Secrets of Cerium Oxide

Since the early fifties Cerium Oxide powders have been used in the glass industry for removing light scratches and other blemishes from vehicular and architectural glass.  Cerium Oxide powder is made from the two minerals bastanite and monazite.  Bastanite is a complex fluorocarbon, and monazite is a phosphate.  
If you venture into the caves of most any glass shop these days you will find a small bottle of cerium powder on the back shelf. Along with a circular sponge pad about an inch thick which is used on a rotary drill motor.  The cerium is usually mixed with a little water, applied to the glass, and then worked for several minutes with the drill.  This is actually somewhat effective at removing scratches that are barely visible but cannot be felt with a fingernail.  If the process takes too long it is not continued and is given up.  Simply because it is not considered cost effective.  What I want to accomplish by means of this article is to show that there are more efficient ways to remove light scratches and blemishes from glass.  That means in other words that we can do the same thing or better in less time.  Lets look first at the polishing pad itself.  I use a ring shaped pad made of hard felt.  Not a light weight foam.  The felt fibers have microscopic hooks that catch the polishing particles and help to drive them into the glass surface.  Felt is also much more efficient at holding onto said particles so they can be used over a greater time.  An optimum sized felt ring used for removing light scratches should have an outside diameter of three inches, and an inside diameter of one and a half inches.  It should also have a crack and peal backing so it can be quickly applied to a thin aluminum  or wooden disk.  The disk has a small universal joint centered between itself and the shaft of the drill motor. This makes it possible to operate the drill at speeds in excess of 1200 rpms without the problem of “bobbing”.  Which allows for perfect contact at all times.  The hard felt will more effectively drive the cerium particles into the glass surface. And since cerium is chemically reactive with glass, the higher temperatures that this more advanced process creates will accelerate that reaction.  You will notice by feeling the new dry surface with a dry fingertip, that it is much more rough than the original window glass.  This proves that the polish is cutting into the glass.  Cerium Oxide reacts with glass  to create a complex new surface of cerium, oxygen, and silicon.  This is softer than a soda lime glass matrix , and is therefore more easily removed by the abrasive action of the polishing particles.

The compound that I use is a fifty/fifty blend of pure cerium and glycerin.  It can be easily transferred to an oral syringe.  To remove light scratches you must first clean the glass well.  Then you can use the compound straight or along with some water.  You might apply some clean soapy water to the glass.  Then put several drops of compound directly onto the hard felt ring.  Next put the polishing ring against the glass and start polishing.  To check the surface just clean the cerium and inspect.  If you need to continue just apply more water and resume.  If you want you can polish with the compound alone. Although using soapy water will stretch out the compound much further.  Also water does assist with the chemical reaction and speeds up the polishing process.
The compound I have chosen and use is based on an ultrapure powder designed specifically for one step glass polishing.  It has a high purity rating with just the right shaped particles.  Which have the tendency of rubbing the glass more then cutting it as diamond does.  Cerium will always create a much smoother surface.  When the powder is suspended in just water it actually improves over time.  I have developed a Micro Wobble Wheel for small area stain and scratch removal.  Also I am working on different lapping rings made of hard felt and some other somewhat more exotic materials.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Be a Diamond Clear Window Cleaner!

