[Wolf 335]

Has anyone tried using Cerium Oxide to remove imperfections from a windshield and/or windows?

Comes in a powder form that you mix with water to create a paste, which you then use as a compound on the glass with a felt pad.

Carpro CeriGlass and 3M™ Glass Polishing Compound contain this element in their product.

I'm more so interested in the actual cerium oxide use rather than products that contain it in smaller doses.

My windshield is in need of some finessing due to small pits, scratches, and so on, making it harder and harder to see in the sun and at night with opposing traffic lights.

[King Rudi]

I've tried it. Wasn't happy with the minimal results. Check with your insurance company, you may be able to get a windshield replacement through Safe-Light at no cost to you. Much better option.

If you haven't already used the cerium oxide, make sure that you do not get it on your seals or any other rubber pieces for that matter. It will dry it out and damage it. It's also a big mess and odds are, you aren't going to get the results that you expect. Are you planning on using the drill attachment pads? If so, be very careful. It's very easy to sling that stuff everywhere. It also leaves a powdery residue all over everything once it dries out.

Are you starting to pick up on the mess I made in my garage?

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by Now_Rudi

I've tried it. Wasn't happy with the minimal results. Check with your insurance company, you may be able to get a windshield replacement through Safe-Light at no cost to you. Much better option.

If you haven't already used the cerium oxide, make sure that you do not get it on your seals or any other rubber pieces for that matter. It will dry it out and damage it. It's also a big mess and odds are, you aren't going to get the results that you expect. Are you planning on using the drill attachment pads? If so, be very careful. It's very easy to sling that stuff everywhere. It also leaves a powdery residue all over everything once it dries out.

Are you starting to pick up on the mess I made in my garage?

I have seen some videos and it does create quite a mess.

Plan was to get the kit on Amazon. Includes a bag of Cerium Oxide, drill attachment backing plate and felt pads.

Would definitely have to tape up the rubber trim pieces. Seems that reviews point towards long working time. Doesn't seem like a "quick job" type of product.

How long did you work it into the glass and what machine/pads did you use?

[Run Silent]

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

I have seen some videos and it does create quite a mess.

Plan was to get the kit on Amazon. Includes a bag of Cerium Oxide, drill attachment backing plate and felt pads.

Would definitely have to tape up the rubber trim pieces. Seems that reviews point towards long working time. Doesn't seem like a "quick job" type of product.

How long did you work it into the glass and what machine/pads did you use?

Just don't. Seriously. The statement 'quite a mess' fails to accurately describe the 10+ hours you will spend cleaning literally every part of your car, garage, walls, yourself, and anything else you own - all to save a couple hundred bucks and for what will amount to a marginal improvement.

Save yourself an enormous amount of time and aggravation and just replace the windshield. Many regions have no deductible on windshield replacement, some have lower deductibles (mine is $50). It's a comp hit, not collision, so no increase in insurance rates either. Even if you don't file an insurance claim, a replacement windshield on an E9X is only around $600 or so at Safelite.

Trust me, go this route. You will thank me later.

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

I have seen some videos and it does create quite a mess.

Plan was to get the kit on Amazon. Includes a bag of Cerium Oxide, drill attachment backing plate and felt pads.

Would definitely have to tape up the rubber trim pieces. Seems that reviews point towards long working time. Doesn't seem like a "quick job" type of product.

How long did you work it into the glass and what machine/pads did you use?

Sounds like I ordered the same kit that you did. I spent around 4 hours on it, then another 3 hours cleaning the mess that it made. The only difference that I noticed is that my seals were destroyed 3 days after and unless I used a Mr. Clean Magic eraser, the pink/clay color just smeared all over my drywall in my garage. No change whatsoever to my windshield. Total waste of time, money and effort.

[streetpro]

To make a real change you need a professional "sand paper" with cerium oxide plus an orbi polisher, lots of water and patience. I have tried once to recover a hardened glass table with multiple scratches... the key is not to overheat it... or it does a shit-your-pants explosion leaving you with beautiful array of scatters to play with... or to use them in your kaleidoscope...

[Maestro]

I have a 53 F100, you can imaging getting windshield for older vehicles was not all that easy and costly, and after 50 yrs of driving, stuff hitting, and cleaning the original windshield, (Yes it has the same windshield install by Ford) you can see lots of fine scratches in the windshield.

About 25 yrs ago I bought a Carpro CeriGlass kit from Eastwood and attempted to pretty up the windshield. As others pointed it is lots of work and the results are not as good as you would hope for. Also, you need a drill with enough torque since you have to put pressure on the glass to make the compound work. Drill with high torque spin at a low speed and you need the speed as well. I found it very hard to use a regular drill since it was hard to keep the pad flat on the windshield as well as getting enough pressure. Ideally you would want to use a gear driven buffer, since it gives better control and pressure. But the kits only has drill attachment.

Unlike others I did not do mine in the garage, I did it outside, out of the sun so the mess was limited to the ground and the truck.

After all that, I did eventual find a replacement windshield when restoring these old truck became popular.