Maintaining optimal visibility in the car is one of the main conditions for safe driving. The windshield in this regard is most responsible, but it is also the most open for minor damage and pollution. Small scratches, chips, cuts and cracks affect not only the coefficient of visibility, but also the internal structure of the product. Therefore, grinding glass becomes a mandatory measure, which is carried out on a regular basis at certain intervals.
Glass Troubleshooting
In the process of flaw detection, you can evaluate how serious the wear of the surface is and make an appropriate conclusion about further actions. Sometimes after such an assessment, the glass is dismantled and new ones are installed in their place. Most often, the check allows you to determine the degree of damage - this will make it possible to more accurately choose the means of grinding. The evaluation criterion is the depth of the defect. The first category is minor damage with scratches about 50 microns deep. The second category follows - cuts and small chips up to 200 microns. The most responsible polishing of a car’s glass is done when fixing damage, the depth of which is about 300 microns. In this case, a coarse grinding tool is required, as well as a suitable paste. Conversely, in the case of minor cracks and cuts, fine-grained abrasives should be used. However, the choice of pasta should be discussed separately.
Polishing Paste Selection
For ordinary motorists planning to restore the glass surface in the conditions of their garage, it is recommended to purchase pastes for manual processing. Firstly, grinding the glass with a manual tool has a less coarse and stiff effect on the surface, which eliminates the application of new cuts. Secondly, in terms of effect, they are not much inferior to professional compositions, if used correctly. Most polishing hand pastes are based on chromium oxide, thanks to which this product can be used for delicate surfaces - not only for auto glass, but also in polishing jewelry, screens of mobile devices, etc.
This group of pastes also has its own differences. So, to eliminate obvious scratches and severe scuffs, you should purchase compositions with a rough base. These are not very coarse grains, but you also need to be careful with them, because with intensive exposure not polishing will be provided, but in the literal sense abrasive cutting. Sanding glass that does not have deep damage can be done with soft compositions. They give a greater degree of cleaning effect, eliminating matte scuffs. There is also a category of decorative hand pastes that do not so much deal with damage as give the glass a jewelry shine.
Sanding preparation
Cleansing and restoring actions with the car body and windows are performed only after a thorough wash. The machine must be washed, dried, and then treated with a blower. It will be necessary to blow away small particles of dust that could remain on the surface of the glass. Next, you need to prepare a plastic film in a volume sufficient to completely cover the car.
The film should cover the entire body, and then make cuts in the windows and in the area of the windshield. This is necessary so that the abrasive does not fall on the non-target area. The edges of the cut film are carefully glued with masking tape.
Depending on the technique used for grinding the windshield, the corresponding tool is also prepared. Usually, a special grinding machine with an electric motor or battery pack, as well as a felt wheel in the form of a nozzle, are used for the operation. Along with this, it is necessary to dilute the abrasive paste with water, as provided for by the instruction of a specific composition.
Operation Technique
First, paste should be applied to problem areas. This is done without the participation of a grinder - manually, the composition is applied to the felt wheel and rubbed on the target surface. Grinding is carried out in small circular zones with a diameter of about 30 cm. If it comes to several point damaged areas, attention should be focused on them. In any case, it is impossible to stay long in the same place, otherwise a dent will form. Mostly grinding the glass should correct the physical imperfections of the structure, and for this a gentle effect will be sufficient. If dryness and temperature stress are observed at the processing points, then a little water should be added to the surface of the glass. Upon completion of the work, the entire composition is washed off, and the glass can be treated as an additional cleaning with a special detergent chemistry.
How is polishing different from polishing glass?
Polishing glass can also be an additional procedure after grinding. In essence, this is a more accurate operation to smooth out irregularities, since fine-grained materials are used in the process of its implementation. A polishing wheel, manual stripping materials and abrasive mixtures are also involved. Like polishing a car’s windshield , polishing can eliminate minor defects. But its main task is precisely to provide an attractive surface appearance with a gloss and lack of matte scuffs.
Conclusion
Subject to the rules of grinding, it is possible to minimize the imperfections of the glass surface and increase its original decorative properties. However, one should not rely on this operation as a frequent and regular measure of glass restoration. By itself, the impact of abrasives contributes to the rapid wear of the material, therefore it is desirable to prevent the appearance of defects. Typically, glass grinding is performed after the formation of a large number of small scratches and cracks. What can lead to this condition? The most common factors experienced motorists include exposure to "janitors", brushing and scraping, stains from reagents, etc.