I bought some stuff in a lot at an auction. Included were packets of "Imperial
Diamond Lapping Film, grade 0.5MIC, 3" by 4" , 50 sheets, etc. by 3M.( have
some 1 MIC grit size also.)

What would these sheets be used for, or how does on use them? -

Are they expensive items?

I would like to try them on something, - what?

Thanks. ( I know somebody out there on this group must know all about this
stuff.)

Bob Durango

(RobertDurango) wrote in message ...
I bought some stuff in a lot at an auction. Included were packets of "Imperial
Diamond Lapping Film, grade 0.5MIC, 3" by 4" , 50 sheets, etc. by 3M.( have
some 1 MIC grit size also.)

What would these sheets be used for, or how does on use them? -

Are they expensive items?

I would like to try them on something, - what?

Thanks. ( I know somebody out there on this group must know all about this
stuff.)

Bob Durango

One use is for fiber-optic data cable splicing, the ends of the fibers
are lapped after cleaving and before making up the connector. There's
a special jig to do this, the film isn't much use without it.

If you do woodworking, you might try lapping your chisels and gouges
with it for that extra sharp edge. Stick a sheet to some glass or
other flat surface and use it like a stone.

stan

(RobertDurango) wrote in message ...
I bought some stuff in a lot at an auction. Included were packets of "Imperial
Diamond Lapping Film, grade 0.5MIC, 3" by 4" , 50 sheets, etc. by 3M.( have
some 1 MIC grit size also.)

What would these sheets be used for, or how does on use them? -

Are they expensive items?

I would like to try them on something, - what?

Thanks. ( I know somebody out there on this group must know all about this
stuff.)

Bob Durango

Bob, such films are routinely used to polish optical fiber connector
ends. You generally squirt a bit of distilled water on a plate of
glass, flop the film onto the plate where it sticks down nicely via
capillary action, and then squirt a bit more water on the film. Then
figure-8 the connector end, etc. I polished some solid-state laser
rods using this technique once upon a time, too, etc. Your 0.5 micron
sheets are toward the "final polish" end of the spectrum; tho you do
see 0.3 micron for the final polish, too. Usually people have ~ 3
grades on hand to go from rough to final (optical qual), like 5 mic, 1
um, 0.3 um. The stuff is fairly cheap, in some volume. Many of the
makers and vendors of these film routinely send out 1-2 sheet samples
if you ask them; often enough to do the job, one-off...
C. Hale

Thank you for the information

There is always someone on this list who knows the answer to anything.

Thanks,
Bob Durango

Thank you for the information

There is always someone on this list who knows the answer to anything.

Thanks,
Bob Durango

On 17 Oct 2003 08:41:34 -0700, (C. Hale)
wrote:

Bob, such films are routinely used to polish optical fiber connector
ends. You generally squirt a bit of distilled water on a plate of
glass, flop the film onto the plate where it sticks down nicely via
capillary action, and then squirt a bit more water on the film. Then
figure-8 the connector end, etc. I polished some solid-state laser
rods using this technique once upon a time, too, etc. Your 0.5 micron
sheets are toward the "final polish" end of the spectrum; tho you do
see 0.3 micron for the final polish, too. Usually people have ~ 3
grades on hand to go from rough to final (optical qual), like 5 mic, 1
um, 0.3 um. The stuff is fairly cheap, in some volume. Many of the
makers and vendors of these film routinely send out 1-2 sheet samples
if you ask them; often enough to do the job, one-off...
C. Hale

Are these ultrafine polishing papers any good for putting a pure
mirror shine on metals? I've been wondering about this, but I figured
they were so fine they wouldn't be able to microscratch the metal, but
if they're diamond...?

In article ,
Xane "MegaWolf" T. wrote:
On 17 Oct 2003 08:41:34 -0700, (C. Hale)
wrote:

Bob, such films are routinely used to polish optical fiber connector
ends. You generally squirt a bit of distilled water on a plate of
glass, flop the film onto the plate where it sticks down nicely via
capillary action, and then squirt a bit more water on the film. Then
figure-8 the connector end, etc. I polished some solid-state laser
rods using this technique once upon a time, too, etc. Your 0.5 micron
sheets are toward the "final polish" end of the spectrum; tho you do
see 0.3 micron for the final polish, too. Usually people have ~ 3
grades on hand to go from rough to final (optical qual), like 5 mic, 1
um, 0.3 um. The stuff is fairly cheap, in some volume. Many of the
makers and vendors of these film routinely send out 1-2 sheet samples
if you ask them; often enough to do the job, one-off...
C. Hale

Are these ultrafine polishing papers any good for putting a pure
mirror shine on metals? I've been wondering about this, but I figured
they were so fine they wouldn't be able to microscratch the metal, but
if they're diamond...?

The plain (not diamond) lapping films from 3M will do this --
based on the worn tape recorder heads which I re-lapped using them.
(The kit came from Nortronics -- a thick glass backing plate, with a
vinyl layer above that to offer just a little give, and the lapping
films clamp above that. The whole thing was used under running water,
with the head run along a piece of aluminum angle-iron and clamped in a
block to support it properly (unless it is a head the size of those used
on the big Ampex machines, which some of mine were.)

Enjoy,
DoN.
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