Diamonds can dramatically enhance the image of a Window Cleaning Company.  They can also enhance our service and increase our annual profits.  By making it possible to clean glass more effectively in less time.  Restoring glass by removing scratches, abrasions, hard water spots, and acid damage. Further;...glass can now be coated  and thus protected with thin films of diamond.  This is common practice in the optics industry.
Everyone knows what a jewelers diamond is.  To the right of this page you will see a micrograph of polycrystalline diamond particles used as superabrasives.  Also a micrograph of a weathered or etched window glass surface.  We have no use for jewelers diamonds.  Yet polycrystalline diamond particles or superabrasives are quite useful.  Since they can be used to effectively clean and restore glass surfaces.  The picture to the far right shows quite vividly how porous ordinary glass surfaces can become over time.  Oily fingerprints, pizza grease, or just dust will fill these holes, valleys, and tunnels.  Making it impossible to effectively clean the glass using typical cleaners. But when we add a microcrystalline superabrasive to our cleaning solution we get much better results.  Those ball like polycrystalline diamond particles with hundreds of  sharp edges each, will reach down into the  surface and dig out all acidic contaminants.  But please don't be taken in by the sales hype of some manufacturers who have products based on diamond.  I remember twenty years ago a level teaspoon of pure microcrystalline diamond powder cost fifty bux.  How much of that could someone put into a product?  Especially when the manufacturing cost of that product must be multiplied by a factor of 4 to 6 for an end retail price?  Another consideration is nano-diamonds.  I have an entire gallon of a nano-diamond colloidal suspension.  Good for taking off fingerprints but that's it.  So too small is not good.  Also too big will scratch or abrade.  Just right is what we need.
Polycrystalline diamond particles are also quite effective at lapping flat glass with the right tools.  Creating what are called precision surfaces.  Such particles are very effective owing to their size, shape, purity, and hardness.  Some are even friable. Which means they actually break up into smaller particles when used.  These smaller particles give the surface a smoother feel and appearance.  So diamond can be used to restore window glass.  I just did a great restoration on my pellet stove borosilicate glass door.  Using my Micro Wobble Wheel and a 3 micron diamond compound.  I would not suggest using this particular system on window glass however as it does leave a very slight abrasion haze that would be rather unsightly in the direct sun.  A second step using a wet cerium slurry would be necessary.  But it does demonstrate what kind of potential there is.  Which needs to be explored by my G-SMART Community.
I am just beginning to bring the technology of superabrasive engineering of precision glass surfaces to the window cleaning industry.  This is a field that has existed for a long time in the optics industry.  It is highly scientific.  If it were not we wouldn’t be able to look out into the unbelievable depths of space at the stars, galaxies, and quasars.  Or down to the farthest reaches of the microcosm where living cells thrive, divide, and work together to create our bodies.  Quality glass surfaces are critical to the proper functioning of lenses and mirrors.  They are also to our work.  My hope is that many will follow me.  This is why I am creating the G-SMART Community.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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G-S.M.A.R.T. Community

G-S.M.A.R.T. stands for Glass Surface Maintenance And Restoration Technology.  I am now beginning a list of Window Cleaners who are very much involved in this work.  This nucleus will serve as a fantastic resource of knowledge for others looking to get on board.  There are so many products and systems out there that no one person could know it all.  But a consulting team or specialized community could.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Creating Precision Surfaces

To effectively remove stains or scratches from window glass we must create a new “precision surface”.  The goal is to remove as little glass as possible, in the least amount of time, and end up with the most optically precise surface.  This is done with a host of different superabrasive particles.  Which can be either bonded or loose.   Bonded superabrasives are held together within or on the surface of a solid matrix.  Which could be metal, resin, or plastic.  An example would be diamond lapping film used in the optics industry.  Such films are coated with diamond particles, and are usually applied with either a proprietary liquid, water, or a simple light oil.  Loose superabrasives can be applied dry or mixed with water or a light mineral oil.   Or we might create a compound where loose particles are suspended in a thick carrier fluid.  The thicker the carrier fluid the longer the particles will remain in suspension. For the product to be commercially viable they must remain in suspension for at least six months.  One simple way to test a compound for shelf life involves the use of a centrifuge.  I developed one with a variable speed up to 25,000 rpms, and an eight inch diameter. One example of a commercial compound is polycrystalline diamond.  It comes in different colored oral syringes.  Each color indicates a different particle size.
The micro-abrasive machining process of the optics industry is accomplished by literally driving the particles into the glass surface so that they cut away small bits of glass.   In so doing they become dull and create a smoother surface.  Some are friable and will break up into smaller particles revealing new sharp edges.  These will also generate a smoother surface. In general smaller particles result in a more smooth surface.  It really is all about the particle.  Any particles chosen to resurface glass must be harder than glass.  They might however have different hardnesses (one from another), sizes, shapes, chemistries, purities, and even surface functionalities.  All of these different characteristics can be exploited to attain different results.  Not to mention the different ways they are employed whether bonded or loose.  Further;...different abrasives might be blended together.  Certain compositional abrasives which are typically softer than glass, might even be added to obtain different results.  The possibilities are virtually endless!
Lets begin with cerium oxide.  This particle/powder, “reacts with glass  to create a complex new surface of cerium, oxygen, and silicon.  This is softer than a soda lime glass matrix , and is therefore more easily removed by the abrasive action of the polishing particles”.  As of recent this superabrasive has become rather expensive.  Most of the commercial hard water stain removal products sold to the window cleaning industry are not based on cerium oxide.  Rather they use crude silicas. A pure optical grade cerium is very effective at removing most stains and light scratches.  It is however critically necessary to use the correct application method.  Some people will use a hard felt pad on a rotary drill motor.  They dip the edge of a wet pad in a pail of dry powder.  Then they rip into the glass ’edge on’!  This creates very intense waves of zillions of microscopic scratches.  This ‘abrasion burn’ is completely invisible except in direct sunlight at just the right viewing angle.  The solution lies in creating the correct ’pad interface’. It is true that we want to attain the highest stock removal rate possible.  Yet we can’t overlook the fact it is quite easy to do serious damage to the ’optical surface’.  Enough damage at least to win a lawsuit. While there are many pad interfaces to choose from my favorite to date is a hard felt ring on a special aluminum polishing wheel.  I developed this system which is based on what I call the Wobble Wheel.  It uses a universal joint and a failsafe collar.  The hard felt pad remains totally flat on the glass at all times preventing what I have described here as abrasion burn.  This is what I like to call a fusion technology which joins the optics world with ours.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Testing Glass Sealants

