Contractors;....Stop Installing Defective Glass!

Are you a General Contractor?  Do you think that all windows are created equal?  Unfortunately this is not the case.  The first thing you must know is that depending on the design of the building windows can become stained within a matter of several months.  Such stains will not come off with a simple scrub and squeegee.  But require a much more aggressive and high tech solution.  Also you certainly would never want to allow a so called "professional" window cleaning company to use an acid to remove these stains if they have already formed.  Acids can strip off low e glass coats, magnify light scratches, and etch glass.  They are also bad for the environment and a serious health hazard.

Windows are likely to have defective glass surfaces these days.  I mean they usually are very prone to scratching.  Right from the beginning it is necessary to know exactly what you are dealing with.  Razor blades and even so called safe abrasives can easily scratch this defective surface.  Which can cause tremendous damage climbing into the hundreds of thousands of dollars if there are hundreds of windows in the building.

Another problem has to do with low e glass.  Exactly where is the coating, is it there at all, and what is the condition even on brand new glass?  Quite frequently windows will be rated as low e but not have a low e coating.  There are ways to check every window to determine if there are any coatings missing that should be there.  Also where they might be.  Sometimes coatings that should be protected between the two plates of an IG unit are actually exposed.

Negative deflection is a serious problem causing windows to implode with a loud bang.  Very loud.  This happens because the gas between the two plates of an IG Unit out gases but nothing comes back in.  So the plates are sucked in towards the center.  This is known as negative deflection.  There is a very simple test that will show up this problem.  Most times windows are stored for a matter of six months or more before they are installed.  At the time of installation windows are usually NEVER properly inspected for all of these things mentioned above and so much more.  The very best thing to do is to have a professional glass/window consultant/inspector on every new building from beginning to end.  In other words from the day the windows are first purchased and put into storage until the day they are installed and the building is turned over to the owner.  Windows actually pass about seven different hands before the construction is complete.  During this time virtually anything can happen.  And the last thing any contractor wants is to have to wait even a couple of weeks for a replacement window because of some defection or damage.  Such could cost way too much if the deadline is not met in a timely fashion.

I have worked for contractors, window cleaning companies, real estate agents, insurance companies, and even lawyers on these issues.  And can help you too.  Just send me an email and we can talk about any and all special projects that you might have going on right now.  I also have references available on request.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Advanced Stain Removal

I am currently working on a system for stain removal that will be the most advanced stain removal system to date.  It will NOT be a commercial system for several reasons.  Take for example my Wobble Wheel.  This will likely never be commercialized for the following reasons.  First, since I have made the design public knowledge several years ago it cannot be patented for production and profit.  It also is not something that can be kept a secret since it is not a formula such as a window cleaning soap.  Another feature of this system will be the slow release polishing pads.  Which might be commercialized at a later time.  But only if I keep the "production method" a secret.  Such that the product will be proprietary.  This makes it valuable.  The other features of the system will be possible for anyone to duplicate so they will likely not be commercialized.

Here is the advanced stain removal system.  It is based on a variable speed grinder that does between 0 and 3,000 rpms.  High amps for good torque.  A Wobble Wheel based on a universal joint shaft or a gimbal.  To keep the polishing pad completely flat at all times.  Next a water feed for the polishing or grinding process.  Also the slow release polishing pads that are based on a water activated plastic pad loaded with different superabrasive powders.  Also an rpm counter for reading the speed of the polishing wheel.  This will tell the worker when he hits the cutting rate.  When this speed is matched the wheel will grab just a little.  Which will slow down the pad.  This is the speed you will need to operate at since it will much more efficiently cut through the stain.  Another feature will be a laser surface temperature gauge.  This is very important because it is necessary to keep the glass around 140 degrees of less.  Heat and friction are what drive the cutting/polishing process.  But you will NOT want to allow the glass to become too hot because it will shatter.  Heat alone is all that is necessary to break glass.  It will be necessary to have a continuous readout from the temperature meter and a continuous readout from the rpm counter.  Both of these devices will allow you to control the polishing process so that the stain removal is done most efficiently.

There will be a lot of variables about this system that will make it very practical.  I am currently using a tool shop to retrofit a new grinding machine with the features described here.  As for the slow release pads these will be quite variable.  Some will be capable of use as grinding pads.  Others will be possible to use as grinding pads.  It will be possible to develop some based on diamond.  As some people have had success with diamond based slurries/products such as "Diamond Magic".  Many have also had very good success with cerium oxide and optical grade microcrystalline silica compounds.  The preferred grinding superabrasive is silicon carbide.  This is the basis for the pads from 3M and other companies that the glass restoration professionals have been using around the US.  It is also the essential abrasive used in the Glass Renu pads/products.  At lease according to their patent.  Nonetheless we don't know exactly which silicon carbide they have used.  These pads are proprietary because these ingredients are secret.  If the secret were to get out anyone could duplicate them.  I have been told by Marc Tanner that the SiC chosen is very important.  It must quickly grind through the stain.  But it must also in so doing leave the most smooth white surface.  One that can be very quickly removed/cleared with the highest optical grade cerium oxide.  Which by the way is definitely not cheap.

I am hoping you find this information helpful.  Any of these features are interchangeable.  Also any can be used along with any preexisting system.  More will be written as I continue to develop the system.  I will be developing it over the next month at the latest because I am currently working with a couple of different companies in the capacity of a traveling consultant.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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