Skrub is a synthetic microcrystalline silica compound based on a pure glycerin carrier. The formula is 50/50 silica and glycerin by volume. The cost is 13.75 for an eight ounce container. Plus 3.75 for shipping. I am taking checks by mail or Pay Pal. Please call with any questions Mon through Fri from 9 to 5 eastern time. 603-498-9474. Or email anytime.
It is used as an additive for any cleaning solution. Just a half ounce per gallon. It can also be used as a hard water spot remover for light mineral deposits.
Check out my other two posts "Skrub;...Steel Wool for Your Bucket" and "Removing Glass Stains With Skrub".
Henry Grover Jr.
email henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Creating The Correct Contact Angle for a WFP
The two terms hydrophylic and hydrophobic are purely arbitrary. They are only generalizations. NOT accurate definitions. The true scientific measure of how much a glass surface deflects or "beads" water is Contact Angle (CA). This varies greatly depending on the chemical sealant used and the coefficient of friction (CF) of the surface. If the surface has not been chemically treated so that it is chemically identical to any other glass surface that has not been chemically treated, then the greater the CF (the more rough it is) the less the CA will be. And hence the more it will hold onto and tend to "sheet" the rinse water from your pole. Put crudely;.. if you really rough up a window it will hold onto more water and not bead. It will "sheet" better. This is the reason why guys have been able to "make" hydrophylic glass with bronze wool.
It would be nice if we had a way to accurately measure the CA without buying a five hundred dollar piece of scientific equipment. However I think what is more important is to find a way to create the best surface for the WFP. Best for you. One that can be custom tailored to your personal liking. And then to simply and quickly test such a surface for uniformity and perfection. We do know that applying Rain-X or Aquapel is NOT the answer!
First we need to create a five micron surface with a five micron cerium oxide compound using the Wobble Wheel and a hard felt rad (ring/pad). Then test the uniformity and perfection with a cold fogger/mister. You can get one for as little as 25 bux. When you fog the surface it will create zillions of microscopic droplets of water. If the surface has not been perfectly microlapped you will see this in the pattern of micro-droplets. Which pattern should be totally smooth without any imperfections. Then you will want to hit the window with your WFP to see if you get the best sheeting action. The window will probably hold onto your rinse water too much. Five micron pure glass (no residue) surfaces will hold onto water with an iron grip. One micron surfaces are less water loving. They have a lower CF. You might try creating a perfect one micron surface. If you can create this superfinish test it for sheeting with your WFP. If this is a CA that is good for you then you're there! Such a pure glass surface would be the best way to go since there aren't any chemicals to wear off. You might even experiment on the same plate of glass by creating a one micron surface on one side and a five micron surface on the other side. Then put your WFP to it and see what the results are. If you still need a surface with a higher CA then you will need to go to a chemical.
Now we all know that Rain-X creates a CA which is way too high for WFP work. But did you know it is possible to reduce the CA created by Rain-X by cutting this product with isopropyl alcohol? Try it out on a surface that has been microlapped. Keep track of your percent of alcohol to product (Rain-X). Set up side by side tests using different percentages and see which one works out best with your pole. Next you will need to do an entire window and time yourself. Then you will have to sell it to yourself and your customer. Can you convert certain windows from windows that cannot be cleaned with a WFP to ones that now can be? Will it save you enough time and or will it save your customer enough money? There must be a monetary reason for doing this other than the satisfaction we get from a scientific experiment gone absolutely wonderful!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow By Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
It would be nice if we had a way to accurately measure the CA without buying a five hundred dollar piece of scientific equipment. However I think what is more important is to find a way to create the best surface for the WFP. Best for you. One that can be custom tailored to your personal liking. And then to simply and quickly test such a surface for uniformity and perfection. We do know that applying Rain-X or Aquapel is NOT the answer!
First we need to create a five micron surface with a five micron cerium oxide compound using the Wobble Wheel and a hard felt rad (ring/pad). Then test the uniformity and perfection with a cold fogger/mister. You can get one for as little as 25 bux. When you fog the surface it will create zillions of microscopic droplets of water. If the surface has not been perfectly microlapped you will see this in the pattern of micro-droplets. Which pattern should be totally smooth without any imperfections. Then you will want to hit the window with your WFP to see if you get the best sheeting action. The window will probably hold onto your rinse water too much. Five micron pure glass (no residue) surfaces will hold onto water with an iron grip. One micron surfaces are less water loving. They have a lower CF. You might try creating a perfect one micron surface. If you can create this superfinish test it for sheeting with your WFP. If this is a CA that is good for you then you're there! Such a pure glass surface would be the best way to go since there aren't any chemicals to wear off. You might even experiment on the same plate of glass by creating a one micron surface on one side and a five micron surface on the other side. Then put your WFP to it and see what the results are. If you still need a surface with a higher CA then you will need to go to a chemical.
