63 Front Windshield Scratch

[Jeffrey A.]

My front windshield is original and dated correctly but there is a scratch in the glass from what appears is that the person who owned the car before me allowed the wipers go bad which dig a scratch about 4"in lenght.The scratch is located on the drivers side towards the top off the windshield when the blade is fully upright Does anyone know what product could remove a scratch as I am discribing. The scratch is not very deep but the few things I have tried has not work. Any advise is welcome.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Golly! If only that was all I had in my original windshield. I have stone hits yet from the southwest where I was stationed when I first got the car, and lots of sand blasting since. Each chip represents a memory. I once bought the polishing compound and wheel to try and improve mine, but changed my mind when I saw some examples of the out come. i.e. distortions and swirl marks. Best to leave it to some professional glass restoration people. They can do some amazing things nowadays.

Stu Fox

[Jack H.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

The general rule of thumb is this: if the scratch is deep enough to 'catch' your fingernails on, it's too deep to be polished out. Lighter scratches CAN be polished, but it's a LONG BORING job to execute...

[Joe R.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

NOVUS is the system you are looking for.

Google NOVUS and you'll get info and dealer information.

JR

[Jeffrey A.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Stuart/Jack and Joe

I and going both your ideas. Thanks for the help. I will let you know what worked

Jeff

[Stan E.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

I've worn out two new drills polishing glass. Go slow and dont get it hot.

[Terry M.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

I have polished deep scratches (yes, mu fingernail could catch on them) out of side glass, but never had to work on windshield glass.

I used ceresum(sp?) oxide powder and a felt buffing wheel made especially for polishing glass. I bought the materials from a commercial glass supply company, but the kit from Eastwood looks similar.

I believe it is critical to have equipment that rotates at the specified rpm. A drill will not efficiently do the job. I found a buffing tool from Sears with the right rpm at a yard sale for $10. I had to have a machinist friend make an adapter for the buffing wheel.

It is, as Jack stated, a long and boring job. I spent about 14 hours per side glass, and did each over a period of a week or two. Just a couple of hours at a time so as not to get to tired and make a mistake.

I thought Novus was for plastic.

[Jeffrey A.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Terry

You are the third person that told me to try Oxide powder. I am going to try this. Novus does to glass but the closest one to me is 200 miles. I talked to them today and I would have to trailer my car to them. I am going to try the Oxide first.

Thanks

[Terry M.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

I am thinking of something else if Novus is a business. I am thinking of a three-part system for polishing plastic. Old Timers Disease, no doubt.

I believe there was a thread on polishing glass on the old board in which I wrote a tome about my experiences. I used white-out on the back of the glass to identify the region of the scratch as it becomes invisible once the oxide slurry is applied.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2010&itemType=PRODUCT

As I said above, I didn't use this kit, but what I used appears to be similar, maybe even exactly the same.

[Jean C.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Jeff, you will undoubtedly agree that a scratched windshield is better than a cracked windshield so do not let the area you are polishing get too hot (too warm?). Just my recollection from one of Terry's earlier posts on this subject.
Best regards,

[Chuck W.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

I have used this product from Eastwood (http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT) to remove many many scratches from glass and windshields. Soak the buffing wheel in water overnight prior to use, use the recommended RPM when polishing, and keep spraying the area down with cool water to avoid overheating. Any scratch, as long as it is not into the inner laminate, can be removed from glass regardless of depth. The problem is that the deeper the scratch the more glass distortion you will impose to remove it. It is best to fan out the buffing area to reduce the optic distortion of the polishing. Place tape on the back side of the windshield and mark the scratch with a black marker on the tape so that you can see the mark through the glass. Once you start polishing it becomes difficult to find the scratch without a mark. Keep feeling the glass with the back of your hand to avoid overheating it. It takes a bit of time but the results can be made to be virtually invisible. When I first started polishing glass, I practiced on an old piece to learn the correct way to do it.

[Jack C.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

I second the Eastwood product. Great results.

[Joe M.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Terry McM, you are not having a senior moment. Novus makes plastic polishing products, #1, #2, #3. I recently purchased a plexiglass windshield for my scooter and the manufacture recommended Novus products.

[Terry M.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

Thank you. I purchased a "kit" from them and someday am going to polish the headlights on the 2001 Camaro. One of those long-term projects. I had it on my list to drag out the kit and see what I had. You saved me that effort. Thanks again.

[John H.]

Re: 63 Front Windshield Scratch

As I recall, the stuff used to make the slurry is cerium oxide.