I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

The city already send the owner three nasty notices about removing the
graffiti or take them to court for non compliance, paid all fines, graffiti
removal, court cost, lawyer's fees, etc. I've been cleaning graffiti (I'm
the maintenance guy) once every two weeks on that building for the last 20
years. Every two weeks doesn't seem fast enough for the city and they don't
return phone calls or reply to mails requesting more time or exactly what is
required for compliance. Seems like the city is more interested in punishing
the property owner (more revenue) than catching the taggers. Are graffiti
laws in your city this harsh or they give you a little more leeway and work
with you?

"Jack" wrote in message
...
I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store
front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could
scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some
aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

The city already send the owner three nasty notices about removing the
graffiti or take them to court for non compliance, paid all fines,
graffiti
removal, court cost, lawyer's fees, etc. I've been cleaning graffiti (I'm
the maintenance guy) once every two weeks on that building for the last 20
years. Every two weeks doesn't seem fast enough for the city and they
don't
return phone calls or reply to mails requesting more time or exactly what
is
required for compliance. Seems like the city is more interested in
punishing
the property owner (more revenue) than catching the taggers. Are graffiti
laws in your city this harsh or they give you a little more leeway and
work
with you?

I used to travel a lot and my back fence was tagged. I missed the stupid
flyers on the door handles and got a letter that stateing do or die. I was
leaving on another business trip and politely responded in writing, I would
be home for a week or so on such and such a date and the eye sore would be
fixed by such and such. Never heard another peep from them. I did what I
said I would do and was glad when I moved. It was never ending the painting.
And this was a f-ing alley. Respond in writing, save a copy "screw-em"
Call your local TV channel that does government waste stories. They will
love the publicity.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:43:23 -0700, "Jack" wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

Stop using a buffer. You'll break the glass. I would email you but
you give no address.


Lacquer thinnner only works for lacquer afaik. I don'pt think
graffite is done with lacquer, but someone here will know.

There are loads of solvents. You want the one for the paint they
used.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

Acetone is another powerful solvent that I'd try.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:42:52 -0400, mm
wrote:

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:43:23 -0700, "Jack" wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

Stop using a buffer. You'll break the glass. I would email you but
you give no address.


Lacquer thinnner only works for lacquer afaik. I don'pt think
graffite is done with lacquer, but someone here will know.

There are loads of solvents. You want the one for the paint they
used.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

According to nospambob :
Acetone is another powerful solvent that I'd try.

Might want to experiment with some gelled paint stripper. That'll
remove just about anything and _should_ be safe on glass. Test
first to make sure it doesn't etch the glass even more.

Used the gell variety, so it doesn't just flow off the window.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

"Jack" wrote in message
...
I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store
front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could
scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some
aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

The city already send the owner three nasty notices about removing the
graffiti or take them to court for non compliance, paid all fines,
graffiti
removal, court cost, lawyer's fees, etc. I've been cleaning graffiti (I'm
the maintenance guy) once every two weeks on that building for the last 20
years. Every two weeks doesn't seem fast enough for the city and they
don't
return phone calls or reply to mails requesting more time or exactly what
is
required for compliance. Seems like the city is more interested in
punishing
the property owner (more revenue) than catching the taggers. Are graffiti
laws in your city this harsh or they give you a little more leeway and
work
with you?



Try gasket remover spray found at auto supply stores. I was working on my
washing machine and used this to remove a silicone gasket so I could put on
a new one. I had the washing machine transmission setting on top of my
freezer when I sprayed the gasket. Some got on the freezer, stupid me
should have put down some newspaper. After ten minutes of setting, the
gasket came right off with just a scrapper and so did some paint on freeze
right down to the metal. Don't know what it will do to windows, but you
could give it a try. Even tells you on the can to avoid painted surfaces.

Jack wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

If the graffiti is any kind of paint, semi-paste paint remover should
take it off. In spots where there is "etching" or scratches, I would
use an old toothbrush with paint remover to get it out of grooves. Deep
scratches can make the glass crack, so I would use care. There is a
product for removing graffiti, but I've never tried it.

Has owner filed insurance claim? I would have a glass contractor look
at damage and see if the windows are secure.

"Norminn" wrote in message
nk.net...
Jack wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store
front that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I
could scrape off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the
scratches and acid edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with
a little high speed rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small
buffer - very little progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7"
buffer with some aggressive car polish next time. If that doesn't work I
will use lacquer thinner. Any other suggestions?

