Hello,
Just obtained a VW Bus project car. The previous owner spray-painted all the windows with black spray paint (for privacy - it's been parked in his parents yard for 6 years and he'd been living in it). Is scraping the most effective removal technique or can I use a rag with paint thinner or some other chemical?
Thanks!
-- John
Newbie Question - Removing Paint from Glass (windows)
-
jhuber
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 9:48 pm
Lighter fluid and a (NEW) razor blade works great if you have nothing else. I like 3M all purpose adhessive remover. Don't use the blade on mirrors, they tend to be made of plastic and scratch very easily. Good luck -
Kubel Nick
- Posts: 1770
- Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2002 12:01 am
-
DougRuss
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Thu May 29, 2003 9:24 am
Steel Wool pads.........
After scrapping most of it off with a Single Edge Razor Blade or similar tool, use "0000" Steel Wool Pads to remove the rest.
-
nthang
Cerium Oxide
If you get all the paint off and the glass is scratched or hazy looking instead of crystal clear, you need to buff the glass. Its easy and it will make your glass new again. No kidding. New.
You will need to buy the cerium oxide powder (an organic powder that is finer than talc and harder than steel) I use "Rare Earth" from Sommers & Maca. You can buy a one pound can for $8 at their stores located in all the big cities. Or at: http://www.somaca.com/ProductDetail.asp ... r=263-1014 .
You buff the glass using a std. drill motor and a buffing pad (they sell these at HD with a shaft for the drill). Place a few tsp in a pan, add a few tsps of water to make a paste the consistency of pancake batter. Then, you dip you buffing pad into the paste and buff the glass. Wipe if off with a rag and some Windex to check your work. You can do a single scratch or the whole windshield. If the paste dries out you can retemper it by adding a bit more water. The can will do all the glass on an entire bug. But its work.
But BE CAREFUL not to overheat an area on the glass surface by buffing in one spot too long. This may cause the glass to break from heat stress. (Buffing produces friction/heat). Use common sense like sanding a nice piece of hard wood......don't sand in one spot or you will make a depression, duhhhhhhh. And have fun on this project. When done, you will thank me for the new glass in your car.
You will need to buy the cerium oxide powder (an organic powder that is finer than talc and harder than steel) I use "Rare Earth" from Sommers & Maca. You can buy a one pound can for $8 at their stores located in all the big cities. Or at: http://www.somaca.com/ProductDetail.asp ... r=263-1014 .
You buff the glass using a std. drill motor and a buffing pad (they sell these at HD with a shaft for the drill). Place a few tsp in a pan, add a few tsps of water to make a paste the consistency of pancake batter. Then, you dip you buffing pad into the paste and buff the glass. Wipe if off with a rag and some Windex to check your work. You can do a single scratch or the whole windshield. If the paste dries out you can retemper it by adding a bit more water. The can will do all the glass on an entire bug. But its work.
But BE CAREFUL not to overheat an area on the glass surface by buffing in one spot too long. This may cause the glass to break from heat stress. (Buffing produces friction/heat). Use common sense like sanding a nice piece of hard wood......don't sand in one spot or you will make a depression, duhhhhhhh. And have fun on this project. When done, you will thank me for the new glass in your car.