Project Start: 4/30 Project End: 5/3

4/30/07
Ok - figured that I had to start screwing with the Switch I got today...To those wo do not know the history behind them, some dood decided to leave them in a pool for couple years...end result: corrosion, discoloration, damage, you name...the onely thing missing were fish bones...Here are the pix:





Verdict - Not Salvagable. The amount of Magnesium eaten away, makes this a pure display piece. I was faced with 2 options: 1. Leave as is and display, or 2. Try to make them look as good as possible, custom cut some lenses, and display it...I opted for choice #2.

And so it begins:

Lens removal...Pain in the ass. The fact that I had some coral looking crap all around the lens, did not help either. So after scraping it away, sure enough I was able to remove the lens without breaking the frame (Oh wait - that frame is pretty much shot)...Here are some close ups of the corrosion:





Pretty bad, huh? The way I removed the lenses was actually towards the rear of the glasses...had to use a lil screw driver, but there was not much to damage...all I need the lenses for is some tracing...after that they will see the trash anyways...Here they are:


After that, the rubbers were removed...


...and the icons:


Once everything was off, I used a little steel-brush (or whatever it is called) attachment for my dremel, and went to town...I was trying to be as careful as possible, so I only take the paint finish off and the junk...got a lot of the 'coral reef' taken off and sure enough, a beautiful shiney silver finish beneath...



You will not believe how much is actually eaten away from the frame...amazing! My goal will be to clean her up as much as possible, but not try to get rid of the imperfections in the metal...

5/1/07
Iighty...continued working on the frame...went to Home Depot and got a couple more carbon-steel brush attachments...note the stems and bridge...I know it is kinda hard to see...but this is all the lighting I have right now...





Well - I continues on and did a ruff-clean job on it, where I got rid of the majority of the old paint and crap. Here are the end results of today's work:





Now to make it a lil more obvious, here are some before/after shots:

Before:


After:


One more pic to show how much the frame actually corroded:

This is just a snap shot...corrosion such as this is all over the frame...

Anyways...what a cool project so far. I will snap some pictures in daylight as well if I get home in time...Pictures do not do the work done any justice. The cool thing is, the finish looks so much like pewter...

That is as RAW as it gets, Ladies....

5/3/07 - The Completion

Well - did not take me as long as I thought...or I'm just a impatient SOB...Tonight, THE first custom Switches were born...

Cleaned her up a lil more and put the rubbers in...


Damn - what's that...the lenses...what in the world is hiding beneath the tape???


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - For the first time ever...a custom Mag switch combo:

Frame: RAW
Lens: G26





And the Proud owner:

have you attempted the orbital areas of the frame? Cleaning them that is? I am anxious to see something there..

i will be keeping an eye, good luck man, looks like you got something

I cleaned the what looks like a screw...I did not even know it was were until I dremeled the crap away...I will post some pix tomorrow. I need another brush. My goal is to get the steams all cleaned up tomorrow...

Pretty cool project Ollie, keep us informed please.

cool project. it can hardly wait for the end result. you will have a great pair of one of a kind of "O's"

i like the corroded look, i'd lightly sand blast them to give them an even texture all round then bang in some nice new lenses, might just buy a pair and do the same!!

There is no way you can even out the texture. For example, the left side, as soon in the pic has some minor corosion and rust build-up, while the right side is literally 'eaten' away...I would not know how you would even try to even out the texture...My goal is to keep the raw metal texture the way it is, but clean up all the shit (aka 'coral-reef') that is on them...Will post update 2 tonight...if I have time...

Looking good, this is quite a project. Can't wait to see the final result.

yeah i know what you mean, i kinda meant so that they had the same finish all over, ie little dots from the sand,as opposed to doing them by hand which might make some bits shinier than others. now where did i leave that vat of acid and my handy sand blast kit? must be in the garage next to the liquid laser tank...

Just updated with tonights work....see 5/1/07

they look sweet, you gotta stick some custom lenses in for sure, i'd wear them, love the beat up look, like you dug em out of a crater from a bomb blast back in 2135 and all you found were these vintage oakleys, guess that's what people wore back in the good old days of 2007, so retro....

They are quiet cool...I will have another session tonight where I will try to clean up the spots I missed...one word of advise if you ever choose to do that...

WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!! and sfateglasses of course...

You will not believe the foul toxic smell coming off these frames...DAMN! Nasty stuff...

IT IS DONE...

not bad going from this:


To this:


Thanks for all the interest.... Cheers, Ollie

WICKED!! a true work of art.

uh oh, a new "chopper" on the block, now I have to top that HAHA....Sikness bro, very cool

Hey, that's really cool. Nice work.

Thanks guys! It was quiet fun...if you guys plan on doing anything like this...please wear a respirator...Just a word of advice...

Josh - far from it man...but I am very pleased with the outcome...there can only be one doc chop 8D

Love the outcome, pretty neat.

That looks totally awesome! Was it hard getting the lenses back in place?

Awesome work Ollie. Now you'll have to recreate a unique mag four and a mag m-frame to complete the redesigned-mags-collection. That polished mag four from.. ballout (?) was also cool looking. Maybe a burned/half-melted third pair? Really nice work!

great job, i like the raw look

Thanks guys - it surely was a fun project. And to be honest, I was not certain they would turn out the way the did. I'm pleased with them for sure...just something different. Even after all the work, for me, it is still just a display piece...while the g26 looks great, I do not find them to be a pleasant lens to look thru...Again, thanks for the comments...

olie, that is some sick pair, and some realy gr8 craftsmanship.
i did something i think everybody wants to do it, and couldn't

very nice. congrats,

i think now you should be named , olie, the one that could.

enjoy.

What was the trick to getting the lenses in.