How to Polish Glass to Get Rid of Frosting

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Our "students" AKA taggers like to use some kind of frosting pencil to
graffiti up the mirrors. I'd like to find a way to polish the glass
so that this frosting becomes shiny glass again. I've thought about
rouge. But would something like a clear acrylic or similar make it
shiny? Thanks.

 

[CWatters]

Our "students" AKA taggers like to use some kind of frosting pencil to
graffiti up the mirrors. I'd like to find a way to polish the glass
so that this frosting becomes shiny glass again. I've thought about
rouge. But would something like a clear acrylic or similar make it
shiny? Thanks.

If they really have scratched the glass then it's a lot of work to fix. You
have to polish the whole surface down to the bottom of the deepest scratch
and then repeat with finer and finer compound.

Perhaps their marks are some kind of paint? Try using a scalpel to scrape a
section in a corner somewhere. If you can chip a littos of the frosting off
then it's on the surface of the glass and not cut into it. In which case you
need to find a suitable solvent for the stuff. You may have to try several
different things. Paint stripper may work - it's unlikely to effect the good
parts of the glass but make sure it doesn't drip onto other surfaces as it's
nasty stuff.

 

[Richard]

If they really have scratched the glass then it's a lot of work to fix. You
have to polish the whole surface down to the bottom of the deepest scratch
and then repeat with finer and finer compound.

These pens contain hydrofluoric acid:
"Vandals are increasingly using acid etching pens to damage store
windows. Often an auto glass repair shop can buff out the etching, but
you'll be left with distortion. If you find that your glass has been
etched, DO NOT TOUCH as the acid could burn you. Rinse the area with
lots of water to stop the acid working. Then you will need to decide
whether to replace the glass or have it buffed."
that was from:
http://cityofseattle.net/economicdevelopment/biz_district_guide/biz_dist_pages/graffiti.htm

and this site about hydrofluoric acid exposure:

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic804.htm

So if it's not too deep you could polish it out like polishing a
telescope mirror with finer grades of rouge. Extreme exposure to
hydrofluoric acid can actually cut grooves in the glass!

You could overcoat with polycarbonate but then they'd probably go back
to emery paper.

Richard

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

If they really have scratched the glass then it's a lot of work to fix. You
have to polish the whole surface down to the bottom of the deepest scratch
and then repeat with finer and finer compound.

No, I'm not talking about scrratches. They're nowhere near as visible
as the frosting pens.

Perhaps their marks are some kind of paint? Try using a scalpel to

scrape a

No, it's some kind of etching pencil, so after awhile the glass becomes
frosted.

section in a corner somewhere. If you can chip a littos of the frosting off
then it's on the surface of the glass and not cut into it. In which case you
need to find a suitable solvent for the stuff. You may have to try several
different things. Paint stripper may work - it's unlikely to effect the good
parts of the glass but make sure it doesn't drip onto other surfaces as it's
nasty stuff.

We have spray cans of graffiti remover, which is just such a stuff. It
removes paint no problem. But this isn't paint.

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

"CWatters" <[email protected]> wrote in message

These pens contain hydrofluoric acid:
"Vandals are increasingly using acid etching pens to damage store
windows. Often an auto glass repair shop can buff out the etching, but
you'll be left with distortion. If you find that your glass has been
etched, DO NOT TOUCH as the acid could burn you. Rinse the area with
lots of water to stop the acid working. Then you will need to decide
whether to replace the glass or have it buffed."
that was from:
http://cityofseattle.net/economicdevelopment/biz_district_guide/biz_dist
_pages/graffiti.htm

and this site about hydrofluoric acid exposure:

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic804.htm

So if it's not too deep you could polish it out like polishing a
telescope mirror with finer grades of rouge. Extreme exposure to
hydrofluoric acid can actually cut grooves in the glass!

You could overcoat with polycarbonate but then they'd probably go back
to emery paper.

Thanks for the good info. I figured rouge would do something, but I
didn't think it would take that much work to buff it out. Maybe it
would just be better to use more etching pencil and make cute Xmasy
patterns all over the mirror, like holly leaves, etc. :0)

 

[CWatters]

Try posting this up...

http://www.healthandsafetycentre.org/i/posters/1996/ha9603.html

or perhaps..

http://www.interclean.com/InterClean/List/hf-warning/Hydrofluoric Acid report.htm

Quote:" None of the employees were told that contact on two percent of the
body can be fatal"

Perhaps a few random bag searches wearing rubber gloves and breathing kit
would do it?

Who sells this stuff to kids?

 

[Mr Fed UP]

I'd chuck the mirrors in the trash and let them look at each other.
What next acid tagging people for moving adverts?
Maybe they can figure out a way to do it in color.
Sorry... just fed up with bad behavior from everyone including so called
adults.
Then they raise my taxes to pay for this crap and send the mental morons to
"behavior camp"
UGH I give... glad my days here are numbered.