Phobic 2 Phylic Video Part Two

The purpose of making this video was threefold.  First my intention was to show off the Mini-Wobble.  I wanted to show how much like the six inch Wobble Wheel it is.  That it has a swivel feature which allows for a 12 degree variance of the drive shaft.  This permits the polishing disc to remain perfectly flat on the glass at all times without bobbing around.  So as to minimize the polishing learning curve.  It is so easy it can be used with one hand. just like the six inch Wobble.  Further when the wheel remains totally flat on the glass this also greatly helps to minimize and scratch haze.  The preferred method of polishing is with a soft polishing pad.  Felt also works.  Except Marc Tanner does not like felt.  And he is the expert in this field.  For this reason Marc and I along with Dave Keller are working on a very special high tech pad developed especially for one step polishing.  As for the polishing compound I prefer a rather thick cerium based compound.  This along with a "not hard" pad works very well.  And I will be making another video very soon to demonstrate the most efficient way to work with cerium.  Which I think you will find very practical.  Here is the video I have written this post about.

Please go to the Glass Smart YouTube Channel by using this link if you cannot access the video above with your IPhone.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

Second my intention was to demonstrate the Slow Release (SR) pads that are being sold by Universal Photonics.  I developed the term Slow Release.  It is more of a generic term.  There are other commercial pads which use similar technologies as this one.  Universals name for their pad is the Phantom Fixx.  Their Product Customer Part Number is PFPD050010A01A01.  I used a two inch diameter pad with a Velcro backing for the video.  The address for Universal is 85 Jetson Lane, Central Islip, NY 11722.  Phone 516-935-4000.  www.universalphotonics.com
This test I did was very interesting because the pad was rather hard.  Especially compared to the ones that I created using a special PVA density powder and another softening ingredient.  Both the Phantom Fixx and my SR pad had the tendency to leave visible scratches on certain surfaces.  The Phantom Fixx did not leave any scratches on the mirror at SuperCuts.  It also did not leave any scratches on the very last test on the outside of the window at the garage.  But absolutely did leave scratches on the inside of the garage windows.  Which did demonstrate that it is absolutely NOT a pad that can be used on every glass surface without causing any problem.  If you chose to use it you must be extremely careful.  Also you must never use it on a tin oxide low e surface.  These surfaces require exceptional care.  Universal does have many other excellent products that we can make compounds with.  I have received three different ceriums and a zirconium oxide that I will be testing.  I also have a couple premaid diamnond compounds which I bought from another company that I will be testing.  And of course they will go on the Glass Smart YouTube Channel.

The third and equally important reason for this latest video is to demonstrate how easy a Phantom Fixx pad very efficiently converts a phobic surface to a phylic surface;...every time!  This is also a very long lasting change.  It also does not create a mess from loose compound.  Hence the cleanup is very quick.  Just soap and squeegee.  This type of "deep clean" using such a "quick" polishing technique is also very useful for applying a hydrophobic sealant like Nanovations NG1010.  What I have also found very interesting is that truly hydrophylic surfaces allow anyone to snake off a window or mirror using just plain water.  Who would have thought that you could swirl any plate of glass with pure water?  No chems, no soaps at all!  I thought it was very interesting too that when you wet a completely phylic (water loving) glass surface with water it sheets over so efficiently that the surface looks completely dry.  This is the surface which we want for Water Fed Pole work because the rinse water will drain off leaving no spots.  No drops no spots.  It also makes it possible to clean very fast with a WFP.  This is something I will be demonstrating too;... IN THE FIELD. 

This is all just the very beginning of this new technology.  It will completely revolutionize WFP work.  This IS a technology.  But it is a technology which will be fueled by and driven by some very innovative products.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

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Please Subscibe To The Glass Smart Product Development YouTube Channel

Testing Solvents for Non-Conventional Window Cleaning

If this direct link does not work on your phone you might have to go directly to the Glass Smart YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

This is the latest GS YouTube video just completed on June 1st 2019.  Hope you enjoy.  On it I have put to the test four different Solvents.  The Clean 1000 and Clean 1200XA from Elevance and sold by J.Tech Sales of the Maroon Group in Boca Raton Florida.  Also the Augeo Clean and Omnia product sold by the same company.  The video does a good job at showing which works at softening and dissolving paint.  Specifically Krylons Industrial Rust Tough spray paint.  I chose fluorescent green.  What you can't see on the video is the smell.  Most people will not like it.  But then most don't like the smell of Titans Oil Flo which is based on a different chemistry.  The Clean 1000 and Clean 1200XA products have the most strong odor.  Whereas Omnia and Augeo are not so bad.  Of these four the Augeo is the least effective at softening paint.  It is based on the chemical isopropylideneglycerol.  As for the Clean 1000 and 1200XA they are based on methyl 9-decenoate (9 decenoic acid methyl ester).  Also Eastman Chemicals' Omnia is based on butan-1yl-3-hydroxybutanoate; butyl-3-hydroxybutyrate.    Here are some links to the Material Safety Data Sheets for these products.  I could not find the MSDS for the Elevance Products online.  But the contact information for Elevance is;

866-625-7103

2501 Davey Rd
Woodridge, IL 60517
USA

Here are some links to the Material Safety Data Sheets for the Omnia and Augeo.  