If the graffiti is any kind of paint, semi-paste paint remover should take
it off. In spots where there is "etching" or scratches, I would use an
old toothbrush with paint remover to get it out of grooves. Deep
scratches can make the glass crack, so I would use care. There is a
product for removing graffiti, but I've never tried it.

Has owner filed insurance claim? I would have a glass contractor look at
damage and see if the windows are secure.

This is part of doing business in that area, no claims or insurance company
will drop you like a hot potato - save it for a big one.

"Jack" wrote in message
...

"Norminn" wrote in message
nk.net...
Jack wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store
front that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I
could scrape off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the
scratches and acid edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with
a little high speed rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small
buffer - very little progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7"
buffer with some aggressive car polish next time. If that doesn't work I
will use lacquer thinner. Any other suggestions?

If the graffiti is any kind of paint, semi-paste paint remover should
take it off. In spots where there is "etching" or scratches, I would use
an old toothbrush with paint remover to get it out of grooves. Deep
scratches can make the glass crack, so I would use care. There is a
product for removing graffiti, but I've never tried it.

Has owner filed insurance claim? I would have a glass contractor look at
damage and see if the windows are secure.

This is part of doing business in that area, no claims or insurance
company will drop you like a hot potato - save it for a big one.


While there may be a number of ways to get the paint off, the scratches and
etching are there to stay. Given the amount of maintenance this window
requires it might be worth looking into some of the latest anti graffiti
products (like what they paint the subway cars with now) and closing the
window off with that stuff.

If you do get it clean, try wiping it with a thin film of oil daily (spray
on WD40 and squeege off), while it may collect dirt more quickly and may not
look very clear, it may keep the next round of paint from sticking at all.
A daily wipedown may well be less work and cost than cleaning it bi-weekly
even if the owner has to assign a new worker to do it.

Also try putting a motion detector floodlight inside the window so it lights
up the whole street when someone gets close to the glass (though this may
make them want to break it)

Why can't they just **** on a hydrant like a dog to mark their territory?

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:42:52 -0400, mm
wrote:

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:43:23 -0700, "Jack" wrote:

I have a commercial building with 1/4" plate safety glassed on a store front
that has been graffiti with paint, scratches and acid edged. I could scrape
off most of the paint but those paint embedded in the scratches and acid
edge are hard to remove. I've tried to remove it with a little high speed
rotary tool fitted with a wired wheel and a small buffer - very little
progress, will take hours. I will try with my 7" buffer with some aggressive
car polish next time. If that doesn't work I will use lacquer thinner. Any
other suggestions?

Stop using a buffer. You'll break the glass. I would email you but
you give no address.


Lacquer thinnner only works for lacquer afaik. I don'pt think

To reply to my own post: Lacquer thinner thins lacquer. I don't know
what it does to lacquer or other paint after the paint is dry.

I would use paint stripper, the gel type like someone said.

I might also call a janitorial supply company to see what they have,
or the police (not 911) or building department to see what they
recommned.

The poster idea is very good too.

graffite is done with lacquer, but someone here will know.

There are loads of solvents. You want the one for the paint they
used.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 12:48:10 -0400, "Shadowz"
wrote:



Try gasket remover spray found at auto supply stores. I was working on my
washing machine and used this to remove a silicone gasket so I could put on
a new one. I had the washing machine transmission setting on top of my
freezer when I sprayed the gasket. Some got on the freezer, stupid me
should have put down some newspaper. After ten minutes of setting, the
gasket came right off with just a scrapper and so did some paint on freeze
right down to the metal.

E-Pox-EE spray appliance white, or maybe just glossy white (it's been
25 years) works great, and puts a hard white finish on it just like
the original one.

Although you're probably in the garage and it's hard to spray indoors,
both because of overspary and inhaling.

I wish I could remember how I painted my washing mahcine in my
apartment.... because now my machine in the basement needs touch up.


(I shouldn't have left wet clothes drying on the top, overhaning the
front. I have a liltle rust and missing paint just below the top
now.)

Don't know what it will do to windows, but you
could give it a try. Even tells you on the can to avoid painted surfaces.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

wrote:



You could always find the #$%%&*^(* that caused the graffiti and make
THEM clean it. Make them use their hair or other body parts to do the
job.


Yes but wouldn't that be mean and hurt their feelings...