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Here are some common Glass Restoration related questions
that we Have Been Asked.
1.
What
system do you use for Tempered Glass?
2.
What
is tempered glass?
3.
What is Low-E Glass?
4.
What polisher do you recommend for the GLASS REVIVE
System?
5.
Can you
use JANVIL glass compounds on auto glass?
6.
Can JANVIL remove scratches from a glass top stove?
7.
Can scratches be polished out of the side mirrors of a
car?
8.
What product should be used on mirror glass?
9.
What is
meant by the term "elbow Grease"?
10.
Can a scratch be removed from a glass CRT monitor or TV
screen?
11.
Can scratches be polished out of prescription eye glasses?
12.
How can you remove scratches caused by a kitchen scrub
sponge?
13.
What Janvil product should be used on a fish tank or
aquarium?
14.
What system will remove graffiti damage from glass?
15.
Can a camera
lens be polished?
16.
Can a windshield with thousands of nicks and pits be
polished?
17.
Who uses the Janvil Glass scratch removal system?
18.
Can a Plasma TV screen be Restored?
19.
Can Glass Blocks or
Glass tiles be polished?
20.
Which
system is needed for Glass on furniture & display cases?
21.
Can this product be used on porcelain (Tiles or Toilets)
1. What system should be used
for tempered glass?
-
ANSWER:
Successful scratch removal is dependant upon many factors including the type of
glass, depth of scratch, what made the scratches, as well as the polishing time
required. Our GLASS RESTORE kit is great for minor damage on normal glass. The
damage is considered minor if you can not feel it with a finger nail and there are not
numerous scratches. If the glass is tempered of low-e, it can be up to 10 times harder than
normal plate glass. It will need a bit more than hand polishing to correct. For tempered glass, we
recommend our GLASS REVIVE system. This system contains special polishing
compounds and polishing disks. They are a completely different formulation than
the products that are included in the GLASS RESTORE kit. The speed of the drill
or polisher will make a big difference when using the GLASS REVIVE kit. You
should use polishing equipment that operates at a speed range of 2000-3500 rpm.
Be aware that the harder the glass is will determine how long it will take to
polish it.
Not all glass is created
equal.
Many factors can affect
the properties of glass
whether these factors
and variations were
intended or not.
Differences in
materials, coloring
additives, strengthening additives and finishes, manufacturing furnace
temperature,
manufacturing locations
and techniques can all
make pieces of glass
that may look the same
to the naked eye as
different as a snow
flakes or finger
prints. The Janvil Glass
Revive system has been
tested and proven to
work on many surfaces
with great success.
There is always the
exception to the rule.
If you come across a
piece of glass that the
Glass Revive system can
not fix, it is doubtful
that anything else will
work on it either. In
these cases, replacement
should be considered.
If you have questions
about our systems or
applications, please
feel free to
contact us.
2.
What is tempered glass?
-
ANSWER:
Tempered glass is created when float
glass panels are heated and then cooled rapidly in a controlled environment.
This process makes the glass several times stronger than regular annealed
glass. It also makes it safer because when broken, it yields small
pebble-like fragments. Examples of tempered glass are the side and
back windows of a vehicle. Exterior doors, sliding glass door and
shower doors are all required to be made out of tempered glass according to
universal building codes. Most display cases in retail locations are made of
tempered glass.
Most glass that is used in furniture and glass furniture protective
coverings will also be made of tempered glass because of its surface
strength and the fact that is will not harm a person if they accidently
impact it. Tempered glass takes less energy to produce than annealed
glass so it is a cost effective option for many glass applications.
The tempering process produces highly desirable
conditions of induced stress which result in additional strength, resistance to
thermal stress and impact resistance. Fully tempered glass must have a surface
compression of 10,000 PSI (Annealed is below 3500 PSI) and heat strengthened
must have a surface compression between 3,500 and 7,500 PSI. The condition is
achieved by first heating the glass, then cooling the surfaces rapidly.
In the heat treatment process, the key procedure is
the application of a rapid air quench immediately upon withdrawal of the hot (1200
degrees F) glass from the tempering furnace. The immediate and sustained
application of an air quench produces the temper. The Air quenched condition
becomes stable when the glass is reduced to a temperature of approximately
400-600 degrees F. The Janvil Glass Revive system
is best for use on tempered glass applications.