Omnia  http://ws.eastman.com/ProductCatalogApps/PageControllers/MSDS_PC.aspx?Product=71093918 

Augeo  https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0153/9461/files/AUGEO_CLEAN_MULTI_-_SDS_surfachem_0603818.pdf

As for purchasing or obtaining samples of any of these four solvents you can contact;... 

JT Sales 6531 Park of Commerce Blvd Suite 170
Boca Raton, FL 33487
USA
561-995-0070

As you can see from the video small specks of paint can be removed using all of the solvents.  Although if you have a rather thick coating of paint the products of choice would likely be the 1000, 1200, or the Omnia.  These products can also be blended with a product such as Composition Materials Plasti Grit line.  More specifically their Clear Cut 200 Grade.  Their contact info for purchases and samples is;...

Composition Materials Co., Inc.
249 Pepes Farm Road
Milford, CT 06460
Ph 800-262-7763 ph 203-874-6500 Fax 203-874-6505

The Clear Cut is a plastic abrasive with an acrylic particle.  The powder cuts through greasy fingerprints with extreme ease.  I am sure you will find other uses too in nonconventional window cleaning.  

I discovered the most effective way to use the solvents was to coat the painted surface for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Then you will be able to wipe the paint right off.  Soap the window and squeegee.  To enhance this effect and keep the solvent from evaporating you could apply the product to the window and then apply a thin sheet of clear plastic over it.  Which you should be able to get at most any hardware store.  Then while you are waiting on the solvent to work you could be cleaning other windows.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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The Secrets of Developing the Absolute Best Pads for Polishing Glass

Everyone is so focused on compounds, slurrys, and commercial polishes that most have disregarded pad tech.  This is a big mistake.  Because the type of pad is critical to the desired result depending on what type of surface we are working on and the identity of the problem.  Every job is totally different from the one before.

There are felt pads, synthetic felt, urethane foam, and many other materials that have been used.  The reason for the different pads is the difference in their properties.  For example felt pads are made from condensed natural hair fibers of different sizes, thicknesses, and densities.  Such fibers have the tendency to grab onto and hold the polishing particles such as cerium, silicon carbide, or silica.  Synthetic felt is similar in that the fibers are made from polymers.  They are not natural hairs taken from animals.  But the properties can also be different.  Now different polymer foams like urethane also differ in density.  Which is not density of the fibers but rather density of the polymeric foam matrix.  The difference in density here will change how quickly the pad generates heat depending on how fast it is spinning, or the rpms.  It will also determine how much heat it can withstand and still maintain its shape or flatness.  Why is this important to the polishing process?  Simply because heat and friction are critical to the overall performance of the polishing compound/slurry.  Attaining the correct numbers without changing the flatness or density of the pad over time is very important to clearing the glass in the least amount of time.  All of this must be taken into consideration when designing pads to be used with cerium oxide, silicon carbide, microcrystalline silica, aluminum oxide, and even diamond.  It is also necessary to take this information into consideration when designing pads for different surfaces.  Of course there is a large difference between glass and acrylic or polycarbonate.  But there is also a great difference between clear glass, dark glass, and the tin oxide surface of low e hard coats.

Currently Marc Tanner and myself have begun working with Dave Keller who has retired from a long carrier with Universal Photonics.  He has many years of experience traveling all over the world working very close with the optics and electronics industry.  Now he has formed his own company specializing in developing and selling polishing pads for various industries including the same.  Marc Tanner is in my opinion and the opinion of many others in the glass restoration world the absolute best at what he does.  His experience is nonpareil.  It is with great excitement that I am now telling everyone that I am expecting some great products from our research.  They will be sold through Kellerco which is Daves' new company.  I will keep you all updated through the Glass Smart Media.  That being this blog, the Glass Smart FB Group, and the Glass Smart YouTube Channel.  So stay tuned.

Written by Henry Grover Jr
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Protection Products

There are many different types of glazing surfaces out there.  There is glass, low e metallic coatings, mylar/polyester, plexi/acrylic, and lexan/polycarbonate.  All of these can be destroyed by concrete, stucco, mineral deposits, silicone caulk, silane sealant runoff, paint, wood stain, and much more.  Once these get on the window it becomes very difficult to remove them without scratching or doing other harm to the surface.  Therefore the best way to handle this problem is to protect the surface in my opinion before the windows are even put in storage.  Which is done sometimes months before they are installed in the building.  Damage can be done to the windows even at the factory where they are manufactured.  So it is good to have them properly inspected when they arre at the construction site and then protected with a protection product before they are placed in storage.

