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Scratched Glass Solution - Cerium Oxide
How to remove light scratches from glass - homemade system
I finished up my tests on removing scratches from glass yesterday
Here's my first attempt: Lake County-Glass Polish System
I followed the directions exactly, with NO REMOVAL of the glass around the scratch.
My first attempt did polish the glass but did not "remove" the scratches.
I even had M. Phillips take a crack at it at a TNG, He didn't accomplish anything either.
After that, I was on a mission!
First off, I was encouraged by Mike Phillips, "Pampos", "OldModMan" & "Alfisti" to use CERIUM OXIDE and a more aggressive method. So credit is due to these people.
Here's the debriefing on my mission to solve this problem
It all started out with the "wonderful" body shop over spray!
And I use the wrong pad to remove it. Next time I'll use clay. ( I used the most aggressive and not the least when I stated out, so this is what I get for not thinking about it)
Cerium Oxide comes in a fine powder,
mixed it with Distilled water (no minerals in Distilled Water) and put it in a squeeze bottle.
No measuring just put about half "shot" of CO and a cup of DW.
I used a 5" foam pad on my rotary, low speed about 2.5, with Cerium Oxide in Distilled Water
This worked good.
But I wanted a more aggressive pad
My research recommended a felt or leather pad.
I only had the terry pad and that worked better.
(I'll address the splatter later)
Terry pad worked better than the foam.
I knew my felt pad would even work better but I left my LC-GPS at Meguiar's so Mike could use it.
I couldn't wait to get my kit back.
So here's the 50/50 shot
Scratches on the right are removed from the left side
So I didn't do any more to the windshield and moved on to the door
On to the door
The door has this "ware mark" that I can see out of the corner of my eye when I drive and it makes me crazy.
First of all you have to use "3M Green Tape". Your working with water and Blue tape won't hold up.
I used my 3M sweep to make sure it sealed up.
The CO mix is basically water so it will get into everything and splatter everywhere. You have to make a "dam" around your work area, also cover up the rest of the car!
Here's the mess you can make
Get the corners really well!
Just roll up your "ugo" towels that will never touch paint again
because you'll be removing glass and I don't know if glass will come out in the wash
Here's the scratch
Micro shot of the damage
Started out with the LC-GPS felt pad, LC-GPS "paste", I really wanted it to work...
The LC-GPS paste just wasn't working so just use the CO mix
On to the work, and I mean work!
I would work for 10-15 mins at a time straight.
The LC-GPS says "work for 2 mins and you should be done, if not repeat one more time"
Well that is just not enough time to "remove glass".
I know it's Lawyer talk so "Bubba" doesn't heat up the glass and explodes his windshield.
That's why I've been researching this for the past month.
Now I have a great understanding of what I'm doing (I hoped).
I also sprayed the area with the Distilled Water,
the glass never heated up and was not an issue if you kept the area wet.
Here I am rubbing off the CO from the glass using DW
I did those 15 min passes about 10 times.
Each time a "little" more glass was removed
and I just didn't want to spend another 2 hours on this so I was done.
You can't even notice the scratch anymore
I had a very hard time getting these after shots.
Before
After
Micro Before
Micro After
Can't even see it in this shoot in bright So. OC sun!
You can just make it out in this one, it's 95% gone, but in person you don't even notice it
Conclusion:
You can remove scratches from glass.
You must be patient though, I polished my windshield about 3 hours actual hours
The door for an hour and a half.
Also makes a big mess so prepping the area is crucial!
The LC-GPS system is around $35 buck
The Cerium Oxide is $15 bucks
So compared to a new windshield installed around $250 bucks and a door window for $250 = $500 bucks?
It's SOOOOOOO WORTH It!
Thanks for reading and I hope I helped you in some way.
P.S. If anyone knows where to get some leather pads, I'd be interested in buying them.
I finished up my tests on removing scratches from glass yesterday
Here's my first attempt: Lake County-Glass Polish System
I followed the directions exactly, with NO REMOVAL of the glass around the scratch.
My first attempt did polish the glass but did not "remove" the scratches.
I even had M. Phillips take a crack at it at a TNG, He didn't accomplish anything either.
After that, I was on a mission!
First off, I was encouraged by Mike Phillips, "Pampos", "OldModMan" & "Alfisti" to use CERIUM OXIDE and a more aggressive method. So credit is due to these people.
Here's the debriefing on my mission to solve this problem
It all started out with the "wonderful" body shop over spray!
And I use the wrong pad to remove it. Next time I'll use clay. ( I used the most aggressive and not the least when I stated out, so this is what I get for not thinking about it)
Cerium Oxide comes in a fine powder,
mixed it with Distilled water (no minerals in Distilled Water) and put it in a squeeze bottle.
No measuring just put about half "shot" of CO and a cup of DW.
I used a 5" foam pad on my rotary, low speed about 2.5, with Cerium Oxide in Distilled Water
This worked good.
But I wanted a more aggressive pad
My research recommended a felt or leather pad.
I only had the terry pad and that worked better.
(I'll address the splatter later)
Terry pad worked better than the foam.
I knew my felt pad would even work better but I left my LC-GPS at Meguiar's so Mike could use it.
I couldn't wait to get my kit back.
So here's the 50/50 shot
Scratches on the right are removed from the left side
So I didn't do any more to the windshield and moved on to the door
On to the door
The door has this "ware mark" that I can see out of the corner of my eye when I drive and it makes me crazy.
First of all you have to use "3M Green Tape". Your working with water and Blue tape won't hold up.
I used my 3M sweep to make sure it sealed up.
The CO mix is basically water so it will get into everything and splatter everywhere. You have to make a "dam" around your work area, also cover up the rest of the car!
Here's the mess you can make
Get the corners really well!
Just roll up your "ugo" towels that will never touch paint again
because you'll be removing glass and I don't know if glass will come out in the wash
Here's the scratch
Micro shot of the damage
Started out with the LC-GPS felt pad, LC-GPS "paste", I really wanted it to work...
The LC-GPS paste just wasn't working so just use the CO mix
On to the work, and I mean work!
I would work for 10-15 mins at a time straight.
The LC-GPS says "work for 2 mins and you should be done, if not repeat one more time"
Well that is just not enough time to "remove glass".
I know it's Lawyer talk so "Bubba" doesn't heat up the glass and explodes his windshield.
That's why I've been researching this for the past month.
Now I have a great understanding of what I'm doing (I hoped).
I also sprayed the area with the Distilled Water,
the glass never heated up and was not an issue if you kept the area wet.
Here I am rubbing off the CO from the glass using DW
I did those 15 min passes about 10 times.
Each time a "little" more glass was removed
and I just didn't want to spend another 2 hours on this so I was done.
You can't even notice the scratch anymore
I had a very hard time getting these after shots.
Before
After
Micro Before
Micro After
Can't even see it in this shoot in bright So. OC sun!
You can just make it out in this one, it's 95% gone, but in person you don't even notice it
Conclusion:
You can remove scratches from glass.
You must be patient though, I polished my windshield about 3 hours actual hours
The door for an hour and a half.
Also makes a big mess so prepping the area is crucial!
The LC-GPS system is around $35 buck
The Cerium Oxide is $15 bucks
So compared to a new windshield installed around $250 bucks and a door window for $250 = $500 bucks?
It's SOOOOOOO WORTH It!
Thanks for reading and I hope I helped you in some way.
P.S. If anyone knows where to get some leather pads, I'd be interested in buying them.
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