Now we all know that Rain-X creates a CA which is way too high for WFP work. But did you know it is possible to reduce the CA created by Rain-X by cutting this product with isopropyl alcohol? Try it out on a surface that has been microlapped. Keep track of your percent of alcohol to product (Rain-X). Set up side by side tests using different percentages and see which one works out best with your pole. Next you will need to do an entire window and time yourself. Then you will have to sell it to yourself and your customer. Can you convert certain windows from windows that cannot be cleaned with a WFP to ones that now can be? Will it save you enough time and or will it save your customer enough money? There must be a monetary reason for doing this other than the satisfaction we get from a scientific experiment gone absolutely wonderful!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow By Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Thursday, October 23, 2014
This Product Can Destroy Your Competition!
Window cleaning products like Glass Gleam or Dawn just clean glass and nothing else. You can put together your own cleaner that digs down deep into the glass pores and removes every bit of dirt and grease. Leaving a perfectly clean surface. But that is not all! At the same time it seals the surface with a PDMA that has an 18 carbon chain extended to push away every water molecule for a hydrophobic and oleophobic surface. So it cleans and seals at the same time. I even applied this once on a car windshield in the POURING rain. It worked instantly. I really have to do a video on this one. With a video like that to show your potential customers you would really wow them!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Transformer Products for Private Label
A Transformer Product is one that can be used along with other products which are already on the market. The purpose is to create a new product which can be considered proprietary by the Window Cleaning Company that formulates it. Such transformationals can be powders, compositional abrasives, colloidal suspensions, compounds, or slow release coatings (SRCs). They are transformational in that they can be changed individually into something with a completely different application, or added to another existing product for a very specialized application. The Window Cleaning company has the option of creating virtually anything their imagination allows for. They can obtain their own MSDS, and private label the blend or product. This is going to be the focus of my new business Glass Smart Products. The videos that I create under the name Breaking Glass Productions will be for the purpose of showing something of what can be done with the Transformationals.
Have fun!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Have fun!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
A Window Cleaning Spray for our Customers
It seams that the best formula for a window cleaning product that is sprayed on and wiped off with paper towels is a 70 percent solution of alcohol and thirty percent pure water. You definitely would not want to use any amount of ethylene glycol monobutylether (EB) to give your product a bit more cut. I suggest using a nanoparticle below, but there might be an additional nontoxic green chem that can be added. Check out the toxicology info one the net for EB. It is not good. Some have added various surfactants and propellants but the detergents even in very low concentration tend to cause filming and streaking. I would rather see some type of a nanoparticle (close to one micron) used in a permanent suspension to give the product that extra cut. Maybe a silica or an aluminum oxide. Then we could claim our product is based on nanotechnology. Anything at one percent or less does not have to be listed on the MSDS but can be written up as proprietary. Your MSDS writer will know. Of course the bottom line is simply that this method is certainly not the best one for cleaning windows. The best is either a squeegee or a water fed pole.
The idea of creating a one step glass cleaner for our commercial customers has been presented to me in the past. My thought was immediately that this would be heresy. We are window cleaners! But the more I think about it the more I realize it is virtually impossible to change the way people think. So why not give them the best? At a great profit. With a label that has our business name, address, website, and phone number. Do not sell a concentrate. That diminishes profit. Plus they just want to grab it, spray, and wipe. Sell it one gallon at a time with a small spray bottle they can refill. Maybe five small spray bottles at a time. They will use it for everything. We will even end up selling to our customers customers. Hows that for publicity? NOT advertising!
OK. Product liability is a concern. For this business (Glass Smart Products) I am starting at the end of October it will cost me about forty bux a month based on a 25,000 dollar sales volume a year. You might want to do your own MSDS. There are professional writers for that. A quick search on the net is all you need to locate one. Of course the easiest way to get around the MSDS might be to find a commercial product already existing that meets the formula criteria, change their label to your own, buy your own product liability, and use their MSDS by changing the heading at the top only. You could ask the insurance company and product manufacturer if this would be OK. Special precautions might be necessary in California.
I am trying to think of ways now that I can increase the bux I make from my store accounts. Currently I have 110. Looking to boost for the winter. But. Why not sell add ons like other businesses? Add ons that promote publicity for my store front window cleaning biz. Like advanced window graphics supplies. Your store front customers' windows are their very best means of advertising. So why not take advantage of that?
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To recieve these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box "Follow by Email" located at the top right.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
The idea of creating a one step glass cleaner for our commercial customers has been presented to me in the past. My thought was immediately that this would be heresy. We are window cleaners! But the more I think about it the more I realize it is virtually impossible to change the way people think. So why not give them the best? At a great profit. With a label that has our business name, address, website, and phone number. Do not sell a concentrate. That diminishes profit. Plus they just want to grab it, spray, and wipe. Sell it one gallon at a time with a small spray bottle they can refill. Maybe five small spray bottles at a time. They will use it for everything. We will even end up selling to our customers customers. Hows that for publicity? NOT advertising!