There are two basic protection products.  Permanent and temporary.  Permanent products are usually wipe on sealants such as Nanovations NG 1010.  Those which are temporary are strippable brush or spray on coatings that are easy to peal off at the time of cleaning.  Other temporary products are films that are self clinging and are applied as sheets.  At the time of cleaning such films are pulled off.  Sometimes you might get a static shock when doing this.

Since there are so many different surfaces, with different contaminants, and different protection products;...this is truly a technology.  It requires much testing in the lab.  But also in the field.  So I always recommend field testing at least a patch of one window and trying out some concrete or paint to see if it is going to work.  Glazing surface protection before, during, and after construction should always be practiced.  This is a technology that every window cleaner that does post construction work should learn.  But it is not window cleaning.  Just like restoration work is not.  

Here is a short video of one protection product which is a brush on strippable coating.  I will be preforming many other tests on this product and putting them on the Glass Smart YouTube Channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

Please subscribe to the Glass Smart YouTube Channel

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Written by Henry Grover Jr
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Protecting Pilkingtons Energy Advantage Hard Coat

Energy Advantage is a tin oxide low e hardcoat which on occasion is used as a first surface weather side product.  Whether it is the weather side of an insulating glass unit, or a monolythic plate, it is exposed to contact.  This means that any type of construction debris can get on it.  The problem then becomes one of safely removing the debris.  Since we cannot use razor blades or in my opinion not even steel or brass wool, there is a serious problem of exactly what to use to clear/clean such a low e surface.  So I am currently developing products which can be safely used.  But another solution is to use some type of strippable safety film that can be applied when the window is clean.  Then stripped off afterward once the window collects paint, stain, silicone caulk;...or whatever.  I have discovered a product called Windocoat which works very good on glass.  But did not know whether it would also easily strip off a Pilkington Low e tin oxide hard coat.  Of course there is only one way to know.  That is to do the test.  So I did.  Here is the video I did of the test which I just published a couple days ago on the Glass Smart YouTube Product Development Channel.  Let me first say however that I always suggest doing a "patch test" with this product on any surface before painting an entire building with it.  Never leave it in doubt.  General Chem the sales company, have told me that they didn't know if it would stick to a low e surface or not.  Well check out the video and tell me what you think.  There will be many more short videos to follow.  So please go to this YouTube Channel and subscribe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNHbWaP101c

Written by Henry Grover Jr
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Kellerco;... Your Company for Polishing Pads

Kellerco was started about a couple years ago by Dave Keller who is now retired from Universal Photonics.   UP specializes in the sale of all kinds of high tech polishing powders and polishing tools.  Dave worked as the technical sales rep for UP from NH.  He serviced many companies here in New England but also traveled the world.  In so doing he met many different companies that worked with many different surfaces.  Most of which were very high tech including silicon wafer manufacturers used in electronics and optics.  He had the opportunity to learn a great deal about business and the science of surface polishing.  For the past five or six years I have had the luxury of meeting with him once in awhile at a local McDonalds, and over a coffee and an apple pie we have talked about all of this and especially the science of particle physics, advanced surface engineering, and world travel.

If you cannot see this video from your phone you might have to go directly to the YouTube site.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

Neither one of us really ever had a plan.  But finally just the other day one came together.  After briefly explaining the science and business of glass restoration one more time, I invited Dave to work with us to locate the very best pads for glass restoration.  Especially a one step pad for removing hard water deposits from window glass.  The pad really does make the difference in how efficient the polishing process is.  Using the right pad will reduce the amount of time it takes to clear the glass and it will improve the quality of the finished product.  When you are attempting to engineer the best glass surface you do want to use the very best products.  That includes ALL of the tools.  The best polishing/grinding motors, the best polishing/grinding papers/compounds/slurries, and the best polishing pads.  When we do discover that pad it will be made known to you through the Glass Smart social media.  Then you will be able to order it directly from Kellerco.

All of my webinars will continue to come to you by means of the new Glass Smart Product Development YouTube Channel.  They will be very short between two to ten minutes.  This new Channel will also include interviews with many people in product development including chemists and material scientists.  I will also be interviewing specialists in our industry.  Along with some very interesting new products.  Some of which are already out there on the market.  These you will be able to order direct from the companies selling them.  Other products which I will be developing will be made known through the channel and there will be a means made available for you to acquire samples of these to try them out.

