Glass polishing, Any tips? |
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Glass polishing, Any tips? |
bbrock |
May 15 2018, 09:12 AM
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#1
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,269 Joined: 17-February 17 From: Montana Member No.: 20,845 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
The last thread I found on this topic is almost 10 years old so thought it would be worth revisiting. I bought a set of tinted side glass that looks pretty good but has a patina of minor pits, scratches and scale you might expect from 50 year old glass. They'll need to be polished before I can use them. Anyone done this or have any suggestions or tips? There are lots of YouTube videos and other sources that make it look easy, but it's always nice to get help from people you trust and aren't trying to sell you something.
Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) |
jmitro |
May 15 2018, 09:17 AM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 713 Joined: 23-July 15 From: Oklahoma Member No.: 18,986 Region Association: None |
I bought the glass polishing kit from 914 rubber. Haven't used it yet but I expect it will work well.
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McMark |
May 15 2018, 10:53 AM
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#3
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
I bought a few hundred dollars worth of polishing supplies to try and fix some side windows. I didn't have any luck getting the long vertical scratches out. They were just too deep. Hope you have better luck.
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TheCabinetmaker |
May 15 2018, 11:13 AM
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#4
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I drive my car everyday Group: Members Posts: 8,300 Joined: 8-May 03 From: Tulsa, Ok. Member No.: 666 |
If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, it will not polish out!
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mihai914 |
May 15 2018, 11:13 AM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 800 Joined: 2-March 05 From: Montreal, QC Member No.: 3,697 Region Association: None |
I asked a glass shop a few years back and they said that if your nail catches through the scratch, there is nothing to be done.
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bbrock |
May 15 2018, 12:02 PM
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#6
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,269 Joined: 17-February 17 From: Montana Member No.: 20,845 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Well you guys are bumming me out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
I'm guessing mine will be a mixed bag. The windows are covered with permanent water spots that give the whole glass a haze. I assume polishing will remove that and this alone will make the windows a big improvement over my deeply scratched and clear originals. Almost all of the scratches are from glass sliding against gritty or worn seals so will be hidden behind seals when the windows are up. Some are probably deep enough they won't come out, but most don't catch a nail. The passenger side has some pitting from someone grinding metal too close to the unprotected glass. I was able to clean the slag out easily with a razor blade and what is left looks like typical road rash on an old windshield. Hopefully, the majority of those can polish out but I doubt I'll get 100%. |
McMark |
May 15 2018, 01:32 PM
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#7
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Before you get into polishing for water spots, try 00 steel wool and glass cleaner. Takes some pressure, but that's my go-to technique for cleaning glass. It seems counter-intuitive, but the steel wool won't scratch the glass.
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bbrock |
May 15 2018, 03:50 PM
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#8
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,269 Joined: 17-February 17 From: Montana Member No.: 20,845 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Before you get into polishing for water spots, try 00 steel wool and glass cleaner. Takes some pressure, but that's my go-to technique for cleaning glass. It seems counter-intuitive, but the steel wool won't scratch the glass. Cool! I saw that tip on YouTube but wanted to do a bit more research before trying it. I'll still probably have to polish for the other stuff, but it's worth trying the steel wool first to see how far that gets it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) |
Literati914 |
May 15 2018, 03:55 PM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,437 Joined: 16-November 06 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 7,222 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Before you get into polishing for water spots, try 00 steel wool and glass cleaner. Takes some pressure, but that's my go-to technique for cleaning glass. It seems counter-intuitive, but the steel wool won't scratch the glass. Before you get into polishing for water spots, try 00 steel wool and glass cleaner. Takes some pressure, but that's my go-to technique for cleaning glass. It seems counter-intuitive, but the steel wool won't scratch the glass. Cool! I saw that tip on YouTube but wanted to do a bit more research before trying it. I'll still probably have to polish for the other stuff, but it's worth trying the steel wool first to see how far that gets it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) You guys sure that's "00" steel wool and not "0000" steel wool? I saw a video with this subject too some time back and I thought it was "0000". I'll look for it again when I get a chance, but there is going to be some difference in the two and one of them may cause more damage than it fixes. |
wes |
May 15 2018, 04:43 PM
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#10
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wes Group: Members Posts: 1,588 Joined: 8-December 07 From: Ukiah Ca Member No.: 8,436 Region Association: Northern California |
I wouldn’t use any steel wool! Try cerium powder mixture w/water and a buffer. You can goggle it you’ll find a number of companies with kits and it works if not badly scratched. Now if deep enough to feel with your finger nail it’s not likely to work without altering the thickness of the glass and distortion would show. Steel wool may lightly scratch to a point that night driving could give you that glaring afect from on coming lights.
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rgalla9146 |
May 15 2018, 04:50 PM
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#11
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 4,545 Joined: 23-November 05 From: Paramus NJ Member No.: 5,176 Region Association: None |
Windshields ? no problem.