OK. Product liability is a concern. For this business (Glass Smart Products) I am starting at the end of October it will cost me about forty bux a month based on a 25,000 dollar sales volume a year. You might want to do your own MSDS. There are professional writers for that. A quick search on the net is all you need to locate one. Of course the easiest way to get around the MSDS might be to find a commercial product already existing that meets the formula criteria, change their label to your own, buy your own product liability, and use their MSDS by changing the heading at the top only. You could ask the insurance company and product manufacturer if this would be OK. Special precautions might be necessary in California.
I am trying to think of ways now that I can increase the bux I make from my store accounts. Currently I have 110. Looking to boost for the winter. But. Why not sell add ons like other businesses? Add ons that promote publicity for my store front window cleaning biz. Like advanced window graphics supplies. Your store front customers' windows are their very best means of advertising. So why not take advantage of that?
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To recieve these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box "Follow by Email" located at the top right.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Monday, October 20, 2014
Removing Glass Stains with SKRUB
SKRUB is based on a synthetic silica particle of just the right size. It was created with the intention of helping to remove fingerprints as you applicate. Just a half an ounce of SKRUB per gallon of soapy water. It allows you to use a very mild synthetic detergent like lauramine oxide or cocamidopropylbetaine. There are other very mild detergents out there. However this is not the only use for it.
Since it is based on glycerin it is very easy to mix with water. It is also very concentrated. If you look at the MSDS of certain other commercial liquid compounds used for hard water spot removal, the percentage of silica or DE is very small. Whereas SKRUB is at fifty percent by volume. Which makes it possible to cut it by at least five times with pure water and still remove water spots. This I would do by hand. It will not scratch. And I have used it to remove aluminum screen stain also. I do suggest if you intend on using a rotary machine for spot removal then use a cerium oxide compound as this will produce a better more smooth surface.
There are other stains that can be removed by hand with SKRUB when it is mixed fifty/fifty with water. So it is a good product to have in the tool box for different situations. In a very dilute concentration with water it can be used with a slow polishing machine and the large Wobble Wheel to "micro-lap" glass surfaces in preparation for certain glass sealants. This process also converts the glass surface to one that loves water or hydrophylic. Not hydrophobic. Hydrophylic surfaces are much easier to clean with a water fed pole. The process takes about a minute per one to three square feet.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box to the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Since it is based on glycerin it is very easy to mix with water. It is also very concentrated. If you look at the MSDS of certain other commercial liquid compounds used for hard water spot removal, the percentage of silica or DE is very small. Whereas SKRUB is at fifty percent by volume. Which makes it possible to cut it by at least five times with pure water and still remove water spots. This I would do by hand. It will not scratch. And I have used it to remove aluminum screen stain also. I do suggest if you intend on using a rotary machine for spot removal then use a cerium oxide compound as this will produce a better more smooth surface.
There are other stains that can be removed by hand with SKRUB when it is mixed fifty/fifty with water. So it is a good product to have in the tool box for different situations. In a very dilute concentration with water it can be used with a slow polishing machine and the large Wobble Wheel to "micro-lap" glass surfaces in preparation for certain glass sealants. This process also converts the glass surface to one that loves water or hydrophylic. Not hydrophobic. Hydrophylic surfaces are much easier to clean with a water fed pole. The process takes about a minute per one to three square feet.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box to the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box to the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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 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.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box to the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Saturday, October 18, 2014
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.
To receive these posts directly in your email just type your address into the box at the right of this page, "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To receive these posts directly in your email just type your address into the box at the right of this page, "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To receive these posts in your email just type your address into the box at the right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your email just type your address into the box at the right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Friday, October 17, 2014
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.
To receive these posts directly into your email just type your address into the box at the right Follow by Email.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To receive these posts directly into your email just type your address into the box at the right Follow by Email.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Thursday, October 16, 2014
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.
To recieve these posts directly in your email just type your address in the box to the right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To recieve these posts directly in your email just type your address in the box to the right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
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.
To receive these posts directly into your email just put your address in the box to the right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Thursday, August 21, 2014
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.
To receive these posts automatically in your email just type in your address in the box to the right, "Follow by Email".
For product sales, henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
To receive these posts automatically in your email just type in your address in the box to the right, "Follow by Email".
For product sales, henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Monday, December 16, 2013
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.
If you would like to have these posts appear directly in your inbox just write your email address in the box at the top of this page "Follow By Email"
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
If you would like to have these posts appear directly in your inbox just write your email address in the box at the top of this page "Follow By Email"
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Sunday, December 15, 2013
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.
You can receive these posts directly in your inbox by typing your email address in the box at the top of this page "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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.
You can receive these posts directly in your inbox by typing your email address in the box at the top of this page "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)