3.
What is Low-E Glass?
Low-emission glass (Low-E) is a clear glass that
has a microscopically thin coating of metal oxide attached to the surface. This allows the sun's heat
and light to pass through the glass into the building. At the same time it
blocks heat from leaving the room, reducing heat loss considerably. This glass
will exhibit similar qualities to tempered glass due to the heat used in the
manufacturing process.
There are two processes used to make a Low E Glass.
Pyrolitic process: This is when a clear glass which has
been coated with a metal oxide through pyrolysis when the glass leaves the tin
bath (at 650°F) before air quenching. The coating is therefore very resistant to
mechanical damage, and this Low-E glass can be cut.
Magnetron process:
This is when a clear glass which has received, on one of its faces, a silver coating
applied by magnetically-enhanced cathodic sputtering. This will create a
hardening of the surface when the hot metal vapor coats the glass. This
type of Low-E must be used exclusively in insulating glass, with the coating on
an internal face.
This glass will exhibit similar qualities to tempered glass due to the heat used
in the manufacturing process but does not carry the Full Tempered safety rating
since it does not have a surface compression of 10,000 PSI.
4.
What
polisher is recommended for the GLASS REVIVE System?
-
ANSWER:
Your polishing equipment will either need to be polisher with a 5/8-11 spindle
to attach the polishing pad to or you can use a drill with a 3/8" chuck. If you
have a lot of wok to do, a true polisher will eliminate the fatigue that you
will experience if you use a drill. The polisher should operate at a speed range
between 2000 and 3500 rpm. Exceeding 3500 rpm can result in damage to the glass
surface.
The faster the polisher, the quicker you will be
able to remove the scratch. If your polisher is running too fast, your amount of
control will be diminished and the heat generated will be increased.
Since most drills run at a much slower speed than a polisher, using a drill may
take a lot longer to finish a scratch polishing. Battery operated drills and
polisher should never be used since they do not produce the speed and torque
required for this system to work.
There are two types of
polisher styles that you can choose from: The angle grinder style and the
sander/polisher style.
 Angle
Grinder Style:
The angle grinder style will be the most affordable choice of
the polishers. It is offered in a wide range of speed and torque ratios.
The draw back to this type of polisher is the size and weight. This type
of polisher is excellent for polishing glass that you can not stand directly in
front of it such as a windshield.
 Sander/Polisher
Style:
The sander/polisher style will cost a bit more than the angle grinder
type polishers. This style is a little bit easier to use since it is
designed for better balance and the handle is in line with its center of
gravity. This type of polisher is excellent for polishing glass that you
can stand directly in front of such as vertical glass in a door or window.
5. Can you use Janvil
Glass compounds on auto glass?
-
ANSWER:
Most definitely. The severity of the damage will dictate which of the
systems that you want to use. The GLASS RESTORE can be used on the
windshield or to remove acid rain spots from all of the glass surfaces. If
the scratch is severe or on the side and back glass, you may want to consider
the GLASS REVIVE system since it is intended for tempered glass. Glass
polishing should never be attempted on the interior
of the vehicle.
6. Can Janvil
remove scratches from a Glass Top Stove?
-
ANSWER:
No. A "Glass Top" Stove cooking surface is actually not made of true glass.
It is made of a ceramic composite. The characteristic of these items are
much different than glass. A lot of care must be taken when using your
Glass top stove since it can be easily damaged. If it is scratched or
damaged, it can not be repaired.
7.
Can
scratches be polished out of side mirrors of a car?
-
ANSWER:
Most of these types of vehicle mirrors are either plastic or have a plastic
coating over a glass mirror. These plastics and coated glass mirrors are
designed so that you are not blinded by other headlights from vehicles around
you (Anti-glare). Unfortunately; once these types of mirrors are scratched,
there is no way to repair them. Your only options are to either live with the
scratches or to contact the dealer about replacement parts. We do not recommend
the use of any of the Janvil products for this application since you can make
the problem a lot worse by attempting to polish these anti-glare surfaces.
8. What product should be
used on mirror glass?
-
ANSWER:
Depending on the location of the mirror,
either the Janvil GLASS RESTORE or the Janvil GLASS REVIVE system can be used.