We are professionals in what we do.  So if we are to sell a coating application for window glass we should be able to explain with confidence how long the application will last, and under what conditions it will degrade.  We also should be able to define exactly what the benefits will be to the customer. Because it is those benefits that we are selling.  There are many different competing products out there.  Some of them the customer has direct access to at the local Walmart.  Others are now made available on brand new windows, shower doors, and mirrors.  We should be concerned with these competing products.  Since we will have to offer something better.  We will have to offer a personal and professional guarantee.  
Longevity is a concern.  Some products will wear off in a single day.  Others will last for a month.  Then there are some that are advertised to last for six months.   I have a running test on one that goes back ten years.  On dark glass even.  It is the suns UVC radiation that is mostly responsible for degrading coatings.  Which by the way can be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic.  As is demonstrated by the picture above this is determined by the size of water drops.  A hydrophilic surface will show much larger drops.  If you were to sell a coating as a professional applicator you absolutely would not want to tell the customer the brand name of the product used.  In my opinion.  The reason is very simple and plain.  Each product out there has its own unique advantages.  One advantage might be scratch resistance, another longevity, another hydrophylicity or hydrophobicity, and yet another is resistance to alkali degradation by mineral deposits/hard water spots.  If I were to sell a coating application service at  a substantial price,  I would need direct personal experience with it.  So that I could guarantee that it will do what I am applying it for.  Sometimes it is possible to demonstrate the application.  Such as the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance.  Or scratch resistance.  Or even alkali degradation.  Longevity is probably the most difficult.  Unless you had a very powerful UVC lamp.
Lets look at alkali attack.  I have proven that alkali attack at 9 to 9.5 pH will effectively eliminate all traces of certain hydrophobic glass coatings.  Simply by putting small two inch droppings of concrete on a test plate treated by the coating in question.  Leave the concrete on the horizontal test plate for a full 24 hours then remove.  By running the plate under the tap it will become instantly apparent whether the coating has stood up to attack.  Hard water reaches a very high pH the last few minutes of a water drops life as the water poofs away.  Leaving behind mineral deposits.  This high pH is what degrades the coating causing the mineral deposits to cling to the glass surface.  If someone hires us to keep spots from sticking to their glass this kind of information would be helpful.  But not absolute!  We can only be absolutely confident (and get the bigger buck) by proving to the customer that our service will keep spots from sticking to their glass.  This can only be done by means of a timed test.  If the spots are coming from the efflorescence of the buildings exterior façade the option of diverting the sprinkler heads doesn’t exist.
What about scratching?  I developed a very simple test for scratching.  Definitely not an ASTM test.  Where I just coated one side of a mirror with the product in question.  Then I took a broken piece of glass and purposely tried to scratch the entire surface.  One product I tested stood out.  All other products failed really bad.  My first question after this discovery was, will this product stand up to sand in the wind on a windshield?  So;...I duplicated sand in the wind by performing a side by side test using a sandblaster set on low.   It failed completely.  You might look for independent studies done on certain products you are thinking of buying. My advice here however is to buy the product, or get a piece of glass in the mail that has been treated with the product you are thinking of buying, and test it yourself.  Believe in your own ability to figure it out.  It is your own personal confidence in the service that you are offering that will sell it.  Every time!

Written By Henry Grover Jr.

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The Particle Zoo!