I am hoping that you find the new Glass Smart YouTube Channel very interesting, entertaining, and especially informative.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

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The Business of Product Development

There are so many people who believe that owning a product is like possessing a pot of gold.  Which couldn't be the farthest thing from the truth.  It is like saying all you have to do is buy a couple hundred bux in window cleaning equipment and you instantly have a thriving business.  There is just as much effort, possibly even more in generating a product development and sales business.

Subscribe to the Glass Smart Product Development Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

Over the years I have been in association with some people that have done very well with product development and sales.  And have learned a great deal.  The first thing of course is creating a product.  You should never build a product first and then look for a market.  Rather look at your market and ask what does it want;...badly.  Than develop that product.  It will have to be competitive with other products that are similar.  Or it will have to be in its own category to catch a higher price.  You will want to develop chemical products so they will last at least six months on the shelf.  Chemical products are difficult too because of the expense of the ingredients.  Almost always you will have to buy at the very least 55 gallon drums of your liquids and an entire pallet of boxes of dry ingredients.  If there are ingredients that only make up 2 percent and you have to buy at least one drum you will have to sit on it for a long time.  This is part of the structure already established in the chemical industry.  And they will not budge.  They just don't care. Because it is all about profits.  These companys are required to buy entire truckloads of 55 gallon drums at a time.  So they don't want to drain single drums into five gallon or one gallon containers.  Further it you do find a way to buy a fifty pound box of powder or a five gallon pail of a liquid ingredient, you could easily end up paying five times the price per pound or per ounce.  Which would dramatically disrupt your pricing structure if you were attempting to compete with a similar existing product.  This is even true when building tools such as water fed poles or squeegees.  If you are outsourcing the manufacturing process you will need to seriously consider that expense.  Which is the reason why people move to China.  It isn't even a question.  It is necessary to be competitive. The materials are less expensive and so is the labor.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

You must consider what the sum of all your expenses are to build your product.  Whether it is a new type of squeegee or a new window cleaning soap.  Everything must be figured in.  Even the label that goes on the bottles.  Or the cardboard that holds the squeegee.  Then you will need to multiply that cost by 4.5 to 6 to get the end retail price.  If you intend to sell enough, and not have to deal with sending them out yourself, you will need a distribution network.  At least one good distributor.  Lets say you have a product that will retail for a dollar.  You will then have to sell it to the distributor for fifty cents.  So if it cost you twenty cents to produce you will be making about 30 cents per unit.  Less what it cost to ship to your distributor of course.  Which is the reason why manufacturers like five hundred dollar orders.  It minimizes the cost of shipping per unit item and increases the profit margin.

There are many expenses which you would not think of at first.  Including business insurance.  It is called product liability.  And is based on how much product is sold during the year.  When you are first starting out you must guess how much this will be.  You will not want to pay too much so will have to get insurance for as little as possible.  The best way to get the best deal is shop around.  Or ask someone you know that is in a similar business.

Following this model is not a bad idea.  In fact it is a very smart thing to do.  Learning from other peoples mistakes.  Take for example the work that distributors do.  You might think all they do is buy a product then turn around and sell it for twice the price.  What do they actually do?  Well one time I tried to sell products direct to the end consumer.  You would not believe the problems you will have with USPS, UPS, Fed X, and every one else.  Packages show up ripped into, empty, or not at all.  The expense of shipping especially internationally can be totally prohibitive!  The cost is so great that no one would pay it.  Distributors have to deal with all of this every day.  It becomes a business of solving shipping problems.  Along with many other problems that you just cannot imagine.  Believe me distributors earn their money.  I would NOT want their job.  So the model says use distributors.  They are your best friends.  

I am looking to do things different.  Although I am not looking to develop products in the conventional way.  I am rather looking for products or ingredients that have already been developed.  Then develop different tests to locate the most effective for specific problems.  This technology and these tests I am going to show on my YouTube Channel.  Then if someone would like to try out any of these products or ingredients themselves I will supply them at a small fee.  All of my seminars/webinars/interviews will be posted on the Glass Smart YouTube Channel.  Here I can post very short one to five minute videos.  These will be much easier to produce instead of webinars that would be around 45 minutes.  Seminars too would require a lot of travel and would be very limiting.  But the YouTube Videos will go around the planet.  There will be no limit to what I can accomplish with the computer.  Also I can locate special ingredients and powders that can be purchased in much smaller quantities at prices equal to or less than commercial products.  There are literally well over a hundred different products right now that I would like to bring out.  But if I had to do it the conventional way it would take forever.  This will be like a virtual flood.  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

Think of this for just a moment.  Why do you get excited over a new product?  Simply because you are looking for it to help you to do the job in less time or at a lower cost.  It might even make it possible for you to offer a service that someone else cannot.  Because they just don't have the tools.  Either way the end result will be greater profits.  This is what I am proposing to do here.  Are you interested in following me down?  If so then subscribe to this blog, and subscribe to the new YouTube Channel.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzhmAWtlsHJiwRd6WrgGyA

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Pilkingtons Hard and Soft Coats, Part One

The Soft Coats are becoming harder these days.  But they are still not hard enough for manufacturers to expose them to the atmosphere.  Either inside or outside of a building.  So you will only find them on the second or third surface of an insulating glass unit.  Unless someone makes a very big mistake!  If they do you will notice after only three months the surface turning a different color and getting rather spotty.  At the very most they only have a storage life of three months.  Sales people warn the IG unit manufacturers to seal them up as quickly as possible.  What I am saying here is you should never have to deal with soft coats;...ever.

