There are many different gel like hard water spot removers on the open market. But most of them are not true polishing compounds. They are not pure blends of high tech optical grade polishing powders. It is because of this that the application method along with the results obtained are both quite different. Polishing optical glass surfaces is both an art and a science. As a case in point you will notice the optical fibers in the picture at the upper right. The ends of these fibers must be perfectly polished. To do this polycrystalline diamond lapping films are used. Very special procedures are also used in production polishing of optical lenses and substrates for mirrors. Then why should our technique be any different for removing mineral deposits from windows? If we are so focused on perfection when we work our squeegees, why shouldn’t we also be just as determined to recreate the very best surface for our customers?
The first thing we should focus on is the flatness of what is called in the industry;...the lap. There are many different materials including pitch and even wood. Along with some rather esoteric laps that I will be researching for the WCR. But right now in this letter lets look at hard felt. I have chosen a flat ring with an outside diameter of six inches, an inside diameter of four, and a thickness of 1/4 inch. It has a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side so it can be easily fixed to the Gyro Wheel seen here in the picture. This wheel can be di
rectly connected to most any drill motor. It has a universal joint built into the shaft that allows for a twelve degree variance. With a fail safe collar surrounding it. I like to start my speed at about 1,000 rpms. Faster speeds will remove stains even quicker. But you must keep on testing the surface to make sure the glass doesn’t get too hot.
First you should clean the window with exact precision. Making sure there aren’t any sand like particles remaining. Next wet it well with a clean soapy solution or a liquid designed for polishing glass. Next put about six or more drops of compound on the bottom of the hard felt ring. Then put the ring up against the window and start the drill motor. A variable drill motor that runs between 0 and 3,000 is a good choice. You will want to move around a two by two foot area. Give it about a minute, then squeegee off the slurry. Examine the surface to see if all of the spots have been removed. You might feel the dry surface with a dry fingertip. But the best way to determine if all of the deposits have been removed is to fog the new surface with either a fogger or your own breath if possible. If there are any deposits remaining you will see their appearance in the fog. If you have indeed created a brand new surface without any deposits remaining, the fog will ‘sheet over’ showing absolutely nothing.
With the angle of variance that the wheel allows, you will be able to easily keep the hard felt lapping ring totally flat on the glass the entire time you are polishing. This will maximize the overall effectiveness of the compound and the system. It will also help in reducing the operators stress making the work much more endurable.
This is just the beginning. I will be looking into different laps and building many different pure polishing compounds. That will be based not just on high tech powders, but also different suspensions. The reason for this is that polishing is not just a physical process but also a chemical one. In fact it is for this very reason that some particles have been chemically ‘functionalized’.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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