So, you want to start restoring pipes?
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Ok, I'm clear in that and frankly, boiling alcohol scares me a bit. So, what's an ozone generator? Sounds expensive.
Question:
If you didn't want to buy a buffer, about how long would it take to polish a pipe by hand? And can hand finishing do as good a job as a buffer?
Pax
If you didn't want to buy a buffer, about how long would it take to polish a pipe by hand? And can hand finishing do as good a job as a buffer?
Pax
settersbrace,
Ozone generators can be expensive. They are often used in hotels and by commercial water and fire damage companies (think Servpro)to remove offensive odors. Ozone, (O3), sometimes called "activated oxygen", contains three atoms of oxygen rather than the two atoms we normally breathe. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world and can be used to destroy bacteria, viruses and odors. Interestingly ozone occurs quite readily in nature, most often as a result of lightning strikes that occur during thunderstorms. In fact the "fresh, clean, spring rain" smell that we notice after a storm most often results from nature’s creation of ozone. However, we are probably most familiar with ozone from reading about the "ozone layer" that circles the planet above the earth’s atmosphere. Here ozone is created by the sun's ultra-violet rays. This serves to protect us from the ultra-violet radiation. (taken from ozoneapplications.com)
Is it expensive, it can be if you are setting up your own ozone chamber. Does it work, yes. Does it work better than good old fashioned scrubbing and cleaning with alcohol, depends on who you ask. While I do offer ozone treatments for pipes, I find that %99.9 don't need them. Occasionally you will come across an estate pipe that has some ghosting in it that just seems to linger on and on. In that case ozone might be the best way to treat it, but other than that I find there is not that much of a need for it.
Ozone generators can be expensive. They are often used in hotels and by commercial water and fire damage companies (think Servpro)to remove offensive odors. Ozone, (O3), sometimes called "activated oxygen", contains three atoms of oxygen rather than the two atoms we normally breathe. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world and can be used to destroy bacteria, viruses and odors. Interestingly ozone occurs quite readily in nature, most often as a result of lightning strikes that occur during thunderstorms. In fact the "fresh, clean, spring rain" smell that we notice after a storm most often results from nature’s creation of ozone. However, we are probably most familiar with ozone from reading about the "ozone layer" that circles the planet above the earth’s atmosphere. Here ozone is created by the sun's ultra-violet rays. This serves to protect us from the ultra-violet radiation. (taken from ozoneapplications.com)
Is it expensive, it can be if you are setting up your own ozone chamber. Does it work, yes. Does it work better than good old fashioned scrubbing and cleaning with alcohol, depends on who you ask. While I do offer ozone treatments for pipes, I find that %99.9 don't need them. Occasionally you will come across an estate pipe that has some ghosting in it that just seems to linger on and on. In that case ozone might be the best way to treat it, but other than that I find there is not that much of a need for it.
Pax,
That is a hard question to answer. The best I can se is, it depends. Without actually knowing what you are working on/with I have no clue how long it would take. I can tell you that by using Micro-Mesh pads and a little elbow grease that you can obtain a near buffer quality finish. Having said that, I can spend a couple of hours with an what I would consider an average pipe and some Micro-Mesh pads and have it to a polish I am happy with, but there is one more step, waxing.
Polishing is the largest part of the process but to protect the briar and really give a pipe a good shine you have to way it. There are some soft waxes out there that are very good (Halcyon II, Renaissance)and give you a fantastic finish. Using them is much like waxing a car. Rub it on, let it dry, buff it off with a soft cloth. But if you want a very durable hard wax, you can't beat Carnauba. Carnauba is a very hard wax and really can not effectively be applied to pipes by hand, you need to use a buffer.
Having said all of that, do I think you can get as good polish and shine as using a buffer, almost. The speed of the buffer, especially during waxing, comes in handy but I think you can get so close that you would be hard pressed to tell a difference.
That is a hard question to answer. The best I can se is, it depends. Without actually knowing what you are working on/with I have no clue how long it would take. I can tell you that by using Micro-Mesh pads and a little elbow grease that you can obtain a near buffer quality finish. Having said that, I can spend a couple of hours with an what I would consider an average pipe and some Micro-Mesh pads and have it to a polish I am happy with, but there is one more step, waxing.
Polishing is the largest part of the process but to protect the briar and really give a pipe a good shine you have to way it. There are some soft waxes out there that are very good (Halcyon II, Renaissance)and give you a fantastic finish. Using them is much like waxing a car. Rub it on, let it dry, buff it off with a soft cloth. But if you want a very durable hard wax, you can't beat Carnauba. Carnauba is a very hard wax and really can not effectively be applied to pipes by hand, you need to use a buffer.
Having said all of that, do I think you can get as good polish and shine as using a buffer, almost. The speed of the buffer, especially during waxing, comes in handy but I think you can get so close that you would be hard pressed to tell a difference.
@ brass
You can use a hand drill with a buffer wheel and it works great. That's how I started before I bought the real deal. If your just starting out, a drill might be better. A variable speed drill will allow you to ease into it. I still use one for certain shapes. A high speed wheel and straight edges can be a dangerous combo.
I also use salt and alcohol. It works fine. On a stubborn pipe sometimes you might have to do it a few times. I've found that most of the ghosting comes from the shank and stem. If you clean those thoroughly, it takes care of any ghost most of the time. I also leave a little cake in the bowl. A thin layer is good protection for antique briar.
You can use a hand drill with a buffer wheel and it works great. That's how I started before I bought the real deal. If your just starting out, a drill might be better. A variable speed drill will allow you to ease into it. I still use one for certain shapes. A high speed wheel and straight edges can be a dangerous combo.
I also use salt and alcohol. It works fine. On a stubborn pipe sometimes you might have to do it a few times. I've found that most of the ghosting comes from the shank and stem. If you clean those thoroughly, it takes care of any ghost most of the time. I also leave a little cake in the bowl. A thin layer is good protection for antique briar.
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