Hard Low E Coats are quite another matter.  The Soft Coats have a great number of different metal alloys layered to form the coating.  Hard Coats also have a number of different layers too.  The formula of which can also change every few years so don't think this makes SO much of a difference.  The outermost layer of Pilkingtons Energy Advantage for example is tin oxide.  So whatever chemicals react with tin oxide will degrade the surface of Energy Advantage.  That is if you happen to be in direct contact with it.  Because hard coats such as Energy Advantage can be applied to a surface in between the two plates of an IG unit.  It doesn't have to be like a soft coat.  But it certainly can be.  It can also be applied to the outside where you would come into contact with it.  So that would be number one or number four.  In fact in order to attain the greatest "energy advantage" in cold weather climates this hard coat can be applied to the number 2 and number 4 surfaces at the same time.

There are many other coatings out there which I will be looking at over time.  But right here and now we are going to look at Pilkingtons Energy Advantage.  I just picked up a couple of one by one foot squares of glass with this hard coat.  My question is if you are working on a building that you discover has silicone caulk, concrete, paint, stucco, or something else on the Energy Advantage Hard Coat, exactly what can be used to remove it safely?  This is non-routine window cleaning.  Further we are not working on glass but rather a tin oxide surface.  Which is VERY clear so it is very difficult to see.  There are electronic tools that will tell you in a moment if a window has any low e coatings and what surface they are on.  But just by using your senses you will notice right away that an Energy Advantage surface is quite rough to the dry touch.  When you move your dry thumb across it you will hear a sound.  Glass however will not make any sound.  This "roughness" is the reason why you should NEVER use a razor blade.  Not even if you have what you think is adequate lubrication.  In this video from the Glass Smart Product Development YouTube Channel I will show you exactly what I mean by "sound".  Pilkingtons Energy Advantage Low E Hard Coat is NOT of course the only Hard Coat that has this roughness about it.  But this is a sure way to determine that you are most likely in contact with a metal coating, not glass.  There is an electronic device you can purchase that will tell you instantly if the window has a low e coating and exactly which side it is on.  But here is the video.  Please go to this YouTube Channel and subscribe.  There will be many more short videos to follow.  Also if you are on your phone you might have to go directly to the Glass Smart YouTube Channel to see this video.  That address is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFfWdGaefeg

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts directly in your inbox when they are written just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".  If you are reading this from a phone you will need to go to the Glass Smart Blog and convert to the web version.

Exposing the Evil Genius of Glass Smart

Now I certainly do not claim to be a genius and am definitely not evil.  But I have been following a different path.  One that has led me to many very interesting discoveries that hopefully will promote some very positive changes in the window cleaning world.  I have been working on "alternate technologies" since 1980.  But only recently have I become very involved in writing for the WCR Forum, writing my own blog, with the help of Jeff Brimble and Kevin Cogan started the Glass Smart FB Group, written several articles for the AWC, and now very recently I have created the Glass Smart Product Development YouTube Channel.  This latest development will accomplish many things that were not possible with only the printed word.  So let me first introduce myself;....

This video will show if you go to the Glass Smart Blog

Everyone else has been talking out of their cars so I decided to do the same.  However.  That is only the beginning.  I promise you.  I will also be doing some things for you that you will find very interesting.  I will be demonstrating some brand new products that are not being sold by any manufacturer/distributor in our industry.  An example is the J Seal product.  It will be discussed further in my Webinars.  This is one product I discovered when looking at the chemistry of hydrophobic sealants.  

This video will show if you go to the Glass Smart Blog

I will also be developing videos that you will be able to show to prospective customers which will help to secure that contract.  Also I will be doing video interviews with some very interesting people in our industry.  Some of whom have been very much involved in the business of product development.  What they have to say will be very enlightening to many.  We also have people in our community who are what I call window cleaning savants.  These people make up my personal mastermind.  Most if not all are on the Glass Smart FB Group.  I want to video interview all of these.  So get ready for some very engaging interviews.  