The abrasives industry is a many faceted animal.  The technology of creating particles used in polishing hard surfaces has advanced tremendously over the last several decades. Currently we can manufacture particles measured not just in microns but in nanometers.  A single nanometer is a thousand times smaller than a micron.  The average sized micro-pore of a glass surface is five microns across.  So a ten nanometer particle would be five hundred times smaller than this.  More than size we must consider hardness.  There is also morphology (shape) which is typically controlled by the crystal structure. Which in turn is controlled by the chemistry.  Then there is the purity rating.  Powders rated  99.9 percent pure are not at all uncommon.  Next to be considered is the friability of the particle.  In other words, will the particle break up when put to work?  If it does at what pressure and to what size?  This is a very useful property since it allows the user to remove much surface initially then finish with a much smoother surface. There is also the property of chemical reactivity which requires a knowledge of what type of surface the powders will be used on.  Even if the particles will not react directly with the surface forming covalent or even trivalent bonds; they still could be adsorbed onto the surface ionically.  In other words they could be affected by what is otherwise called hydrogen bonding.  One more question to be answered is have these particles been functionalized?  That is has some chemical or chemicals been reacted with the outer surface of the particles so that they are now much more water miscible or oleophilic?  As you can see there is much to consider when looking for a particular particle for a certain formulation or product.  This is a new kind of “particle zoo”!  

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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SKRUB;...Steel Wool for your Bucket!

SKRUB is still being beta tested and will be out at the end of October 2014.  It is a synthetic microcrystalline amorphous silica suspended in a pure vegetable based glycerin carrier.  It has the consistency of hot honey.  Is a light brown color.  And goes quickly into any cleaning solution you might like.  It doesn't matter if you use GG3, GG4, Ecover, Dawn, Sansco, EBC, or even TSP or synthetic TSP.  This is a micro-abrasive assist/additive.  The little SKRUB particles are just a little bit smaller than the micro-pores of a glass surface.  So they fit down in there real nice and rough out all residue.  It only takes about a half ounce per two or three gallons of cleaning solution. And goes in real quick.  You will have to keep on agitating with your applicator/wand as you wet.  Since the silica tends to settle to the bottom of your bucket.  But it comes back up in solution easily.  When you wet the window you should be able to feel the wetting wand drag just a little. You will also notice the water becomes somewhat brown or white.   Also make sure your squeegee rubber is nice and sharp since it is kind of like working with dirty water.  Any nick in the rubber edge will leave a line which will become very noticeable. Also edge streaking can be a problem more so with SKRUB. But only if there is a problem with your blade.   You will also notice a slight drag on your rubber as you work.

Since I use all of the products I develop and market I can write from my own experience.  In fact this will always be the case.  I only use SKRUB on those storefronts that have a lot of fingerprints or other greasy shmears.  It allows me to use very mild synthetic detergents like cocamidopropyl betaine or lauramine oxide and still knock fingerprints off in seconds.

SKRUB is also a great product to use for removing different stains from glass.  Sometimes I will mix one part SKRUB to three parts water for a totally green screen stain remover.  It can also be used at the same concentration for removing light hard water spots 'by hand' from glass.  However you should never use it on solar (mylar) film, or plexiglass or lexan.  It is only for glass surfaces.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Advanced Hard Water Spot Removal

It is relatively easy to remove light stains with almost any polishing system.  But there are very difficult stains that require much more advanced techniques to effectively and completely remove.  One way to determine if the spots have been completely removed is to fog over the new surface with either our breath or a steamer.  If the residue from mineral deposits is still present you will be able to see it.  Otherwise you will see only a light film of vapor.  Spot residue can also be felt with a dry fingertip. 

One system involves the use of a circular sponge like pad that is connected to a rotary machine.  The RPMs are between 1,200 and 3,000.  The faster the machine the quicker the spots will come off.  Obviously. Although this has the tendency to dry out any lubricant such as water much quicker. There is also a greater chance for creating zillions of little scratches by picking up any stray silicate particles from the surroundings. This is also why it is critical to very thoroughly clean the surface before polishing.  The pads used are around six inches in diameter.  In my experiments I determined that rotary machines are definitely more effective than random orbitals or random oscillators (which are square).  The random oscillators however are very effective at getting into the corners.  They also have the feature of not throwing the compound/slurry all over your work area.  You can work right up to the adjoining plate without getting anything on it.

