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 Post subject: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:22 am 
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I dopped my stone with wax and started cutting, things didn't go as well as I would have liked so I had to cut a bit deeper than I had planned.

I got wax skids on my 1200 lap and thought I'd clean them with denatured alcohol on a paper towel.

I got the towel wet but not dripping and wiped it around the lap 2-3 times, cleaned off all the visible wax.

Next cut on the 1200 and it is scratching like mad, I washed the lap with detergent and warm water with a soft brush but the scratching continues.

Would denatured alcohol cause the lap to shed diamond?

Is there still wax I can't see holding swarf on the lap?

Just seems a bit odd that it was doing fine until I used the denatured alcohol to clean off the wax.

Thanks, Jim


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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:27 am 
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probably there was much more dirt/things on the lap which you also cleaned of, so the lap got "sharp" again.

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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:00 pm 
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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

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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:15 pm 
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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.

Jim


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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 pm 
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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

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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:48 pm 
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Probably more likely the wax or paper towel were contaminated.

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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 6:13 pm 
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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.


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 Post subject: Re: Would denatured alcohol affect my lap?
PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:26 pm 
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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.

I've got an aquamarine to do so I'll know soon.

Thanks again, Jim


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