automotive wet paper

[tommyz44]

Hey ya'll. I made the HUGE mistake of not cleaning off my mag float, and in a rush made large scratches across my new tank. I was a glass machinist for 3 years and am very comfortable hand polishing glass. Unfortunatly the tank is already set up and cannot really be torn down.

Anyway looking at the 3m auto paper, it would be time consuming i know, but if i could drain the tank down far enough i could easily get in to polish the scrathes out.

looks like some of the papers are silicon carbide, which i would have no consern, but the other type is alluminum oxide. How reef safe is that, or would i need to drain the tank, and rince it out after i polish?

 

[ska d]

Aluminium oxide is used as a phosphate remover, an alternative to gfo. So with some careful planning I don't see a huge issue.

 

[tommyz44]

ah never knew that. Thanks!! I dont plan on polishing it down under water, but im sure some particles may fall into the water. As far as the MSDS goes then it looks like it is all fairly reef safe if your careful. Coudlnt find much about polishing tank glass in established tank. Other than the cerium oxide method which i would feel more uncomfortable using around an established tank then some silicon carbide.

 

[Greysoul]

3m makes several resin bonded diamond polishing pads you could try as well. the slight amount of silica dust you generate could in theory feed some diatoms, but I think the scratch removal should take priority.

You could also possibly build a dam structure of some sort below the work area to collect dust/debris.

Check out His Glassworks if you can't find something local, I know he carries the diamond pads. I'm sure someone at the school or CMOG can probably connect you with someone local that has some equipment as well.

Curious, what kind of glass machining did you do? I'm a glassnerd, I play with fire

 

[tommyz44]

Cool ill have to check out the 3m diamond, i would much rather use diamond or silicon carbide, always thought i got a better finish with it. plan on putting plastic wrap under the scrathes much like the cerium oxide method to catch as much as i can.

Always awesome someone knows of CMOG! I did a bunch of stuff, cutting, turning, polishing refractories for a defect simulation department. the other of my time was under a microscope, but if i could not determine what a defect was, i would need to polish into it to send for SEM analysis. Here i was thinking there was only a select few of us glass nerds!! Used to hang out at Alfred University (ceramic engineering school) it was so funny at the bar instead of getting rowdy we would be talking about zirconia or alumina stones in glass or how we all wished we could still use arsenic to get rid of blisters.

 

[Greysoul]

Right on, sounds like you had access to some great equipment I'm happy when I can get a decently flat cut without any visible scratches on my work.

I mostly make marbles out of borosilicate, but I also sell retail lampworking supplies. When I got started Pyrex 7740 was the only really good glass on the US market for artists, now there's not a decent US clear manufacturer

I'd love to get back up that way some day, if I do maybe we can geek out over a beer or 3