Now while the exact compound is indeed critical to the performance of the system, it is also equally important to use the correct polishing pad.  There are reasons why people are having more success with steel wool pads over softer sponge-like pads.  Very simply put it is the steel strands that drive the polishing particles down into the surface.  How far they actually carry each particle is quite another matter.  But obviously they are dragging these particles some distance since the surface is being polished.  Let me relate an interesting discovery I made when looking at scratch removal techniques.  At the time I was playing with a 10,000 RPM Dremel motor.  When using a half inch hard felt bob and diamond compound around five microns I was able to remove fine line scratches;...slowly.  Of course it would jump around some.  But with a strong careful hand it could be done.  Then I went to a hard wooden bob.  Everything else was the same. The wooden bob was about three eighths of an inch in diameter.  It was able to remove stock in a fraction of the time that hard felt bobs needed.  And left a wavy furrow where the scratch line was.  But that wavy furrow was perfect.  Although it was even more of an eyesore that the original scratch!  My point here is that speed coupled with high pressure can make a tremendous difference in the results.  The same speed that is obtained form a half inch bob moving at 10,000 RPMs can also be obtained from a six inch circular pad moving at 1,500 to 3,000.  There is a formula for calculating the number of feet per minute of any point on the outer edge of the pad.  When you do the math you will see what I mean.  To obtain the same pressure it is necessary to minimize the contact area as much as possible and go to either a hard felt ring or a wooden ring.  I am still in the process of experimenting with this idea.  Although I have built what I call a Gyro Wheel that uses a hard felt ring with a six inch outer diameter and a four inch inside diameter.  The ring is about a half inch deep with a width of one inch.  The compound is applied as drops directly to the wheel that is then applied to a window which has been wet with soapy water or some other lubricant for polishing.  This quite effective at removing average hard water spots.  The compound can be an optical grade silica, a cerium, aluminum oxide, or even something more esoteric like diamond, tin, or even silicon carbide.  There are many different polishing powders out there.  Any of which can be formulated into a holding very thick compound. This is another part of the technology.  The particle.  Different particles will absolutely give you different results.  Take cerium for example.  It does most of its work by rubbing.  It also reacts chemically with glass surfaces.  Now diamond on the other hand along with silicon carbide cuts.  Each has particles with very sharp edges.  Each is also harder than glass.  However because of this diamond compounds have the tendency of leaving what I call an abrasion haze.  This might be invisible on overcast days or the shadowy side of the building, but will show up brilliantly in the direct sun.  Another interesting idea is to combine different powders to obtain varied effects.  Another idea is to create a wooden ring that is also six inches in diameter but has in inside diameter of five to five and a half inches.  This would greatly increase the pressure and hence the efficacy of the overall system.

As I continue to develop the technology of stain removal I will be writing about it.  Although not everything will be included in this blog, on my Surfaces Sub-Forum, in the WCBO, or any other publication for the Window Cleaning Industry.  Since my desire at this time as it always has been, is to establish my own newsletter which I will be publishing online.  It will focus on advanced techniques for removing and preventing hard water stains.

Written By Henry Grover Jr.

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Securing Restoration/Maintenance Contracts

Most of the time the customer doesn't really care what hard water deposits really are!  They only care what the cost will be to remove them.  They might also ask if the stains will come back and how soon. Not being able to give them a definitive answer to these questions will likely keep you from getting the job. After all, who really wants to spend ten or twenty thousand bux to clear their windows, only to have the stains come right back only one year later?

It is never a bad idea to come in like a consultant.  First show them that you can remove the spots.  Then give them a one page summary of their problem. People always car more about what you know when they know how much you care.   Explain in the report the system you would use to remove the spots. Explain that your system involves the use of safe polishing compounds and not deadly destructive acids.  Then explain that you will be using a hydrophobic sealant because you will not be removing the source of these spots (something you can't do).  So in time they will form again, on top of the sealant.  Explain that it is because of this that you must do some preliminary testing that might take up to a year.  This testing will help you to locate the correct hydrophobe for their building.  It will also help you to fine tune the exact restoration maintenance system for their building.  Which will also give you the knowledge to give them the best quote. Essentially you are telling them that you want to remove the stains as safely as possible, for as little as possible, and keep them off for as little as possible.  If you don't charge for this service, you could set up experiments all over town. Which could pay off in a very large way later.  How do we set up a test?