If you have anything that you would like to contribute please just send me a quick email.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts directly into your inbox as they are written please just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

The Practical Use of Cerium Oxide

The Practical Use of Cerium Oxide

Cerium Oxide is a superabrasive powder used for polishing glass.  It works by physical abrasion.  It also chemically reacts with the elements in the glass.  So it is a chemo-mechano polishing powder.  Which is different from many other polishing powders such as silicon carbide, microcrystaline silica, or diamond.  It has been used as a glass polish for many years.  Especially in polishing plate glass (before float glass was developed), crystal glass, mirrors, and optics.  Even though our application is similar in that we are also polishing flat glass, there is one major difference that few in the window cleaning industry have recognized.  That is we are usually removing hard water deposits or mineral stains.  Such mineral deposits interfere with the typical physics of the polishing process.  Marc Tanner my polishing guru first brought this to my attention.  Which means quite simply that the end results absolutely cannot be predicted.  Every restoration job is different.  It is also undeniable that the surface type will determine how easy it will be to remove the stain with a cerium oxide or any other polishing product.  Dark tinted glass is the most difficult surface to clear/repair.  Transparent glass is much easier.  The low e coats are the most easy to clear.  

What is the difference between suspended cerium and regular cerium?  The short answer is nothing.  Cerium oxide comes in either a plastic bag or a plastic bottle or pail.  It comes as a totally dry powder.  Suspended cerium is this same powder mixed in water with a special thickening chemical added.  It is called a suspending agent and keeps the microscopic particles of the cerium powder evenly suspended in the water.  If a suspending agent/thickener were not added to the water the cerium oxide would settle to the bottom of the water forming a thick mud that is very difficult to bring back into a homogeneous suspension.  You wouldn't be able to just shake it.  There are many different suspending agents but only two different types of suspensions.  The first is permanent.  The cerium will stay suspended for over a year.  The second might only work for a half hour.  Although in this case it is very easy just by shaking the container to bring the cerium back into suspension.  It will not form a thick mud on the bottom.  Then there is everything in between these two.  If you need a suspension to last for the entire day or several hours instead of thirty minutes you will have to add more of the thickener.  Again remember that the performance of the cerium does not depend on the suspension.  Suspensions are mostly for convenience of use.

Now it is also true that the cerium to water ratio will also determine how much of the thickener you must add to attain the suspension you want.  You can add 5 part cerium to 1 part water, or 1 part cerium to 5 parts water;...and everything in between.  This would be the first step you should take.  You will want a suspension/slurry with the least amount of cerium, but still one that will clear the glass effectively in the least amount of time.  Only trial and error will reveal this to you. The chemist I consult with explained that he likes a ratio of 1 to 1. Kind of middle of the road.  Once you have determined what ratio works best, you will need to add enough of your suspending agent to keep the cerium oxide suspended for the exact amount of time you will be using it.  There are specialty chemists who can help you with this.  It also is a good thing to keep a handheld battery operated pH meter around to check the pH of the solution. You will want a pH of 7 to 8.  So a little on the alkaline side.  Which can be attained by adding a little baking soda then checking with your meter.  This also serves to minimize the problem of electrostatic agglomeration.  This happens when the particles get electrically stuck together forming much larger particles that can easily scratch.

What is the best cerium oxide to use?   You will want a cerium with  an average particle size of 2 to 3 microns.  I say average because no cerium powder has a precise particle size.  All cerium powders have what is called a Particle Size Distribution curve or a PSD.  To explain.  A cerium that is rated as a two micron will have some particles that are only a half micron.  It will also have particles that are one micron as we approach the two micron average.  If your product has a very tight PSD then 98% or higher will be 2 microns.  It will also have a very small percent of the particles up to 8 or 10 microns.  This is called the tail end of the PSD curve.  The tail is most important because it is always the larger particles that scratch.  Yes it is true that all scratches begin with a PIF or Point Indent Fracture.  Whether the particle that scratches is very small or very large.  But the larger the particle the easier it is to see the scratch.  So by choosing a somewhat smaller average particle size we minimize these larger particles in the tail and hence reduce the odds of leaving more scratches in the finished surface.  By the way the tail is much more of a concern than electrostatic agglomeration which is generated more by the pH of the suspension.  It is also true that the contamination of the cerium powder by other minerals is not as much of a problem as the tail.  So people will talk about the pure white ceriums being the best while the yellows or orange ceriums are of a lesser quality.  This is therefore not necessarily true.  Once again the proof is in the tail which is defined by the PSD.  Which you should be able to ask for in a tech sheet of the product.  The tech sheet should also give you the percentage of the individual minerals in the product.  Such as how much iron oxide or magnesium carbonate is in the cerium product.  Iron oxide is the ingredient that gives the product its yellow or orange color.  The bottom line here is to go with a 2 to 3 micron cerium and a very high purity such as a 99.9%.  Then ask for the tech data sheet and look at the tail of the PSD along with the percentages of the minerals and metal oxides.

