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joseph2bears
AGG member
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Tue Feb 20th, 2007 07:59 pm |
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Streuter Technologies: No Days Glaze Report
January 30th I was invited to visit Streuter Technologies,
manufacturer of the new No Days Glaze product, in San Clemente, CA.
Bart Streuter, owner and president of the company, spent 3 hours
answering my questions, showing examples of how this new glazing
material is used, and providing me samples to try it for myself.
I am very grateful for the time Mr. Streuter took out of his busy
schedule and devoted to me. I hope this report will be helpful to
you.
Summary
No Days Glaze (hereinafter shortened to NDG) is a revolutionary
glazing product. It could very well replace traditional putty (or
cement for you purists) and how we construct leaded stained glass.
NDG has properties that may surpass the properties of traditional
putty in the structural system of stained glass construction, in its
long-term resistance to the elements, and in its long-term re-
workability in the instances of repair. I know that for many
experienced glaziers in the stained glass trade it will be quite a
leap to abandon centuries of tradition and venture into the unknown
reaches of this technological advance, but NDG, in my humble opinion,
is worth trying.
If NDG does find acceptance in the trade, it could also revolutionize
conservation practices and replace deteriorated putty. NDG has the
potential to outlast the lead came in which it is used without a loss
of its own properties. Product life testing is not complete, but
results thus far do indeed look promising.
History
Streuter Technologies develops and markets specialized "gaskets" to
the electronics industry. These "gaskets" are used between power
transistors or integrated circuits and heatsinks to provide excellent
thermal conduction (to keep junction temperatures at low levels,
which means the electronics last longer) while also providing
electrical insulation (to keep you from getting electrocuted). In
the normal physical world good thermal conductors, such as gold,
silver, copper, tin, lead, etc., are also excellent electrical
conductors. But there is a special class of organic materials
(some "plastics", if you will allow a generic term) that have good
heat conduction properties, but will not conduct electrons
(electricity). While this is not of particular interest to stained
glass artisans, the point is that Streuter Technologies is a solid
company, well versed in technology, and well respected in the
electronics industry. It is from this base that they look for
applications of their technology in other markets. One of their
chief engineers is a stained glass hobbyist, and it is he who
experimented, pioneered, and pointed the way to the introduction of
No Days Glaze.
The original product development, the "parent" of NDG, was a
formulation with adhesive properties to not only provide excellent
heat conduction and electrical isolation, but also to bond the
heatsink and fan to the Intel Microprocessors used in your computer.
It turned out that the adhesive bond was so strong that removal and
reuse of the heatsink/fan component from failed processors was a
problem. The product was re-formulated and is probably in your
computer today. But it was this property, along with several others,
that caught the attention of that chief engineer. With a series of
experiments and reformulations, No Days Glaze was born.
No Days Glaze Properties
NDG is a "phase change" material. In simple terms that means that it
has a constant set of properties over a very wide temperature range,
and then at one degree above that range it takes on a different set
of properties. It basically acts like two completely different
materials, depending on temperature. The phase change temperature of
NDG is 160°F. Below that temperature it is a solid, and above, it is
a viscous liquid (like molasses in January; very sticky and will flow
if you push it).
As a solid it is flexible, even down to –60°F. The Shore (or Mhos)
Hardness (a measure of its stiffness) and Young's Modulus (yield
strength, the point of deformation beyond which it will not return to
its original shape) have yet to be determined by testing. My non-
scientific assessment it that in terms of flexibility, hardness, and
yield strength, NDG's properties are near those of lead.
With properties similar to lead, you may reasonably question how it
will help support heavy glass in a soft, flexible lead matrix, which
is one of the functions of the much stiffer putty. The answer is in
the adhesive properties of NDG. In application, NDG, lead came, and
glass is heated to the phase change temperature of 160°F. When NDG
becomes a viscous liquid it wets and adheres to the lead came and
glass. This bond is strong enough (after the phase change when
cooled to a temperature below 160°F) that you will break the glass
before you break the bond. If you are mindful of glass breakage
issues, you can pick up and flip a panel before any solder joints are
completed. NDG by itself will hold the panel together. I have
lifted a 2'x2' panel by its edge with no joints soldered, and without
any ill effects. In larger panels with the weight of glass and
flexibility of NDG, the center will tend to sag as the panel is
lifted, and you could cause a break in a narrow length of glass.
This type of handling is not recommended, but it does serve to
demonstrate the structural properties of NDG.
Please note that NDG, like traditional putty, does not relieve any of
the considerations for structural reinforcement in large panels.
They will still sag, bow, telescope, or hinge, depending on the size
and/or design. While large unsupported panels will still fail with
collapse or broken glass, the one advantage of NDG over putty in
these cases is that the glass will not fall out of the lead came
matrix. You could view it as a more graceful failure, if there is
such a thing. This of course, assumes that the window was properly
constructed with NDG, that the phase change temperature was achieved,
and that the NDG wetted and adhered to the lead and glass. Without
this wetting and adhesion, NDG will not achieve the weatherproofing
or structural properties, and will serve no useful purpose.
The flexibility of NDG may actually be advantageous over traditional
putty in door panel applications. Working with the flexible lead
came it will provide more shock absorption when the door slams, than
will the stiffer putty. This is purely my opinion and has not been
tested. But it does seem reasonable to my thinking that in some
range of mild shock, NDG would outperform putty in preventing cracked
glass since it has more "give" than the stiffer putty.