We do this by first locating at least three of the most intensely stained plates.  You could choose three plates from different parts of the building.  Totally clear every square inch of all three windows.  Next section off about six square sections per plate using some wide duct tape.  Now apply about six different hydrophobic sealants to each plate.  Make note on paper which sealants were used, and where they were applied to the windows.  Now remove the duct tape and clean the windows.  If you did this correctly pure water will bead up on each of the six different sections.  However it will sheet over not beading at all where the duct tape was.  Your first observation will be the size of the pure water beads or drops.  The drops that have the greatest contact angle (these will be the most round) will be sitting on the most hydrophobic sealant.  BUT. Possibly not the most long lasting!  Only time will tell that.  Next give all three windows at least three months. Then look for newly formed spots.  Clean the windows.  Look for any spots remaining. Take some four 0000 steel wool dry on just one dry window and see which sealant releases the new spots the easiest.  You might now give the other two test plates another three months.  Do the same thing on one of these windows. Lastly wait another three months and do the same on the last window.  If you had set up four windows at the beginning you would have another window to wait three more months on, giving you a complete year of testing.  This test is just a suggestion and an example.  You might have a better idea.  The bottom line however is to allow for the time necessary to determine exactly what kind of procedure you will need, to first remove the spots in as little time as possible.  Also to learn exactly what system you will need to use to remove any newly formed hard water spots. What sealants will be the most effective at resisting the high pH of the hard water drops and the Suns ultraviolet rays.  Also what sealant will most easily release any newly formed spots.

For more information on products and systems just send me an email.  Then we can work together.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Creating The Perfect Glass for Water Fed Pole Cleaning

Glass is naturally hydrophobic.  It loves water.  In fact it must be heated to 700 degrees to eliminate all molecular water from the surface.  The reason why areas of even a single window will bead water (hydrophobic) and some areas sheet water (hydrophylic) is that the surface of glass on a microscopic level is not of the same exact "smoothness". Some areas due to whatever, are much more rough, and hence have more surface area exposed to hold onto water.  Other areas are more smooth and will bead water.  I can make glass more hydrophylic or hydrophobic just by superpolishing with different sized superabrasive powders.  But this is time consuming. The easiest way to do it is to chemically react a water based silane with a specific functional group to the glass.  The functional group being hydrophobic or hydrophylic depending on what you want.  Unfortunately in order to accomplish this we usually have to dip into the halogen reserve.  That means using fluorinated and chlorinated hydrocarbon functional groups.  I have found one that works very well in water and leaves a hydrophobic surface.  But WFP guys want their water to sheet not bead.  This chemistry is much more difficult to locate. But how many more toxic chems do you want to dump into the Earth for cleanup later?  The best alternative would be to functionalize the entire outside plate of glass using green superabrasives before the window is put in the building.  In other words setting up the surface of the window for whatever cleaning procedure will be used after the building contract has been signed off.

Superabrasives that are based on particles in excess of five stand a chance of scratching.  But anything under this is typically safe.  At least for products like cerium oxide.  When using even a three micron polycrystalline diamond particle one must be cautious about the method of application.  The reason being that diamond can create an abrasion haze rather easily.  Nonetheless the different sized particles will create different types of smoothness.  Everyone has their own opinion of what is best for them.  Just look at how many people out there prefer Dawn over products like GG3 and GG4.  So you will need to try different compounds on different windows to compare with your WFP.  I suggest trying a nano compound of 1/10 of a micron, a one micron, and a 3 to 5 micron particle.  You can try cerium at first, then compare to other compounds.

I suggest using my invention the Gyro Wheel.  It will make your work much easier.  I am looking into ways to get this technology to you.  The gyro wheel can be used with a six inch disk or rings.  My preference is for the hard felt repositional rings.  The compounds are colored and come in syringes.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Biodegradable Plastic

Biodegradable plastic is quite common.  Check out some of the plastics that can be made at home on the kitchen stove using such common ingredients as corn starch and glycerin.  Then we have other very interesting but very simple plastics like PVA (polyvinyl alcohol).  One company overseas has developed an entire line of water soluble plastics that will completely dissolve in water at different temperature ranges.  So each can be used for a different purpose.  They can all be completely recycled. Also if they were to be left outside they would completely dissolve in the rain with no harm to the environment.  Being made from nothing but carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.  No halogens here!  By this I mean elements like chlorine and fluorine.

So.  As I continue to move ahead in developing products I will be exploring this line of materials quite intensely.  Personally I am very fascinated by this technology.  The idea of including them in the development of superabrasive compounds and superabrasive water soluble brush on coatings for polishing rings for mineral deposit removal;...excites me greatly.

I'll keep you all updated as I progress through my posts on this blog.  HOWEVER;...

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Wiljer Textile/Cleaning Products

I just wanted to take a few minutes to write something about an amazing little company down in Mass that has been around for many years making window wetting sleeves for the window cleaning industry.  Richie Petrashewicz the owner has always been ready to help me out in whatever way he can by bringing my ideas to life.  When I first met Richie over the phone about twenty years ago I learned very fast how focused he was on servicing our industry.  I will never forget asking him to make me a six foot long sleeve.  I had developed a tool at that time for wetting any sized applicator and needed the biggest sleeve possible.  So he did it.  And I used it.  I will never forget the looks I got working my stores downtown main street.  From this came many other ideas.  All of which he satisfied.