Not to be underestimated is the ability of certain acids to give you the cutting edge at removing mineral deposits that are based not so much on silicate chemistry.  Organic acids such as citric or sulfamic do have the ability to chemically change the non-silicate minerals such as calcium and magnesium into soluble deposits.  Once they have been converted they become much easier to remove by polishing with a cerium slurry.

There is another product that works with just water.  The pad is loaded with a fine cerium and a touch of diamond.  It works with pure soapy water.  First you apply the water to a dirt free surface (but not stain free).  Then you start polishing.  The polishing particles are slowly released into the soapy water creating a slurry as you polish.  There are variations of this type of product which have been created by other companies.  They can be purchased and used with most commercial stain removal equipment available.

Another way to go is to first make up a rather thick glycerin compound (not a water slurry).  This can be made at a four to one ration.  Four parts cerium to one part glycerin by volume.  You can use a motorized egg beater to slowly make your compound.  Then use a felt polishing pad on a rotary polisher.  Wet a clean window with soapy water.  Apply around six to eight drops of compound to the felt pad.  Then just go to the glass and polish.  This process will help to control how much cerium you use by counting the drops you put on the pad.  Since cerium is a very expensive product (although the price has come down in recent years) it is all about control.  No matter whether you are using a slurry, compound, or a slow release pad.

Specific names of cerium products will be given in the Glass Smart Webinars.  Samples will be available at the Fishkill Seminars.  And videos of what I have explained here will shortly be available on my new YouTube Channel.  Discussions will follow I am sure on the Glass Smart FB Group and other groups.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Defusing The Three Lies of Water Fed Pole Work!

This short article is only a taste of what will be discussed at the very first Glass Smart Webinar.  The focus of this Webinar will be how to effectively and efficiently convert hydrophobic glass surfaces to hydrophylic (water loving) EVERY TIME!  There will be demonstrations and all the products mentioned will be identified and sourced so you will be able to obtain them.  The cost of the Webinar is ten dollars USD by PayPal.  To attend just send an email to henrygroverjr@gmail.com


There are several lies that surround WFP window cleaning.  The very first one that I would like to defuse here is that a TDS meter will tell you the "total" dissolved solids (TDS) of any water source.  Actually it will only tell you about the dissolved minerals which conduct an electrical current.  Water must have minerals or salts to conduct electricity.  Silica is a mineral that does not conduct electricity.  So a TDS meter that works by measuring the conductivity of water will not give an accurate measurement of the silica content.  This is why water that has a TDS reading of zero can leave spots.  


The second lie that has been going around is that glass can be hydrophobic or hydrophylic.  The plain truth is that all glass is very hydrophylic.  Window surfaces that "bead water" and hence appear to be hydrophobic, do this only because of hydrocarbon pollution.  Once this has been effectively and completely removed from the glass its true hydrophylic nature is revealed.  Every time.  There are different ways to get this effect.  Bronze wool will do it.  Cerium oxide will do it.  Diamond compounds will do it.  Even microcrystalline silica compounds will do it.  What I am looking for however is a technology that will "deep clean" glass surfaces most effectively and in the least amount of time.  Compounds will do it as I have mentioned, but they take at least a half minute per square foot.  They also make a bit of a mess.  It would be much better to have something like bronze wool that would work with just water and a pole.


A third lie is that it is not possible to clean windows with a WFP and high TDS water without getting spots.  The idea is that Di or RO pure water is needed to attain a spot free window.  But this is simply not true.  I know this because I have done it!  There have been many others who have done it too.  The key involves attaining what I call the hydrophylic effect.  This is accomplished by adding a superwetting surfactant to the rinse water, or converting the surface to a water loving surface.  The latter can be done by either deep cleaning or using a chemical that leaves a hydrophylic coating.  Hydrophylic windows "drain" the rinse water so there are no drops left behind which evaporate leaving spots.  Simply put "no drops no spots".


I will be working with Jordie Palanzi of The Window Cleanse to help expose these lies.  Our goal is to revolutionize the technology of Water Fed Pole window cleaning.  


Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygroverjr@gmail.com 


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Functional Additives and Non-Routine Window Cleaning

Hydrophobic, oleophobic, and hydrophylic surface properties can all be attained with specific chemical additives for your cleaning solution.  All of these go easily into water and will blend with most of the window cleaning soaps out there.  They are functional in that they will react directly with the free oxygen atoms of the glass surface.  Testing is required for application techniques and longevity however.  Certain additives will only last for a very short time.  They must also be applied to an "activated" surface.  In other words the surface must be either physically polished and or chemically cleaned to expose as many of the reaction sites as possible.  If not the additive/chemical will not bond to the glass and comes off very quickly.  Most times it will not bond at all.

