New Blog Entries

I posted a couple new entries to the "1965 Ford Econoline Pickup Restoration." One pertains to glass polishing and the other is an update on the body work. You can see them here:

http://1965econolinepickup.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Ron B. in Lake George, NY
'65 87B Special aka "The Money Pit"
Photos: http://tinyurl.com/3eywxg
Restoration Blog: http://tinyurl.com/3ahk9r
Email: YahooRon(at)roadrunner.com
eBay Member: 64spyderman

Ron:

This is the compound (cerium oxide) we use to polish scratches out of mirrors and table tops:

http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/C/C0301_12781.html?Origin=

Yeah, tempered glass glass is really tough stuff. Fortunately you found the 3M discs to help get the heavy work done.

To: "I don't know your name",

Since you have expertise, which is better, cheaper, faster etc...Rhodite or Cerium Oxide?

Ron B.

Ron:

All I've known for the last 20 something years is cerium oxide.

Talked with an old timer many years ago who told me about "blind bevelers" (guys who would bevel mirrors on stone wheels by hand) and such. He said they used jewelers rudge and man, that sucked. Then a salesman came in with cerium oxide and that changed everything big-time.

I like to let the water do the work. Keep it wet, not much pressure. Get things too hot and the glass seems to get harder. Soaking the wheel for a couple hours beforehand seems to help too. If you see a mechical polisher work, the slurry is very very watery, but there's a constant stream.

I have no idea if Rhodite does as good of a job or is faster, but cerium cost me about $9.00 per pound wholesale. We usually don't care if it distorts slightly, so we do a small area just enough so you can't see the defect anymore (if it's that bad I'd much rather just fabricate a new mirror). I'll have to try those pads someday.

- Larry