He has come up with many different sleeves over the years, and has recently developed an entire line of flat applicator tools. The most recent sleeve for window cleaning that he calls the Wizzer is just perfect.  I hope I have spelled it correctly.  It has a green scrubbing section that runs the length of one side.  And is a white synthetic sleeve that holds just the right amount of water.  Definitely a tough sleeve too and made to last.  Richies company Wiljer was actually the first company to conquer the end wear out problem.  You know when the ends of the bar break through the sleeve?  So I am now using a Whizzer and loving it.  I will never go back to any other sleeve.  For cleaning windows I will remain with Wiljer forever.  And as I continue in product development you can be sure it will be a Wiljer Textile product that I will use.

To go to the Wiljer web site use www.wiljer.com

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com


  

Green Product Development

As I continue to work on developing different products for Window Cleaners I have chosen to focus on ingredients and materials that do as little harm to the environment as possible. This will likely require that I divert my attention from the halogens to carbon based technologies.  Essentially the chemistry of life! Although it will also lead me down a trail that will teach me about all of the elements.  Even elements such as erbium and gallium.  They are all here on this planet for a reason.  Even arsenic.  Yet they are bound up with other elements in minerals buried in the ground.  Released over many years into the water.  People have sped this up by burning carbon based fuels.  Which have created acid rain.  This falls to the Earth, seeping into the ground, and breaks up the minerals there.  That releases elements such as arsenic and mercury from the natural mineral compounds that have kept them safely bound up for millions of years.  Once released they react with and become a part of the chemistry of life.  That leads to death.

The first step would be to determine exactly what I want to do.  Then to look at the planet to see how nature is doing the same thing.  Or if there are "things" out there that can be used for this purpose which will break down in a short enough time so they can be reabsorbed into the natural ecological order. Another concern would be how certain chemicals might affect the soil.  Since dirt or humus is actually alive with millions of different bacteria and fungi, it is critically important to consider how our chemicals would affect these.  When Jehovah created this world he did it in such a way that everything is finely balanced.  Our bodies are loaded with bacteria as an example.  However when we move one bacteria to a place in the body that it is not supposed to be, that bacteria can cause disease and even death.  The same is true of the ecosystem.  Since our Earth is like one huge organism.

This new way of creating products actually excites me because it will demand that I learn more about the ecology of the planet. I have a book I just picked up on Water.  Which the writer calls the blood of the Earth.  Interestingly enough when people began polluting the planet they began with the air and the rivers, lakes, and oceans.  Now the oceans are polluted with particles of plastic waste.  There is a reason we have sand.  It naturally cleans water.  But there are chemicals we can put in water that sand will not filter out. Water molecules can be broken down and reformed.  But they don't necessarily do this in nature. Water molecules are actually billions of years old.  The water molecules that you have in your body today were likely used by at least one other creature at some time in the past.  Maybe many creatures.  Likely even worms long ago dead and gone.  

If you study different Material Safety Data Sheets you will learn that certain ingredients do not have to be listed and identified with their Chemical Abstract Service Registry numbers if they are less than 1 percent of the overall mix or product.  That means over time literally millions of pounds of toxic chemicals can be dumped into the environment without any legal consequence to the manufacturers.  But there is of course a consequence to the ecosystem.  One that could have a direct effect on the health and life of those people, animals, insects, and bacteria living in that area.  Although now pollution has traveled around the globe.  So we experience the results of pollution on the other side of the planet.

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Written By Henry Grover Jr.

For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Water Activated Disks for Removing Hard Water Spots

This is a polishing disk that is coated with a water soluble polymer loaded with various superabrasive powders.  It works by releasing the polymer and superabrasive simultaneously when wet with water.  The first step is to apply a good amount of soapy water to a clean window surface that is stained by hard water spots.  Then start polishing with the W.A.D. or Water Activated Disk.  The polymer will start to break down with the water, releasing just the right amount of powder/slurry.  If you clear the glass with a squeegee after a minute you will see how much time is needed to remove the stains completely.  Then proceed with your work.  You can polish the entire window, then soap and squeegee for inspection.  If the window looks good you might fog it to see if all of the spots have been completely removed.  If they have you can seal the glass with whatever hydrophobe you choose.