      


    


This is a technology.  Not just a product.  It is like the tools that we use.  You can hand anyone a squeegee,  but will they be able to use it?  That is why as I continue to develop these tools/chemical additives to change the water loving/hating properties of glass surfaces, I need to produce a series of hands on seminars for training purposes.  These seminars will become available first on the east coast and then move out.  They will focus on non-routine window cleaning.  But this will include changing surfaces with functional additives.  For example can defective surfaces which are very scratch sensitive be altered?  Can they be made scratch resistant?  The answer is absolutely.  Both Mark Tanner and myself have done just this.  WE HAVE ALREADY DONE IT.  Now we just have to market it.  This is also something that the seminars will reveal.  How to do it and how to market it.  Here is a little bit of the science behind it.

http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Cairo/images/Self_Assembly_Lab.pdf

Jordie of  "The Window Cleanse" will be helping me to create videos demonstrating this technology.  They will be very educational and entertaining.  I know you will enjoy watching!

If you want to have the edge over other cleaning companies you absolutely MUST step into the future.  This is NOT the same industry that we had 20 to 40 years ago.  It is very different.  We are engineering precision surfaces because glass is coming out defective.  I do know the glass industry does not see it this way.  Simply because they do not have to clean it.  But when the cleaning becomes non-routine we must go to alternative cleaning techniques which can be exceptionally special if the surfaces are defective.  I do have to applaud GANA however because they have recognized this and have been working with the IWCA by helping to write at least two bulletins.  Which essentially state that when general contractors or anyone else allows debris to get on windows which cannot be removed with a squeegee and an applicator, then the glass is destroyed.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Products For Non-Routine Window Cleaning

Whenever an applicator and a squeegee are not enough to do the job, it becomes non-routine window cleaning.  It will require a waiver for protection.  Concrete, concrete sealant, paint, wood stain, stucco, silicone caulk, mineral deposits, and aluminum screen stain do not come off with a brush and soapy water.  So what will take them off?  But do it safely without doing harm to the glass, yourself, or the environment?  This problem is compounded when the glass surface is defective.  Meaning when you lightly drag a metal razor across a soapy window you can hear that familiar sound of hissing and popping.  So what might have been an effective answer to the problem before is not now.  A razor for example just cannot be used.  Possibly even steel or bronze wool.  I have even used plastic razors and ended up with scratches!

So if we eliminate razors and metal wool what do we have left?  Simply put chemicals and abrasive powders.  The chemicals include organic solvents, acids, and alkalies.  

 



Regarding solvents we need to find those which are not extremely dangerous to your health or the environment.  We don't want those which are explosive.  Nor do we want those which have a rather high evaporation rate such as acetone.  Smell is important too.  We can't use a product that smells really bad inside.  The purpose of a solvent of course is to either dissolve what we are trying to remove or soften it so that it can be more easily "chewed off" with the correct abrasive powder.  Regarding acids we need one that is effective but will not attack the glass, or the aluminum framework of the window.  It would be good too not to choose one that is harmful to our health.  Next when choosing an alkalie the same thing applies.  Some alkalies will harm glass surfaces, especially if the window has a coating.  Next we come to abrasive powders.  This is very complicated.  First off we need to look at the hardness of the particles.  Anything with a hardness approaching, equal to, or in excess of glass can scratch.  It is best when choosing particles larger than three microns to find those that are softer than glass.  Especially if they are very much in excess of this size.  The shape of the particles will also make a difference.  Round particles have very little effect on what you are trying to remove.  Those with a sharp angular shape are much more effective.  The material makeup is important too if we intend to mix them with a liquid such as water or an organic solvent.  If the material is a type of wood or other organic compositional,  the particle might absorb the liquid and become soft.  If too soft it will not dig into what we are trying to remove.

There are literally hundreds of different combinations of abrasive and superabrasive powders along with organic solvents, acids, and alkalies.  I will be showing you some of these combinations at the Glass Smart Seminar in Fishkill.  The products can usually be purchased from chemical suppliers.  As for the abrasives they also have specialty suppliers.  For example optical grade microcrystalline silicas with an average particle size of three to four carry a rather heavy liability because they can be easily breathed in when working with them.  They are known to cause cancer in dry powder form.  For this reason they are usually sold by only a few different manufacturers.  It is also suggested that the powders be mixed with water or some other liquid.  Which is why I have chosen glycerin.  Recently it has dropped substantially in price.  From fifty bux a gallon down to as little as thirteen.

The purpose of this first seminar is to explain exactly what non-routine window cleaning is, and to reveal some different products for this type of work.  In a perfect world I am sure we could prevent these problems.  While we might have some success in doing this we will still end up having to deal with them.  So for that reason this matter must be addressed.  Of course there is nothing wrong with just walking away from certain jobs that are just too problematic and loaded with liabilities.  That might be the most wise course!

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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