Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:15 pm
Valued Contributor
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:07 am Posts: 134
glhays wrote:
JCD wrote:
I got wax skids on my 1200 lap and thought I'd clean them with denatured alcohol on a paper towel.
What style of 1200 lap are you using? Greg
A Crystalite 1200 standard lap, the diamond is hard electroplated to the lap so I thought denatured alcohol wouldn't affect it but right after I cleaned the lap the scratches started.
I'm hoping I just didn't get it all the wax off and its holding some swarf or loose diamond causing the problem.
I plan on giving it a long, deep cleaning and see if it takes care of the problem.
Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm Posts: 1424 Location: San Marcos, CA
You can also take a bar of lava soap and with the long edge, warm water scrub it in a circular motion. I never had a reaction to denatured alcohol on steel laps, but have had on composite style laps. Best of luck! Greg
Alcohol is not a good solvent for wax. Try lacquer thinner or other ketone, or naphtha [aka lighter fluid or camp stove gas]. Scrub with a brush, then follow with a scrub with detergent.
A worthwhile tool in the lab is an ultrasonic cleaner which will quickly and thoroughly clear swarf and contamination from laps with no harm. The machines, especially the longer tank versions, have become very affordable. There are specialty grease-cutting solutions available for them, but [in the US] straight Simple Green cleaner is an excellent and inexpensive substitute.
Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:26 pm
Valued Contributor
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:07 am Posts: 134
Thanks for the helpful comments guys.
I think I got it, I tried synthetic sapphire and a single edged razor blade cw/ccw to knock anything loose then after several applications of thinner and acetone along with multiple scrubbings, the last with a steel grill brush that I managed to stab my thumb with the scraper corner, its now working
So it just took a lot of cleaning and possibly a blood sacrifice to get it working again.
If I get anymore scratches I'm trying the ultrasonic trick but I'll have to do it in sections or spin it while its immersed.
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