If the mirror is glued to the wall such as in a bathroom, you need to take
extreme caution when using the GLASS REVIVE system since vibration from the
polishing motor could crack the mirror or weaken the adhesive bond between the
mirror and the wall causing it to fall.
Another issue to be considered is how a restored mirror might look after
polishing. Since there is reflective surface so close to the area of
restoration, any defect can be exaggerated by the reflection of the silver
surface since it is so close to the repair area. Typically, a polished
surface on normal glass can no be noticed by the naked eye when looking
though the polished area. This may not always be the case when dealing
with a mirror since whatever is on the surface is reflected right back.
For example; If you have a piece of mirror and a piece of plain transparent
glass laying side by side on a table and they were allowed to collect dust.
The effects of dust is a bit more noticeable on the mirror surface than the
plain glass surface since the mirror surface optically doubles the
appearance of the dust particles. The mirror would appear to have a
lot more dust on it even though both have the same amount of dust. The same
concept is true for the feathering effects on a mirror surfaces as compared
to a piece of transparent glass.
When polishing a mirror surface, the extent of the damage may impact the
final appearance of the surface. Mirror glass may not be the best candidate
for scratch removal.
9. What is meant by the term "Elbow
Grease"?
-
ANSWER:
Elbow grease means strenuous physical
effort, as in you will have to use some elbow grease to get the house painted
in time. This term alludes to vigorous use of one's arm in cleaning,
polishing, or the like. It soon was extended to any kind of hard work.
Glass polishing by hand requires a bit of time and effort (elbow grease).
10.
Can a scratch be removed from a glass CRT monitor or TV screen?
-
ANSWER:
Glass CRT monitors and glass TV screens are not a
good application for any polishing product. Though we have many people who have
used our product for these applications, we strongly discourage it. Since
TV tubes and computer monitors are actually vacuum tubes, there is always a
possibility of implosion if the scratch is severe. Implosion could cause
serous injury. If you use a drill or polisher on the screen, it can create
vibration with can fracture this vacuum tube.
Most tubes also have an antiglare coating on the
outside surface that will be damaged by polishing. You may see some improvement
from the use of a polishing product but we do not endorse polishing on glass
picture tubes. It is best not to attempt this type of repair ever.
11. Can
scratches be polished out of prescription eye glasses?
-
ANSWER:
NO. We do not recommend the use of our
product on eyeglasses for a couple reasons. There is a possibility that
polishing them can change the prescription. Since many eyeglasses are coated
with an UV blocker or other like finish, polishing the surface of the lens will
damage and remove this coating.
12.
How
can you remove
scratches caused by a kitchen type scrub (green) sponge?
-
ANSWER:
Scratches caused by the infamous green
kitchen scrub sponge can be quite nasty. The fibers in these sponges can "bite" right into the glass surface and cause major scratching. There has
been so much damaged caused by these over the years that the sponge manufactures
have began to put a warning on the packages that states to never to use them on
glass, plastic or aquariums.
The damage caused by these kitchen sponges can be
very severe since you can easily destroy the outer surface of the glass. This is
not typical glass damage and it will take a bit of time repair.
Using the
JANVIL GLASS RESTORE kit on this kind of damage will require a bit of time
and "elbow grease" to make any improvement. If you would like to use a
polisher, the best option is to use our GLASS REVIVE professional system.
Since it is designed for severe damage, it will offer you the best chances for
success. If you have damage the entire surface, polishing it may not be
the best option.
13. What Janvil
product should be used on a fish tank or aquarium?
-
ANSWER: Any of the Janvil Glass systems should be able to help.
Just remember that glass is not soft and it may require a little effort on your
part to get them to clean up. Our first recommendation is the GLASS
RESTORE system (hand - buffing method) for your tank. It is less messy and
does not require a lot a skill to use. After polishing, your tank will
need to be thoroughly cleaned. If the scratches are very deep, they may not come
out with the GLASS RESTORE system. If the glass is badly scratched or the
damage covers a large area, you may want to consider using the Janvil GLASS
REVIVE System.
Before restoring an aquarium, it is recommend that you
consider the amount of time and effort that may be required to dismantle the
"living marine environment" prior to polishing as well as
how vibration from the polishing operation may effect the waterproof seals.