Side glass...no way. Very different glass properties I have early tinted side glass with areas of scratches. I've spent hours attempting to remove these blemishes with a firm polishing head on a polisher /sander machine. I used a kit that included rare earth , instructions and a proper polishing wheel. Maybe it can be done but no luck for me. Seek professional help. Attached thumbnail(s) |
Big Len |
May 15 2018, 05:31 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,747 Joined: 16-July 13 From: Edgewood, New Mexico Member No.: 16,126 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Try Colgate toothpaste first.
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Mike1981 |
May 15 2018, 05:32 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 212 Joined: 21-July 14 From: Detroit MI Member No.: 17,663 Region Association: Southern California |
Hello
I have 3 windshield wiper scratches on my windshield I bought Cerium Oxide Polishing Powder and a small buffing wheel. I have not been able to try it but was told a slurry of this/paste plus high RPM may help reduce the scratches. hope this helps This is a kit I should have bought... https://www.banggood.com/Glass-Polishing-Ki...ur_warehouse=CN Good luck |
tmc914 |
May 15 2018, 06:11 PM
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 116 Joined: 24-September 17 From: Lowell, MA Member No.: 21,452 Region Association: North East States |
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worn |
May 15 2018, 08:47 PM
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#15
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can't remember Group: Members Posts: 3,147 Joined: 3-June 11 From: Madison, WI Member No.: 13,152 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
The last thread I found on this topic is almost 10 years old so thought it would be worth revisiting. I bought a set of tinted side glass that looks pretty good but has a patina of minor pits, scratches and scale you might expect from 50 year old glass. They'll need to be polished before I can use them. Anyone done this or have any suggestions or tips? There are lots of YouTube videos and other sources that make it look easy, but it's always nice to get help from people you trust and aren't trying to sell you something. Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) They are I think all cerium oxide and a hard felt buff. Given patience they will drill through the glass in a couple decades. Really good for haze or chemical film. Not so good a t scratches. If you started with diamond grit and worked your way through the mesh sizes evenly then even pretty deep scratches would come out. But these are the final step, so material removal is slow. On the plus side, the finish they do produce is pretty nice. |
McMark |
May 16 2018, 10:32 AM
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#16
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
I wouldn’t use any steel wool! Whoa! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) That's a strongly emphasized statement for something you obviously haven't tried. I have probably over 100 hours of scrubbing glass with steel wool. And you know why I keep doing it? Cause it f-ing works... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) In fact, I don't even KNOW my steel wool is 00. I have 00, 000, 0000 and I grab whichever one I find first. Ya'll wanna run all over ordering crazy compounds and complicated procedures in order to 'avoid the danger of steel wool', be my guest. I'll stick to what's cheap, easy and works. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) |
wes |
May 16 2018, 11:07 AM
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#17
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wes Group: Members Posts: 1,588 Joined: 8-December 07 From: Ukiah Ca Member No.: 8,436 Region Association: Northern California |
I wouldn’t use any steel wool! Whoa! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) That's a strongly emphasized statement for something you obviously haven't tried. I have probably over 100 hours of scrubbing glass with steel wool. And you know why I keep doing it? Cause it f-ing works... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) In fact, I don't even KNOW my steel wool is 00. I have 00, 000, 0000 and I grab whichever one I find first. Ya'll wanna run all over ordering crazy compounds and complicated procedures in order to 'avoid the danger of steel wool', be my guest. I'll stick to what's cheap, easy and works. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) Sorry Mark surly didn’t mean to ruffle any feathers! My experience years back used steel wool/water to remove a small scrach on a 78 Ford outside rear view mirror and scratches were hunting me on till I finally replaced it. Possibly cheep glass but a Ford mirror. I had used steel wool on house windows to clean light paint over spray and work well though never tried on any automotive glass again. |
Literati914 |
May 16 2018, 04:54 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,437 Joined: 16-November 06 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 7,222 Region Association: Southwest Region |
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djway |
May 16 2018, 04:57 PM
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#19
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 787 Joined: 16-October 15 From: Riverside Member No.: 19,266 Region Association: Southern California |
Cerium oxide to polish out fine scratches. Deep scratches can be done, I have done it, and it is a TON of work.
I did an early Ghia that had very bad scratches everywhere. I tried all sorts of materials, some made things worse but I did find a working solution. 6 inch pad with wet/dry paper, the starting grit depending on how deep the scratch is. You must have water running over the glass at all times to keep the temp down. As with anything you keep going to finer and finer grits and then you finish off with the cerium oxide. You must pull the glass and set up a table with the set water supply. It is a lot of work. My Ghia glass is very rare and expensive so it was worth the hundreds hours invested. Good luck |
r_towle |
May 16 2018, 05:11 PM
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#20
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,564 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States |
Do not use a hammer.
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