Something no finishing lab should be without

[Tallboy]

What are your strange but essential finishing lab tools?

For me it is this thing



A drywall sanding sponge. Soak it with water and it is an amazing tool for smoothing rolled lens edges, dulling edge polish, and any number of other uses. I love this thing, just used it to finish up a -17.50 zeiss 1.74 individual lens that I gave a roll to and it smoothed it perfectly.

All for $5.27 at the hardware store!

What are your strange but necessary things in your finishing and/or surfacing labs? I remember some of you have a few interesting ways to get rid of swarf on poly lenses.

[Sphinxsmith]

For jobs along the same line as you mentioned.

[Tallboy]

For jobs along the same line as you mentioned.

Yeah thats what I originally used to use when I had a surfacing lab at my job, but I like the sponge so much better because it is much more forgiving and holds water!

[Sphinxsmith]

Ill give it a try, seems like a clever idea! What grit(s) do you use?


cs

[rbaker]

Something no finishing lab should be without . . . How about a good 24 year old single malt Scotch whiskey?

[Tallboy]

Ill give it a try, seems like a clever idea! What grit(s) do you use?


cs

I'm not sure, its called a drywall sponge, its black. I don't remember there being different grits, though I'm likely wrong! As far as being clever it was purely serendipity - I had been using it on drywall in the office and needed to dull some polish on a lens and whamo - it hasn't failed me in the 4 years since.

Something no finishing lab should be without . . . How about a good 24 year old single malt Scotch whiskey?

Dear God yes... I need some bourbon.

[PartTimer]

Haha, how do I bill scotch? V2799? Or is that part of payroll?

For sure on the drywall sponge. We were doing some semiprofessional interior rebuilding, and it came in super handy on a nightmare job that wouldn't end. The request to remove the edge polish on the drill mounts almost put me over the edge, since we don't use lap pads. I find the fine grit version the best, it leaves a really interesting grain if you want it to.

I have many boxes of panty hose for the edger, that's about as weird as we get here.

[Sphinxsmith]

Some Pappy Van Winkle?

Ditto on the panty hose ... makes and interesting site when you slip that thing on fully ... a bit 'floppy'

cs

[Quince]

The drywall sponges I have used (for drywall surprisingly enough!) have two grits. There is usually a rougher side and a finer side. May not be true for all brands.

[Quince]

So the belt in our hand edger went today. I went to Home Depot, Lowe's, and Napa. No one wanted to sell me anything. No one had suggestions. I went to each store explaining it was a temporary fix and we would order the actual part on Monday. Everyone just kept asking about details of the machine even though I brought in the broken belt and a couple pictures. It doesn't matter who makes this machine! All I need is a piece of circular rubber to keep it moving!




So as it turns out, I found a Dirt Devil Style 4/5 vacuum belt and it fits!



Wheel runs slower, but it's a temporary fix... just like I was looking for. Suck it unhelpful sales associates!

[ThePinkRanger]

lol good for you Quince!

[Quince]

lol good for you Quince!

Thank you!

I have the real thing on order from the super helpful Don Gilman who I was directed to through OptiBoard. Gotta love networking!