In some cases, you might be better to live
with a minor imperfection in the glass or to replace the tank with a new one
rather than to attempt to salvage an older or severely scratched damaged glass
aquarium fish tank.
14. What System
will Remove Graffiti Damage From Glass?
Our GLASS REVIVE system has been a proven as an
effective tool to reverse many types of graffiti damage on glass.
If you become a victim of glass graffiti
vandalism, don't panic! If the damage looks like it was caused by etching acid,
it needs to be neutralized right away before you try to remove it. This
can be done by applying normal dish soap right on the etched area followed with
lots and lots of water. This will stop the acid form continuing to burn
into the glass. Once the acid reaction is stopped, you can the polish away
the damage with the Janvil GLASS REVIVE system.
15. Can a camera lens be polished?
16. Can a
windshield with thousands of nicks and pits be polished?
-
ANSWER:
Pitted glass is not really a good application for polishing. Since the little
nicks in the glass are at different depths, you would need to feather away
enough glass to reach the bottom of the deepest pit. To do this could cause
distortion in the glass. If this pitting condition is impairing your vision; it
might be time for glass replacement.
17.
Who
uses the Janvil Glass scratch removal system?
-
ANSWER:
Glass manufactures, auto glass & windshield distributors, window
and door manufactures, graffiti removal companies, painting and
construction companies, window cleaners... anyone involved in
working with glass can benefit from the use of the Janvil systems. Our products are designed for the do-it-yourselfer.
If you can read and follow the directions, you can polish glass
like a pro with the Janvil product.
18. Can a Plasma TV screen
be Restored?
-
ANSWER:
A plasma TV is a high
definition
alternative to the standard cathode ray televisions. 'Plasma' is a
scientific term referring to gases like neon and xenon which glow when
exposed to an electrical field. Plasma is sometimes called the fourth
state of matter, after liquids, solids and gases. Think of a
neon sign
or fluorescent light bulb to understand plasma as it applies here.
In a plasma TV, the
individual pixels are made from three tiny containers of an inert gas
such as neon or xenon. There are literally hundreds of thousands of
these tiny tubes on an average plasma TV screen. All of these individual
pixels are sandwiched between two electrically-charged plates.
The main drawback of
a plasma TV system is vulnerability to damage. If a hard object strikes
the screen, hundreds of individual gas-filled tubes instantly lose their
ability to glow. Replacing all of those elements would be an expensive process,
if it can be done at all. The pressure that would be
caused by polishing the glass surface of the TV can possible damage the
tiny plasma cells. In our opinion, this is not a great candidate
to scratch removal.
19.
Can Glass Blocks or Glass
tiles be polished?
-
ANSWER:
Glass blocks that are used for wall construction are not a good scratch
removal application. Many of these glass blocks are not completely smooth on
the surface which would make polishing difficult. Glass blocks and glass
tiles also tend to be tempered from their production mold formation. The
other problem with attempting to polish a glass block wall or glass tiles is
the surface area of the glass is quite small between the grout areas. If the
polishing disk is allowed to come in contact with the grout material, small
amounts of this material may be broken off and contaminate the polishing
process causing new scratch damage. The grout material may also damage the
polishing disk. Furthermore, if the polishing compound gets onto the grout
material, it can stain it. If you have a glass block wall or glass tile
surface that is scratch damaged, you may be better off replacing the damaged
items rather than attempting to polish them.
20.
Which system is needed for glass on furniture & display cases?
-
ANSWER:
Most glass that is used in furniture and glass furniture protective
coverings will most likely be made of tempered glass because of its surface
strength and the fact that is will not harm a person if they accidently
impact it. Tempered glass takes less energy to produce than annealed
glass so it is a cost effective option for many glass applications.
Most display cases in retail locations are made of tempered glass due to the
increased strength and for customer safety issues. The items in the Janvil
Glass Restore Kit are not recommended for glass that is part of furniture
since the surface of this glass is too hard to hand polish and the product
would do nothing more than clean the surface and would not effectively
impact the scratches.
When considering
restoration and scratch removal of glass that is part of furniture or
a display case, the Glass Revive System is a much better and more effective option to consider
instead of the Glass Restore system.
21. Can this
product be used on porcelain (Tiles or Toilets)?
Find out What People Are Saying
About Janvil Glass Restoration & Scratch Removal Products.
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