anathema
Guest
So as some of you know, I have been getting somewhat DIY with glass over the last year. I learned how to cut glass, made my own overflow box, and a few other projects. I actually inquired about part time gigs at some of the local glass shops, and kept an eye out for any interesting learning opportunities. Last fall, I came upon a craigslist ad offering a job repairing graffiti and scratches in windows and decided to check it out.
I called them up, and long story short I've been fixing graffiti throughout the city on my days off all winter. It gave me a chance to learn how to do something I'd always wanted to try. I can now say that when people tell you it's impossible to fix scratches in a glass aquairum they are wrong. However, I will admit it's still not as easy as a plexi tank and may only be worth it for very large tanks.
I've held off posting because I didn't want to seem like I was trying to sell anyone anything. I've actually parted ways with the company I worked for, for no other reason than I plan to be very busy this summer and a part time job didn't fit in. In any case, I've turned in my equipment, and I'm not willing to do this for anyone at this time, but I thought people would be interested to know the process is out there, and hear some first person feedback.
I thought about posting my own pics of some projects, but the company has done better than I ever could with their training videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEd32Y1_rY&feature=relmfu
I only have experience with that one company and their line of products, though there are others that might be cheaper.
Some basic info from an aquarium hobby perspective:
Yes the tank would have to be drained to remove inside scratches. Outside scratches could probably be removed with a full tank, BUT I HAVE NOT TRIED IT. The process does produce significant heat, so you would want to go very slowly.
The claim by the companies involved is that polishing does not significantly reduce the thickness or the strength of the glass. Some material is removed but supposedly the glass is strengthened by the removal of the stress point when a scratch is removed.
In my opinion, this is something that will not be cost effective for most hobbyists. The company I worked for had a minimum $300 charge.
Also my opinion, if you want this done the best way is to buy a kit and learn how to fix the scratch yourself. Almost all of the work I did for the company I worked for was shop windows. In most cases, it was acceptable to leave small blemishes and remnants on the glass in order to bring the cost down for the customer, as long as the graffiti was removed. This makes perfect sense for a shop window that is likely to get retagged eventually anyway, but to an aquarium guy this wouldn't seem very worthwhile. However, if you call a shop with a minimum bid project, then tell the guy you want perfection, you might have a hard time making that happen. If you want something done right...
Finally for the sad part... glass renu as far as I can tell doesn't really want to sell to the average joe. They want to sell kits for professionals and those kits cost upwards of $2000. I'm still working on finding a similar enough backing plate for my personal grinder so that I can mimic their setup on my home projects. I'll post if I find the right stuff cheaply.
If you guys want more info let me know.
I called them up, and long story short I've been fixing graffiti throughout the city on my days off all winter. It gave me a chance to learn how to do something I'd always wanted to try. I can now say that when people tell you it's impossible to fix scratches in a glass aquairum they are wrong. However, I will admit it's still not as easy as a plexi tank and may only be worth it for very large tanks.
I've held off posting because I didn't want to seem like I was trying to sell anyone anything. I've actually parted ways with the company I worked for, for no other reason than I plan to be very busy this summer and a part time job didn't fit in. In any case, I've turned in my equipment, and I'm not willing to do this for anyone at this time, but I thought people would be interested to know the process is out there, and hear some first person feedback.
I thought about posting my own pics of some projects, but the company has done better than I ever could with their training videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEd32Y1_rY&feature=relmfu
I only have experience with that one company and their line of products, though there are others that might be cheaper.
Some basic info from an aquarium hobby perspective:
Yes the tank would have to be drained to remove inside scratches. Outside scratches could probably be removed with a full tank, BUT I HAVE NOT TRIED IT. The process does produce significant heat, so you would want to go very slowly.
The claim by the companies involved is that polishing does not significantly reduce the thickness or the strength of the glass. Some material is removed but supposedly the glass is strengthened by the removal of the stress point when a scratch is removed.
In my opinion, this is something that will not be cost effective for most hobbyists. The company I worked for had a minimum $300 charge.
Also my opinion, if you want this done the best way is to buy a kit and learn how to fix the scratch yourself. Almost all of the work I did for the company I worked for was shop windows. In most cases, it was acceptable to leave small blemishes and remnants on the glass in order to bring the cost down for the customer, as long as the graffiti was removed. This makes perfect sense for a shop window that is likely to get retagged eventually anyway, but to an aquarium guy this wouldn't seem very worthwhile. However, if you call a shop with a minimum bid project, then tell the guy you want perfection, you might have a hard time making that happen. If you want something done right...
Finally for the sad part... glass renu as far as I can tell doesn't really want to sell to the average joe. They want to sell kits for professionals and those kits cost upwards of $2000. I'm still working on finding a similar enough backing plate for my personal grinder so that I can mimic their setup on my home projects. I'll post if I find the right stuff cheaply.
If you guys want more info let me know.
