# Turn your scope lens into a frosted lens



## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

If you have a lens that you want permanently frosted, here's an easy and cheap way to do it. Best to try it with an old lens first to see if you like it. 

Get some kind of good tough sticker (kids glossy stickers work well). Put it in the hole punch to get a perfect circle, unless you already have a circular shaped sticker of the size you want. This will be the size of the clear spot in the lens.

Stick the sticker on the dead center of the lens on the side that normally faces you.

Get some 600 grit sandpaper, and lightly sand all around the lens in small circular motions. _Don't sand off the sticker_. Sand _around_ the sticker. If the frosting is not frosted enough for you, try 400 grit. If you want, you can also finish it up with some rubbing compound and a cloth.

Wash all the grit off of the lens and remove the sticker. You might need rubbing alcohol to get the stickiness off. 

You now have a frosted lens. The frosting may not look as perfect as a store bought one, but it does it's job darn well, and if you were careful when sanding, you'll have a perfect circle in the middle.


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## thrill_seeker (Feb 2, 2008)

you could call a local school and ask the art department if they do any glass frosting and i'm sure you my beable to use a little bit of paste


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## [email protected] (Jan 14, 2009)

Guys I'm not trying to start anything but why would you want a frosted scope lens. I would do bodily harm to someone if they didn't that to my Leupolds. Could you post a picture of one?


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## mengia cuz (Jan 10, 2009)

I would use the paste you can get from Michaels or other craft stores made for glass etching/frosting, I think it might come out a little more uniform than sanding.

Google brite site x-view if you don't understand what type lense he is creating.


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## tom_faber (Jan 5, 2008)

I believe they are referring to an archery scope.


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## ecm (Oct 7, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> Guys I'm not trying to start anything but why would you want a frosted scope lens. I would do bodily harm to someone if they didn't that to my Leupolds. Could you post a picture of one?


LOL, we're talking archery scopes here, not riflescopes.


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## [email protected] (Jan 14, 2009)

Sorry guys! Had my head in a hole. Makes sense now!:wink:


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## ecm (Oct 7, 2005)

I'd whoop somebody's arse too if they frosted my Leupold scope .


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

ecm said:


> I'd whoop somebody's arse too if they frosted my Leupold scope .


LOL I'd whoop my own arse if I frosted a Leupold scope. No, I used an old archery lens that already had a few scratches in it. I like having it frosted, because it's a 6X lens, and I can't see the fiber pin in the middle, it goes out of focus. I use a clarifier and like my target to be in focus, in turn, it makes the pin blurry. With the frosted lens, I can center the clear spot with the rings on the target and focus on the X, I aim better with it.

The glass etching kit from a craft shop is a real good idea. Are all archery lenses glass though? Would etching chemical work on optical grade plastic or with anti-reflective coatings? 

I had another thought - if your bubble level is behind the lens, you should mask off a part on that side of the lens so that you don't frost over it, and you will still be able to see the bubble level through it.


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## GaCSSshooter (Jan 8, 2004)

*frosting*

Can you post a pic of the finished product. I am a little intrigued by this idea.

Thanks,

Garrick


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

Here's a picture of what I did. I kind of rushed through it, so the frosting could be a little more even if I tried, but it does it's job, so that's all I care about. Next time, I will try the glass etching paste, which will likely give it a much more even frost, or I could hit it with the sandpaper again to even it out. Also, you can see a much better picture of a commercially available frosted lens by googling brite site x-view, as was said before. If I actually had an archery budget to speak of, I would just buy a commercially available one, but I don't, and this is the next best thing.


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

I just had another brainstorm. If you want to try it out to see if you like it before you permanently modify your lens, or go out and buy a frosted lens, you can do this - put a sticker in the middle to mask off the circle, but instead of sanding or etching paste, smear Vaseline, or something non-permanent on the lens, and then carefully remove the sticker. Then you will have a temporary frosting.


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## GaCSSshooter (Jan 8, 2004)

*Ahhhhh....*

....I see. Looks like it works like a champ. Would a sticker on the lens with the center section cut out work. That way its not permanent?


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

GaCSSshooter said:


> ....I see. Looks like it works like a champ. Would a sticker on the lens with the center section cut out work. That way its not permanent?


yeah that would work too.


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## TN ARCHER (Jan 31, 2007)

Just to add to this fella's. I read some where on here where someone cut a piece of a milk jug out the same size as the lens and the cut a small hole, what ever size you want, to see through. Put it in the scope frame behind the lens and tightened down the hold down ring. I guess it would possibly serve the same purpose. ????


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## bevins587 (Jan 15, 2007)

Milk jug idea is a good one, just drill out the size hole you want and would be perfect and you still have the good lens.


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## RHINO (Jul 15, 2002)

Rustoleum makes a frosted glass spray paint that works very well. I've used it for garage windows and my wife uses it on glass blocks for her craft projects. As long as the lens is glass instead of plastic, you could remove it with acetone should you decide you don't like it. 

Just an idea.


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## nocksniper (May 19, 2008)

i made mine out of a note card using the milk jug idea


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## fishuntbike (Nov 28, 2007)

I got G5 outdoors transfer sticker about 7 x 5 inches and the I can cut on the frosted part of the sticker to the size of my scope. The frosted part is the piece that you hold while transfering the actual G5 logo. Cut a hole in the middle and should be good without permanently frosting your expensive lens.


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## ArcheryNut2006 (Dec 5, 2006)

I just cut a piece of paper the same size as the lens and then put a hole in the center of it and then put the paper in the scope housing with the lens. This worked with the Super D scope. I just wanted to try it once. Interesting results. It forces you to concentrate on the X.


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## redman (Feb 22, 2003)

any more info on this


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## hitman846 (Jan 25, 2003)

I've heard of guys using the cloudy kind of scotch tape too...just use a hole punch to make the hole in the middle. This way if you don't like it......it's not ruined!


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## jre4192 (Apr 25, 2005)

on a 6x lens shooting nfaa 5 spot what size hole would you guys recommend?


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## mengia cuz (Jan 10, 2009)

Mine is 3/8".


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## bullzI25 (Mar 17, 2004)

You can buy a stick on frosting from walmart. it comes in a roll for like shower glass and windows...


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## JPE (Feb 1, 2004)

hitman846 said:


> I've heard of guys using the cloudy kind of scotch tape too...just use a hole punch to make the hole in the middle. This way if you don't like it......it's not ruined!


Exactly. Or try some semi-transparent contact paper. If you don't like the look you can always peel it off and start fresh.


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