windshield

[TENNESSEEHILLBILLY]

What is the best way to remove scratches from a windshield? Thanks for your help

[candbstudebakers]

with a hammer. just kidding but if I knew how to remove them it would make all the used glass I have worth more, good luck.

[Mrs K Corbin]

glass shops used to sell a product, but it was time consuming...
Flat glass, with a hammer.....
Curved glass..... glass shop product.

[wittsend]

I have recently looked into the matter. The bottom line is that it is very hard to do. It requires a lot of time and patience. A power buffer is used. Even if you remove the presence of the scratch you do so by removing glass. This can create a visual distortion and leave low spots that may not clear when the wipers are used. The general consensus was that only the most minor of scratches can be removed.

Most of the information I found discussed a rare earth called Cerium Oxide as the abrasive. Often sold by the pound it is rather expensive. However, you can buy it in smaller amounts on Ebay. I'll be working on some scratches soon. I'll try and remember to report back.

Tom

[j.byrd]

I also am a Tennessee Hillbilly, from East Tennessee originally, and believe me, with all the "fixer-uppers" we've had, using recommended "sure-fire" methods, I've tried a LOT of things ! Even the above mentioned Oxide which is supposedly the best will work only on the most minor scratches in my experience. We have a little Mini with minor scratches in the rear glass which has been my test bed for different removal methods since '88, and it is just as scratched now as it was in '88, just a lot cleaner scratches, I suppose, ha ! I use it because I do have another glass, which on that little car is easy to change, but the scratched one is OK as a daily driver. Sure hope someone comes up with something, but the only way I have been satisfied removing scratches is to replace the glass. Good luck

[wittsend]

Well, I'm sorry to report that what I read on the internet is pretty much the results I got. I used a 1" buffing pad on a Dremel turning as slow as it could go and not stalling with light pressure. It still seemed somewhat fast. With water the Cerium Oxide dissipated (dried) rather fast. I then mixed the Cerium Oxide with oil and that was a bit better. But not making much, if any progress, I tried rubbing compound. Lastly I tried something that Jaguar sold for windshields ( a feebie from a swapmeet).

No real progress was made. I worked this 1-1/2" scratch for well over an hour. I worked the scratch perpendicular, horizontal and at an angle. I may have polished the scratch itself, but I doubt I diminished it much. My main interest was preventing the scratch from becoming a crack. Thus I focused mostly on the deeper, terminating end of the scratch. I did spend a few minutes on the lightest wiper marks I could find, but only the very faintest area seemed to show any minor results. And that may have been rubber transferred from the wiper itself. BTW, one other concern I had was localized heating causing the glass to crack. (Update) I just noticed that the area where I had buffed the scratch has an orange peel like effect. You can't see it on the outside, but on the inside it looks like a cloudy piece of cellophane tape. Great, just the thousandth and one case where I should have left "worst enough alone!"

Prior to installation the windshield I took small chips out of the edge of the glass. Emery type paper was effective with that. Still, I'd be hesitant to do that on the visible part of a windshield. I was wondering, if your scratches are small enough maybe the liquid product to remove scratches from eye glasses would help? Id doesn't actually remove the scratch, but fills it. Anyway, wish I had better to report, but with glass it seems to have characteristics all its own. They say, "if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail (and most of them - even the lightest ones you can feel) your not going to get it out."

Tom

[2R5]

Ive always heard that if you can feel it you won't remove it.

[Corvanti]

i purchased a small amount of cerium oxide off of ebay after reading this thread: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...t=cerium+oxide

haven't tried it yet on my 51's wiper scratches. i was going to use it with my Dremel and water. "wittsend", what type of oil did you use? (3in1, motor oil, etc.)?

[wittsend]

I just used any oil I had to grab. In this case air tool oil. You could probably even use cooking oil. You just need something to bind the powder and stay moist when using the Dremel. I'd advise you to test in an inconspicuous area like maybe a wiper mark in the very upper or lower part of the windshield on the passenger side. Check from the inside too because I never saw the orange peel like look I got from the outside.

I'm wondering if it was localized heat affecting the plastic laminate between the two pieces of glass, and that is what caused the orange peel look I have??? Also, as mentioned I used rubbing compound and that Jaguar windshield polish. So, that might have contributed. I might try just the Cerium Oxide again, - but not today. It was just too much disappointment even for an experienced, "Crash Test Dummy for Murphy's Law" like myself.

[Corvanti]

thanks for the reply - i've got "all of the above" oil, and will give it try on a small area in the next few days - then report back.

[Jerry Forrester]

Before I installed the used windshield into Frosty I took it to a local glass shop and had it polished. It had sand pits and two wiper scratches (one for each wiper). He was able able to get out all the sand pits and the scratches. The one scratch down low on the driver's side was the worse and if you look for it you can see the glass deformed in that area. Although you can't see the line on the windshield, when the sun shines through the glass you can see the line on the dash. He spent four hours spread out over 3 days and charged $100. He refused to do my back glass because it is tempered. He said tempered glass is to hard to polish.

[studoc]

I have a glass polishing kit and have use it a few times over the years. It takes a long time to make any real progress. My polisher uses a 6" round special pad that adheres to a DA sander type of pad. The pad has small holes for holding material and cooling purposes. Keep your glass cool, and move around alot. Do not grind in one spot, or you will have distortion. If the scratch is deep enough to catch your finger nail, it is technically too deep to remove, unless you don't care about distortion when looking through the glass.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what the polish material is. Jeweler's polish maybe? It is about the color of faded red oxide primer, maybe a little lighter.

[Corvanti]

Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what the polish material is. Jeweler's polish maybe? It is about the color of faded red oxide primer, maybe a little lighter.

that sounds like the cerium oxide i have sitting in a pouch on my workbench.