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After all this time working with float glass, I don´t know wich is the tin side...
Is the lamp that is used to discover it the same that is used to cure UV glue?
Please, don´t laugh, I can hear it...
Katia

Katia,

The UV light for curing glue is not the same wave length for finding the tin side of float.

Before I bought the UV lamp to detect the tin side of float, I sort of put a brush full of water on one side of the glass to see how it would flow off the glass. The water will roll off the tin side faster than the non-tin side. I'm not sure I'm explaining this properly, but when I used to try to paint on the tin side it seemed the paint would just sort of roll around and not adhere to that side.

I'm sure someone will offer a more scientific way of detecting the tin side without a light, but this is how I did it before I got my light.

Judy

Katia T. wrote:After all this time working with float glass, I don´t know wich is the tin side...
Is the lamp that is used to discover it the same that is used to cure UV glue?
Please, don´t laugh, I can hear it...
Katia

Thanks for posting that - you beat me to it. I also am clueless on what
tin side is. I have looked at my plate glass /float glass and sure don't
see any difference. bernie

bernie wrote:
Thanks for posting that - you beat me to it. I also am clueless on what
tin side is. I have looked at my plate glass /float glass and sure don't
see any difference. bernie

Thanks God!!!
I´m not the only one...

bernie wrote:

Katia T. wrote:After all this time working with float glass, I don´t know wich is the tin side...
Is the lamp that is used to discover it the same that is used to cure UV glue?
Please, don´t laugh, I can hear it...
Katia

Thanks for posting that - you beat me to it. I also am clueless on what
tin side is. I have looked at my plate glass /float glass and sure don't
see any difference. bernie

When "float glass" is made it is floated on a layer of molten tin. That's what makes the bottom side of the sheet of glass as smooth as the top side.

To detect the "tin" side you need a "short wave"UV lamp. The wave length has to be 254 nm. You get this with a fluorescent "germcidial lamp". Many use the small portable battery powered fluorescent light fixtures and change the lamp.

Regular black lights won't work.

Check the archives too, lots there.

You can try licking the glass, the tin side will have a taste if you have silver fillings in your teeth. Works for me.

You two are not alone. This subject has been discussed over and over but there are always new people joining in and inevitable it will come up again.

There are probably hundreds of posts in the archives regarding the tin side of float.

Judy

Judy Schnabel wrote:You two are not alone. This subject has been discussed over and over but there are always new people joining in and inevitable it will come up again.

There are probably hundreds of posts in the archives regarding the tin side of float.

Judy

Hi Judy
I´ve been reading all posts about this topic since I am in the board - beginning of 2002 - believe you or not
I just can´t find out what is this black ligh... Probably it´s just translation problem, but you have to agree it´s lasting years
I can´t discover what lamp I have to buy...
Katia

Judy,
I used to do that too but thought maybe I was just fooling myself. Now it seems that I'm favored by the air side gods because I rarely have even a haze problem much less devit. I don't do the water test anymore.
However I am looking for a short wave UV light now because I want to be more precise in my working proceedures.

Have you cross tested your water theory against the UV lamp? It might prove worthwhile for folks who don't have UV lamps just yet like Katia, me and others.

fusion headquarters sells them under the "goodies" category.

http://www.fusionheadquarters.com/Pages ... Shor-64454

How deep is the tin side.
In my situstion I can buy an UV lamp OR some glass to test.
I do have diamond pads, however.

So my question is:
is it possible/worth of trouble
-to erase both sides of a float so tehre remains no tin side?

-lauri

Heres an interesting note about the tin side. You can remove it. Cerium oxide and water slurry applied to a wool felt polishing wheel will quickly remove the thin tin residue on float glass that remains from the glass being "floated" across the molten lake of tin. The glass is passed over the molten tin to reduce the glass's temperature down from its plastic state to the lesser temperature of the tin allowing the glass to retain a flawless flat state before continueing on through the subsequent annealing stages. Before the "float process" optically flat glass had to be ground flat and polished especially for use as mirrors.
Factory packed crates are marked with an arrow to let the customer know which side of the glass sheets were in contact with the tin. Some glaziers believe cutting glass on the tin side will shorten the cutter tools life. Mirroring plants prefer to silver the non tin side.
Do a test, locate the tin side using a UV mineral light like those used to make minerals glow. Polish the tin side against the cerium wheel. Use the light to find a dark spot of missing tin. This can also be accomplished using a weak bath of HF acid. The tin residue is very thin.
Pat

frenchacidman wrote:Heres an interesting note about the tin side. You can remove it. Cerium oxide and water slurry applied to a wool felt polishing wheel will quickly remove the thin tin residue on float glass that remains
clip
Pat

Might make for some interesting painting techniques...to leverage the effect of the residue on certain paints and silver stain. Abrade the surface for an additional gradation to your paint. Life's too short for so many toys.

I haven't conducted any tests regarding finding the tin side with the light vs. water. I just take my glass into a dark closet where I keep my light; check all the pieces with the light; stack them tin side down and take them to the kiln. I used to get tin bloom all the time when I first started using float.

I bought my light at Pacific Art Glass for under $40 about 3 years ago.
I know Art Glass House carries them now also.

Judy

Katia T. wrote:

Judy Schnabel wrote:You two are not alone. This subject has been discussed over and over but there are always new people joining in and inevitable it will come up again.

There are probably hundreds of posts in the archives regarding the tin side of float.

Judy

Hi Judy
I´ve been reading all posts about this topic since I am in the board - beginning of 2002 - believe you or not
I just can´t find out what is this black ligh... Probably it´s just translation problem, but you have to agree it´s lasting years
I can´t discover what lamp I have to buy...
Katia

Katia

Maybe this will help. Here is a link to the lamp you need

http://bulbman.com/browseproducts/G6T5.html

There are several sizes available. These are small lamps that will work in portable battery operated fluorescent lights.

Stamp collectors use UV lights to authenticate stamps. Many stamp and coin stores sell them. US stamps glow under shortwave uv. Other country's stamps glow under longwave uv.

This page goes into tin side detection pretty thoroughly:

http://www.edtm.com/TS1300-1.htm

You should wear safety glasses when looking for the tin side. Just about any kind of glass or plastic eyewear will filter out the uv.

ch

Several points...

The tin side is mostly a help to me as it resists sticking to kiln wash. When I fire air side down, I often get a rough texture on the bottom which is difficult to remove. tin side down comes out baby ass smooth.

I don't quite understand what this is all about, but a short wave bulb alone doesn't show me much. I need a purple filter in order to see the tin fluorescence. My light have always come with a purple filter. These lights fall apart fairly easily so I have put some back together as well as putting a germicidal bulb in another flashlight designed for regular fluorescent bulbs. Clear plastic filters the light waves and makes the germicidal bulb ineffective.

The light I have always used is manufactured by UVP (Ultra Violet Products) in California. They have a website and distributors all over. I have always paid $40 or less for mine. I have seen the identical piece for sale for up to $145. (that was from Bohle, special ordered so they charged for overseas shipping both ways). Fusion HQ charges $60.

You will have to do the research to find the low price distributor. I was about to do that when I found an identical holder (free) and put one back together with old parts I have kicking around.

Judy Schnabel wrote:Katia,

The UV light for curing glue is not the same wave length for finding the tin side of float.
Judy

A long-wave UV light cures the glue. A short-wave UV light shows the tin side, so you can ask about which light for which purpose.