Window Etching - Restoration

catalinajack · Dec 6, 2015

I want to share today's test experience with a product I think I found mentioned on this forum but it may have the MTOA of AGLCA. It's called DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner. I attached a picture of my test. You will see that the window was heavily etched. See the outside edges of the window. Of course, no ordinary cleaners would touch this etching. The clear spot you see in the picture is after about two (2) minutes with an random orbital polisher with light pressure. The result was a polished, very smooth surface with only the barest hint of what once was. It was difficult getting a picture that shows the result. You only see the clear section. I had despaired that the windows would have to be replaced. I highly recommend this product

stubones99 · Dec 6, 2015

Case of etched window panes

catalinajack said:
I want to share today's test experience with a product I think I found mentioned on this forum but it may have the MTOA of AGLCA. It's called DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner. I attached a picture of my test. You will see that the window was heavily etched. See the outside edges of the window. Of course, no ordinary cleaners would touch this etching. The clear spot you see in the picture is after about two (2) minutes with an random orbital polisher with light pressure. The result was a polished, very smooth surface with only the barest hint of what once was. It was difficult getting a picture that shows the result. You only see the clear section. I had despaired that the windows would have to be replaced. I highly recommend this product

Before and after would be nice...

One cleaner I used was glass cooktop cleaner on one set of windows that had been calcium encrusted from a neighboring sprinkler head spraying and staining the windows. It took some scrubbing but didn't scratch the glass and removed the calcified buildup.

Stu

ktdtx · Dec 6, 2015

I think it is before & after on the same window--the edges not done and the more center part done.

catalinajack · Dec 6, 2015

ktdtx said:
I think it is before & after on the same window--the edges not done and the more center part done.

Indeed it is before and after in the same picture. The clear section is the treated section. The outer, very etched, very white sections is what the treated section looked like before I worked on it. When looking at the treated section from just the right angle I can barely see where the etching edges were but straight on it looks like a new window. In the Spring I will try to get the result even better although I may have already reached the limit.

MYTraveler · Dec 6, 2015

Thank you for taking the time to post and share. Is that a glass or plastic window?

catalinajack · Dec 7, 2015

MYTraveler said:
Thank you for taking the time to post and share. Is that a glass or plastic window?

It is glass. I tried it on a panel of isinglass. Didn't work.

FF · Dec 7, 2015

For plastic windows or hatches the stuff used on no wax floors does a good job of scratch filling

chc · Dec 10, 2015

Is this an internet item, or available at Box stores, etc?

catalinajack · Dec 10, 2015

chc said:
Is this an internet item, or available at Box stores, etc?

Amazon. Just ordered another bottle today. On Saturday the weather here in Annapolis is supposed to be very warm so I will be taking the opportunity to restore several of the windows aboard our Defever 44.

Capt.Bill11 · Dec 10, 2015

Felt pads seem to work best to polish out glass with glass polish like that. You can use them by hand or with an orbital buffer.

catalinajack · Dec 20, 2015

Capt.Bill11 said:
Felt pads seem to work best to polish out glass with glass polish like that. You can use them by hand or with an orbital buffer.

Based on Capt. Bill's experience, I tried a felt pad. It worked very well on my highly-etched windows but still left faint outlines of the etching when viewed from an angle. Looking for perfection I cut a large sized Scotchbrite pad to fit my orbital sander/polisher and picked a more obscure portion of window for a test, the concern being that the Scotchbrite might scratch the glass. It did not. What it did do, in a very short time (30 seconds), is polish a sqaure-foot section of glass to perfection. I did this about an hour ago in 37-degree temps. I am looking forward to springtime when I can do all of my windows, comfortably. The Scotchbrite is not hook-and-loop (aka Velco) but it held perfectly well to the pad holder. I will be using the felt pad for a quick, final polishing.

Capt.Bill11 · Dec 20, 2015

catalinajack said:
Based on Capt. Bill's experience, I tried a felt pad. It worked very well on my highly-etched windows but still left faint outlines of the etching when viewed from an angle. Looking for perfection I cut a large sized Scotchbrite pad to fit my orbital sander/polisher and picked a more obscure portion of window for a test, the concern being that the Scotchbrite might scratch the glass. It did not. What it did do, in a very short time (30 seconds), is polish a sqaure-foot section of glass to perfection. I did this about an hour ago in 37-degree temps. I am looking forward to springtime when I can do all of my windows, comfortably. The Scotchbrite is not hook-and-loop (aka Velco) but it held perfectly well to the pad holder. I will be using the felt pad for a quick, final polishing.

What color Scotch pad did you use? I'd like to try that next time.

To be clear I meant you load the felt pad with the polish. Not just use the pad alone to polish the glass.

I assume you were loading the felt and the Scotch pad with polish?

catalinajack · Dec 20, 2015

Capt.Bill11 said:
What color Scotch pad did you use? I'd like to try that next time.

To be clear I meant you load the felt pad with the polish. Not just use the pad alone to polish the glass.

I assume you were loading the felt and the Scotch pad with polish?

Yes, loaded both the felt pad and the Scotchbrite pad with polish. I used the green pad. Bill, I was absolutely amazed at how highly polished was the result with very little effort. Where I tested today the etching was almost white. Gone in 30 seconds.

Capt.Bill11 · Dec 20, 2015

Great thanks. I'll give it a try.

Window Etching - Restoration

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