Dry ice blasting

[middi]

II had a most interesting conversation this evening with a young man that only recently finished his university studies and has started his own business.

Yes, you have guessed it, dry ice blasting. No, not the very scarse, static based companies that specialise in this non- destructive specialised blast cleaning method, this young man has a portable set up . I was impressed when he explained the science behind the method but EXTREMELY impressed when I saw videos of paint removal from soft red bricks, from a 3mm plain clear glass and ( wait fot it !!!!) , the restoration of a dirty and grimey hard backed book cover.

The young man, the son of a councillor of the parish, for which my wife works, is going to remove ( and very confident !!) various graffiti from newly installed bus stop shelters, soft brick walls and some plastic substrate surfaces . I cannot wait to see this blasting method in action.

I am only concerned about the effectiveness of the method and that it may be a serious alternative to any other method in cleaning surfaces in our conservation world, especially if it is easily portable and does not break the bank.

I will let you know after friday this week.

Middi

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Interesting Middi -and if it doesn't work, well, the Parish talent show will have a dry ice machine instead!

I'm wondering how anything that cold can be truly non-destructive; surely any moisture in the substrate will be quickly frozen and and expand as it does so? Mightnt this damaged the surface?

Robin

 

[Penners]

I might take my guitar along and play "Highway To Hell" in the bus shelter, while he's spraying the dry ice around.

 

[middi]

From what I have gathered so far, apparently the force and temperature of the ( variable ???) dry ice density, coupled with the skill of the operator, any surface can be " blasted" with no ill effect to the substrata to which the unwanted substance ( contamination ????) is adhered to.
Whilst there is no scope of changing the actual temp. of the dry ice , the removal of " contamination" is affected by the change in temp. and application force at the point of impact. This can be controlled by the operator and his/hers application apparatus.

During the earlier mentioned conversation, he also mentioned that in the US the system has been refined to restore some valuable books in a library.

I am not easily impressed by people's ( or saleman's) claims about the wonders of certain products or application. So far it looks very encouraging as to it's use and may benefit us to tackle those tedious and laborious jobs of period property restoration. I certainly don't think that the wheel has been re-invented and I must see this process at work ( thursday, friday this week) .

Middi

 

[middi]

I might take my guitar along and play "Highway To Hell" in the bus shelter, while he's spraying the dry ice around.

:lol:

I shall be along with the Piano accordion

Better stiil, we may ask FF to bring his musical band ( band ?) !!!!!!!.

Middi

 

[Penners]

OK, Middi, although I'm not sure how rock'n'roll a piano accordian is! :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

Better stiil, we may ask FF to bring his musical band ( band ?) !!!!!!!.

:lol:
'Band' is a more than adequate description, 'musical' may be too optimistic.

It'll be interesting to hear your views about how well it works on Friday. I found a video on YouTube showing the technique being used to clean an (apparently) soot-damaged book, which was pretty impressive!

 

[d49xc]

I first heard of it more than 10 years ago if not 15.
Main advantage touted at that time was that it leaves no debris from the material used as the "shot" as in conventional shot blasting which gets everywhere unless you use it inside a sealed shot blasting enclosure.
I'm more used to mega shot blasting of 100 ton+ industrial constructions......

Gald to see that its caught on as a going concept in the more specialist applications
Dry ice (solid Co2) is at -76C as I recall

 

[Moo]

How does it know the difference between what is and isn't wanted?

 

[Penners]

Given humanity's current aversion to carbon dioxide, I should imagine it's well aware of its own unwantedness. As for anything else, one has to assume that the operator brings a certain selectiveness to the process - although I have no personal experience of this.

 

[middi]

Given humanity's current aversion to carbon dioxide, I should imagine it's well aware of its own unwantedness. As for anything else, one has to assume that the operator brings a certain selectiveness to the process - although I have no personal experience of this.

" selectiveness to the process" is the key, as you say Penners.

Dry ice blasting is not a novelty nor is a dictionary. All you need is to re-arrange the method of application. Just think what Shakespeare, Byron etc achieved by re-arranging words slightly differently than anybodyelse.

Middi

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Dry ice blasting is not a novelty nor is a dictionary. All you need is to re-arrange the method of application. Just think what Shakespeare, Byron etc achieved by re-arranging words slightly differently than anybodyelse.Middi

Lovely quote there Middi.

Mind you,my bl00dy kyboard and rudimentary typing skills can d o andything Shakespeare and Byron can in termsof rearranging words. Think I haveold Chinese take-away sticking the spacebar dpwn now!

 

[Flyfisher]

Given humanity's current aversion to carbon dioxide, I should imagine it's well aware of its own unwantedness.

I can't imagine an environmental problem with using CO2 as such - surely it's extracted from the atmosphere in the first place?

 

[Penners]

Given humanity's current aversion to carbon dioxide, I should imagine it's well aware of its own unwantedness.

I can't imagine an environmental problem with using CO2 as such - surely it's extracted from the atmosphere in the first place?

Quite so, FF, but I never allow the facts to get in the way of a flippancy opportunity. Or had you perhaps noticed that? :wink:

 

[Penners]

Just think what Shakespeare, Byron etc achieved by re-arranging words slightly differently than anybody else.

That reminds me of Eric Morecambe's famous quote to Andre Previn (aka Mr Preview), who accused him of playing all the wrong notes on the piano.

"I'm playing all the right notes. But not necessarily in the right order."

Shakespeare certainly used words in a different order from today's English usage. But I think there was a little more to him than that. He could also put ideas into words perhaps more effectively than anyone before or since.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

The Tragedie of Macbeth. Act V Scene V

 

[middi]

Good old Eric, brilliant.

I also pride myself as being a great thinker full of immagination, the problem is that I tend to wonder obout things that makes the mind boggle and of no much use to anybody, ie:-

How the heck human beings managed without the advent of toilet paper ( or any paper).

( don't bother suggesting fig leaves, they sting)

Middi

 

[Flyfisher]

That reminds me of Eric Morecambe's famous quote to Andre Previn (aka Mr Preview), who accused him of playing all the wrong notes on the piano.

"I'm playing all the right notes. But not necessarily in the right order."

Ah yes, Eric Morecambe, my musical hero, upon whom I've modelled much of my own playing.

 

[Penners]

Good old Eric, brilliant.

I presume you mean Eric Morecambe, as opposed to Eric Shakespeare?

 

[Penners]

Ah yes, Eric Morecambe, my musical hero, upon whom I've modelled much of my own playing.

Indeed, he had few equals. Except possibly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nNGlaiVypU

 

[middi]

Good old Eric, brilliant.

I presume you mean Eric Morecambe, as opposed to Eric Shakespeare?

Neither of them mr P.

(I was refering to Eric Byron :wink: )

Middi