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When you gotta have it rock hard...


Sponiebr

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M'kay... 

Hi. It's Sponie the Mechanic formerly known as a soap maker. I have a need for a I dunno... A ceramic? A rock? a Hard THING? Anywho, I'm looking for a castable hard (like a Moh's Hardness scale of 8 min and preferably 8.5-9+ though I might be able to get away with something in the 7+ range) ceramic or stone that has a VERY fine grained surface when done. I need to make some large hones for some tools. I'm set on strops and I know the scary-sharp technique, I need stones...(NO... not those kinds of stones...) Anyway, I want to be able to cast a razor hone in the 20k+ grit range. 

Now it occurs to me that pure portland cement if cured properly is pretty darn hard stuff and it can be made almost mirror smooth. I guess my question is has anyone here DONE something like this? What would YOUR suggestion be for a material? I did have an idea of etching some plate glass with some acid and then lapping that flat on a diamond lapping stone... Could muriatic acid be used to frost glass?  Do I need to find a potter with a kiln? What do I do with the potter once I find one? WHY THE HELL ARE THEY STILL SELLING CHIA PETS!!!!? I have SO many questions... 


As always any help is greatly appreciated. 

Ta! 
Sponiebr: The grease-monkey-I'll-be-damned-if-I-can't-fix-that-25¢-part! extraordinaire... 

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is the final need to just etch glass? Hobby stores sell sprays that work fast and easily. Check Pinterest for project ideas to see the range available. 

 

For tools, pottery, like stoneware, could work. Some clays fire very smooth, others have sand-like grog that makes it less so. 

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13 hours ago, TallTayl said:

is the final need to just etch glass? Hobby stores sell sprays that work fast and easily. Check Pinterest for project ideas to see the range available. 

 

For tools, pottery, like stoneware, could work. Some clays fire very smooth, others have sand-like grog that makes it less so. 

Well, now that you mention it... I think I will try the etched glass idea as it doesn't seem too crazy an idea... (even for me...) I know that hydrofluoric acid  is the premium choice for etching glass, but GOOD GRAVY is that dangerous stuff... I'm all about BAD ideas not Kamikaze Ideas... Still... I don't think dealing with some hydrofluoric acid would be any more or less dangerous than what life normally throws at me. 
YOU'VE CONVINCED ME TT! I'm IN! Give me da Hydrofluoric acid!!! I'm gonna make some schtuff! I'm sure I know somebody who's got a supplier... 

Also dad suggested maybe hydrocal? Have you got any experience with this? 

Say... YOU have a kiln doncha TT? (shifty eyes) 

Sponiebr: BEHOLD! In one hand I hold the keys to the picnic basket bound for hell! In the other I hold a jug of hydrofluoric acid! Now I ask thee: If I take one which will fall faster into the abyss!?  Am I going to hell in a hand basket? Or am I hell bent and bottle bound?  

 

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I do have a kiln, but making something will require some fine detail. 

 

If it were me, and all I needed to do was etch a little glass, I'd head to a craft store and buy whatever was on the shelf to try first. Much cheaper than all those other options! 

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Caveat: my experience is 40 years old.

 

HF can make NaOH seem like child's play. I wouldn't want to play with it at home without a fume hood and all my old solid teflon labware.  Please try TallTayl's suggestion of whatever is available in the craft stores. I've etched lots of things with HF but not plate glass. Let us know how it goes.

 

Jacquie

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4 hours ago, Jazme said:

Caveat: my experience is 40 years old.

 

HF can make NaOH seem like child's play. I wouldn't want to play with it at home without a fume hood and all my old solid teflon labware.  Please try TallTayl's suggestion of whatever is available in the craft stores. I've etched lots of things with HF but not plate glass. Let us know how it goes.

 

Jacquie

I know (giggles) it's SUCH TERRIBLE stuff!!! (BU-ha! Buhahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!) 

Just for kicks and because it seems like a terribly bad idea I've got a little 3% dilute solution of HF acid on my desk right now working on a soda glass 2 oz dropper bottle. I just kinda wanted to see if a common household cleaner would even attack the glass at such a dilute concentration. It's been 24 hrs. now, and well, I don't know if those are crystals or some slight etching on the sides of the bottle. 

But in all seriousness thank you for the warning. HF is terribly dangerous stuff.

Sponiebr: Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services

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On 5/3/2017 at 9:28 AM, TallTayl said:

If it were me, and all I needed to do was etch a little glass, I'd head to a craft store and buy whatever was on the shelf to try first. Much cheaper than all those other options! 


Yeah, I went by my local Michaels over the week end... All they had was a little bottle of some sort of Martha Stewart stuff, like 2-4 oz. For $26... Hell, I could BUY a diamond hone in the size I want for that much money! 

 

 

On 5/6/2017 at 8:55 AM, coconut said:

You can use various grinding wheels to etch glass. Google it. Most shop setups are a home assembled grinder and water like tile cutters. There some books on Amazon about etching glass too.

 

On 5/6/2017 at 9:19 AM, TallTayl said:

How about a dremel? So many attachments in shapes, sizes, grits... 


Yeah this might be a cool idea for pictures and such. I don't have a dremel but I do have a micro die grinder (think dentist's drill). 

Actually, dad and I were just gonna sandblast a pane of glass as that seems to be the most popular commercial method. 

Also FWIW: Wink Brand iron stain remover (3% Hydroflouric Acid) DOES etch glass, but it does NOT frost glass. The little 2 oz dropper bottle I tried out in a bath of the stuff had a perfectly sharp and clear raised band where the tape was and the sides that were exposed to the etching had dissolved away leaving PERFECTLY clear glass behind! 

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Try Amazon for the glass enchant. Local hobby shops might no be fully socked on options as it is not a big crafty thing these days. 

 

And look at pinterest. Usually the best, most recent tools and chemicals are featured. Pinterest showcases everything.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Please, please, please leave HF alone.   A close friend experienced minor exposure in a cleanroom environment--dude was lucky that it wasn't a larger gas venting--and will likely have a shortened lifespan because of the lung damage.   The results of what happens when there is a pinprick sized hole in your gloves is terrifying, as well--don't Google the pics.   :(    Unless you have extensive training on how to handle it and are in a facility meant for its use, please just don't.

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