stained glass hobby/window maker - used "lens glass" its thicker- made a perfect circle and ground the edges smooth for $5. I have the knowledge, experience, tools and time to do it (circle cutter, glass grinder, was a hobby, retired) but for $5 that included the material - why would I. Check it out you may have a glass shop nearby.
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
-
- Posts: 3296
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:56 am
- First Name: Dan
- Last Name: Treace
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '23 cutoff, '25 touring, '27 touring
- Location: North Central FL
- MTFCA Number: 4838
- MTFCI Number: 115
- Board Member Since: 2000
- Contact:
Re: Headlight plain glass lens thickness?
Those clear lens are 'round' and are about 1/8" thick. The round fit best with the 'clip' style retainers in the headlamp rim. Those are early style steel rims.
If using the H lens style rims, those are made with little tabs that rest against a squared off edge on the glass. That is a feature of the fluted Ford H lens. So your clear lens needs to be shaped with 4 flat areas to fit into those style rims.
Clip style rim for round lens
H Lens rim
If using the H lens style rims, those are made with little tabs that rest against a squared off edge on the glass. That is a feature of the fluted Ford H lens. So your clear lens needs to be shaped with 4 flat areas to fit into those style rims.
Clip style rim for round lens
H Lens rim
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford