by Jukebox Junkie »
Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:18 am
I had this problem on a Continental 2 dome. It had a big wide 1/4" about 8 inches long scratch (almost white in color). Not deep enough for your fingernail to catch on. (If you can feel it with your fingernail actually catch in a groove , it might be too deep to get out).
Here is what I did and it worked like a charm. I bought some "cerium oxide" off of E-bay from a gentleman in Michigan. It was about $15.00 and it is the best grade available. It is a very fine polishing compound used for glass. Next I got a variable speed 90 degree polisher from harbor freight. It was only about $25.00 Next I got some 3M lambs wool polishing pads.
Ok, I put the dome on the ground on a piece of cardboard (do this outside, because the slurry flies everywhere.) Also wear coveralls or old clothes.
Next you want to mix up a slurry of the cerium oxide with some mineral free water. (Distilled water). You put a dab or clump of slurry onto the middle of the 3M pad and kind of smear it around. Do this with the polisher upside down so it doesn't run off.
Flip the polisher over and smear it back and forth on the area with the scratch, do this with the polisher turned off. Then slowly start the polisher with it on LOW and keep the pressure very light. Also you don't want the slurry to dry out. Keep it wet by adding more. Also, stop every minute or so, (You don't want to heat up the glass, or it will crack.) You start to get a "FEEL" of how much pressure to apply and when the slurry starts to dry out.
The slurry should have a good portion of cerium oxide in it (not too watery ) I think I used an old glass jar to mix it in.
I didn't even use half the bag of cerium oxide and it removed the scratch.
BE PATIENT, ....it takes awhile to slowly polish it out.
KEEP IT WET....don't let it dry out.
GO SLOW and KEEP THE PRESSURE light enough that you feel the slurry working.
KEEP THE POLISHER ON LOW.. don't be tempted to speed up the polisher or the process.
DON'T HEAT THE GLASS UP... take a break, every minute or so.
Keep the polisher moving, don't stay in one spot.
It took me a few hours, letting the glass cool down, and maybe a pad change or 2.
You can't even see where the scratch was and it looks 1000% better.
Hope this helps..
Tony