WADs can be created from different water soluble polymers, and different polishing abrasive powders of varying particle types and sizes.  Even diamond can be used.  What is critically important along with the details just discussed, is the use of the right rotary polishing wheel.  The one I have developed is both gyroscopic and has a 12 degree (fail safe) variable shaft.  That is it has an outer edge that weighs much more than the rest of the wheel owing to six large holes cut around the center point.  It is six inches in diameter with a universal joint fixed between the wheel center point and the drive shaft that fits into the chuck of most any drill motor.  Also it is made from 1/4 inch aluminum alloy.  The hard felt rings and polishing disks used have a pressure sensitive adhesive to temporarily secure them to the bottom of the wheel.

The purpose of the wheel design is to remain flat on the glass at all times.  This completely eliminates what I call "the bobbing effect".  Which helps to eliminate the problem of abrasion haze, and maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the WAD.  Of course the same is also true if one were to use a polishing ring made from hard felt.  Such rings increase the contact pressure and so optimize the speed with which the polishing compond is able to remove the hard water spots.  Different compounds are applied directly to the contact surface of the rings a little at a time.  The window is copiously wet with soapy water.  The wheel is next put up to the window and turned on.  You should polish about a couple square feet at a time.  If you limit the amount of compound applied to the rings you will also limit how much will need to be removed from the window when done.  In most cases all you will need to do when done polishing is rewet the window with your cleaning solution and squeegee it off.  There should be virtually no messy compound left behind to remove.  This greatly reduces the amount of time to clear a window.  It also greatly reduces the amount of compound used per window, and hence the cost of product to completely clear each window.

This is a revolutionary new technology for removing hard water spots from window glass.  Owing to the fact that there are spots out there that will come off with a finger nail, and others that require a jackhammer;...each stain removal/restoration job will be different.  I do not foresee a one solution kit available any time soon.  Although I do see an enormous amount of room for product development.  Such as liquid coatings loaded with superabrasive powders that could be applied to different disks and rings.  Such would be water based of course and would dry to the touch within a few hours.  Once dry they could be put to use immediately.  A product like this would give both the manufacturer and the user fantastic diversity.  It is this type of product that I am now going to pursue.  If you would like to become a beta tester for any of the products mentioned in this post, or any others as they are developed;...please just send me your name and email.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

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Developing A Window Cleaning Soap

The very best window cleaning soap is truly subjective.  Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes.  Although I will tell you this.  No one enjoys bleed.  No one wants a heavy film that leaves white lines in the direct sun.  And no one wants their blade to chatter across the glass.  I think everyone will agree with me on this.

So.  In order to eliminate bleed we must choose a molecule that will not break down the surface tension of water so much that the cleaning solution just runs out from the edge.  We test by cutting the solution with our squeegee and looking at the line of delineation.  The dry line or wet line.  Whichever you want to call it.  If it is straight you are good.  If it has legs then not. Next the film.  Typically long molecules will leave a film.  We like short molecules.  Maybe with chains of just four carbons long. If a surfactant turns to a white solid when left outside in fifty degree weather, this is not a good thing.  If it stays liquid down to ten degrees this is a good thing.  Your blade should not chatter if the surfactant breaks down the surface tension of water adequately.  This is also true of the slip products or chems out there.  TSP has a very short molecule.  It gives you tremendous slip.  No film.  However it will bleed like crazy. Sodium metasilicate or water glass is very similar.  Another slip chem. But enough on the slip chems.

It isn't possible to control the humidity in the air.  If the humidity is high your solution will cause your squeegee to glide better.  But when it is low your rubber will chatter more.  The bottom line is once again the length of the syn-det molecule.  If it is short you will leave very little film.  You see as the rubber moves across the glass your water solution evaporates behind the blade.  It only takes a split second.  But it does take time.  It might only travel out behind the blade by a tenth of an inch or so before it evaporates.  But as it evaporates a film is left.  Every time.  It is the length of the syn-det molecule that determines exactly how thick this film is.  The cleaner surface is always attained by using a short molecule.

Now that we have got this down we know where to go.  We want a single short molecule or a blend of different ones.  We need to break down the surface tension of water to just the right amount.  And we will want to generate just the right amount of sudz.  Certain surfactants will generate more sudz than others. Therefore you must choose the one that you want.

My job is to come up with a number of different surfactants of the four different families and let you mix your own to your own liking.  This will be a non ending work in progress.  But I will let you know as it develops.  Currently I am looking at many contenders.  And am even looking at fluorosurfactants or teflon soaps.  These have so far proven to be the most fascinating to work with. Although they are extremely expensive.  For that reason I see them as small add ins.  Not the main ingredient in the blend.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com