glass polishing...

[Envious Eric]

with a pc, what pad should I be using...is there a dedicated glass pad? or something like a mini wool pad, or a cutting pad? I dont want to scour the window, so that is why I am asking before trying....

[imported_memnuts]

When I polish my glass I always use a finishing pad. In this way the glass polish is doing all the work. I want to clean and polish the glass without distrubing its integrity (scratching).



Be very careful with even 0000 steel wool. It will scratch automotive glass.:nervous2:

[ZoranC]

Proper Auto Care has glass polishing pads. I have ordered some, it should be coming in next few days, remind me to post pics when they do.

[Rfulmer]

Newb here, what exactly do you get out of polishing your glass. Does it remove those tiny little specs that you only see when the sun hits just right or does it only clean the glass and get all the gunk off?



Also, can you use any old polish, such as Optimum Polish, or MUST you use special glass polish?



Thanks....

[paul34]

Newb here, what exactly do you get out of polishing your glass. Does it remove those tiny little specs that you only see when the sun hits just right or does it only clean the glass and get all the gunk off?



Also, can you use any old polish, such as Optimum Polish, or MUST you use special glass polish?



Thanks....



I know a lot of people have had success getting out those etched-in water spots and other assorted difficult to remove crap with with SSR1 on a PC and I *believe* (might want to confirm this) on a finishing pad

[sevenrd]

I know a lot of people have had success getting out those etched-in water spots and other assorted difficult to remove crap with with SSR1 on a PC and I *believe* (might want to confirm this) on a finishing pad



That`s exactly what I use for stubborn water spots. SSR1 with a finishing pad via PC has quickly removed water spots for me.

[qadsan]

Newb here, what exactly do you get out of polishing your glass. Does it remove those tiny little specs that you only see when the sun hits just right or does it only clean the glass and get all the gunk off?



Also, can you use any old polish, such as Optimum Polish, or MUST you use special glass polish?



Thanks....

If you can feel the scratch in the glass with your fingernail, then you`ll need to grind or sand the scratch out with a silicon carbide wheel, disc or paper. And there`s no rule as to the grit you must start with. That comes from experience, but always start with the least agressive grit and work your way towards more agressive if necessary.



Those tiny little specs you see reflecting back at you cannot be polished out with conventional car polishes. Conventional polishes for paint will only clean the glass and or remove water spots at the very best. The hardness of glass is much different than the paint on your car and the only way to polish out those little specs or other defects in the glass is with cerium oxide. It`s a matter of mixing it with water to turn it into a slurry, which is then polished against the glass with a hard felt wheel. You`ve got to keep it damp / lubed while polishing or else the slurry can heat up too much and you`ll end up with cracked glass. Some types of glass polish easier than others. I`d recommend practicing on a test sample before working on something you care about.



There are plenty of glass polishing kits available and most all of them will contain cerium oxide. If you`re buying cerium oxide from a chem shop, you don`t need to spend the money to get the super pure stuff. The normal inexpensive stuff will work just fine.

[Envious Eric]

so auto glym glass cleaner on a finishing pad should work???? Its going to be on the 73 VW van...the windows are really blotchy and gross looking...we are going to tint it and I want to clean the glass before we have that done

[qadsan]

Auto glym glass cleaner on a finishing pad is a good start. It may be all you need, but you won`t know until you try. It will remove most water spots, and or films. It will leave the glass nice & clean, but it won`t remove scratches or heavy etchings or those tiny little specs if they`re etched into the glass unless they`re from bonded contaminants.

[Envious Eric]

oh the glass isnt scratched...well, a little from taking off tint (before we bought it) but I am going to try it out tomorrow....i`ll try to get some pictures tomorrow....

[qadsan]

The Autoglym glass cleaner is good stuff and will clean the glass up nicely. It`s one of those products that I keep on hand and I`d definitely buy again.