NDG provides a weather tight seal that is impervious to natural
elements, as well as several unnatural elements. It does not absorb
moisture and water PH from base to acid has no effect. UV exposure
in life tests beyond 20 years has shown no degradation in material
properties. Streuter Technologies is continuing its testing program
with a goal of taking the life tests out to 100 years. They promise
to publish the test reports on their website when testing is
complete.
Thus far in their life test sequences, NDG has retained all of its
original properties with no degradation. NDG can be reheated to 160°
F where it becomes liquid, glass removed, reinserted, cooled below
160°F, and the panel is as good as the day it was built. Just think
of future repairs on NDG-built windows; no more dental picks to
scratch out old putty, just heat and wipe. It could change the way
repairs are done in the future.
I had an over 30 year career as an electronics engineer and scientist
and have conducted hundreds of environmental life tests. I will
honestly tell you that in no industry has anyone ever carried a life
test out to 100 years. In this throwaway age such a thing is unheard
of. Most life tests are designed to assess the financial liabilities
through a limited warranty period. If even presented to the public,
they are slicked up and presented as "reliability assurance". My hat
is off to Streuter Technologies in their unprecedented efforts to
compare the viability of their technology to the centuries of
experience we have with putty formulations in stained glass. Testing
can easily run to $100,000 per test, with a comprehensive test
program reaching the million-dollar range. It is a substantial
investment and shows the level of commitment they are making to our
industry. It also shows that they have a very strong belief in their
product. From my limited exposure to NDG, I think that belief is
justified. NDG just may be the "product of the century" in its
impact on stained glass.
Application
One method is to cut the lead, then cut strips of NDG to put into the
lead channel. A more efficient method may be to lay the 6-ft length
of came on the bench, insert lengths of NDG in the channel on both
sides, then cut the came as in normal practice. (Today, NDG is
produced in 3-ft lengths, but they are tooling up to produce it in
longer lengths.)
While NDG has no adhesive to hold it in the channel, the strips seem
to stay put just from the friction-fit in the channel – if you have
ordered the right width of material.
The width of NDG you order should be the same as the channel height
in the lead came you are using. It is easy to get confused. If you
look at the list of NDG widths offered, they correspond to the most
common FACE widths of lead came. DO NOT ORDER BY LEAD CAME FACE
WIDTH! NDG must lay flat in the bottom of the lead came channel. It
is not designed to wrap around the edge of the glass like a strip of
copper foil. When heated to its liquid state, and the glass is
gently pushed into the came channel, the strip of NDG in the bottom
of the channel will ooze out around the edge of the glass and fill
the face of the channel. When applied properly, NDG will fill the
channel around the glass the same as traditional putty.
When you look at thin strips of NDG you will naturally define it in
terms of its "width". Lead came is naturally defined in terms of its
FACE "width". In lead came manufacturer's literature the channel is
defined in terms of its "height". The most common channel "height"
is 5/32" in the US. "High Heart" lead came most commonly has a
channel height of 9/64", but there are several other different
heights commonly stocked. This contradiction in terminology between
the different products is confusing. Order the NDG "width" that is
equal to the lead came channel "height" that you are using. If you
have never seen the channel height specified on the came you
purchased, measure it.
Currently, Streuter Technologies literature instructs you to order
the NDG width that corresponds to your lead came channel "width".
This adds to the confusion, since lead came is defined in terms of
face width and channel height. I brought this up in our meeting and
I hope Streuter Technologies makes the correction and further
clarifies their literature. If you look at the illustrations they
provide, terminology differences aside, it should become very clear
as to how NDG is put into the came channel and guide you to ordering
the correct width of product.
When you have the glass pieces in place on each side of the came with
NDG in the channel, gently heat along the length of came with a hot
air gun until the NDG melts and the pieces slide together into
finished position by lightly pushing on the edge of the glass.
Remove the heat and allow the joint to cool and solidify. This whole
process takes less than a minute.
Look at the joint. NDG should have oozed around the edge of the
glass and filled the channel. The glass should be stuck tight to the
lead came. If you did not achieve adhesion, or if you need to
reposition the glass, just reheat until the NDG becomes liquid. You
can reheat as many times as necessary. There is no degradation in
material properties through repeated phase change cycles. (This is
one of the technological marvels of phase change materials.)
If you are using a highly textured glass, such as ripple, or a very
thin hand blown glass, where there is a lot of channel space that
needs to be filled, just put two strips of NDG in the channel, so you
have more material to work with.
If you have excess material that oozes out onto the came or face of
the glass, just reheat and wipe with a rag. It will clean right
off. You can also cut and scrape with a hobby knife, but heating and
wiping is easier.
To get good adhesion to the glass, the glass should be cleaned prior
to assembly to remove cutting oil, finger oils, or any other dirt
that would interfere with wetting and adhesion.
For heating, a hot air gun such as a hair dryer or one of those paint
removal air guns from the hardware store works very well. I bought
one at a Harbor Freight Tools ½ price sale for $10. You could also
use a quartz heat lamp, such as a Smith-Victor TL2, available at
photo supply shops (I saw one on ebay for $35), but they are
considerably more expensive than the hot air guns.
Continue the process of fitting pieces and heating to melt them
together until the panel is assembled. Now solder all your lead came
joints. Yes, the NDG will liquefy under joint being soldered, but it
will not interfere; it will not boil up in the solder nor will it run
out on the backside. Remember that NDG is very viscous, that is, it
is a very thick liquid in its liquid phase and tends to stay put
unless you push it. Once you've soldered your joints and cleaned the
panel, you're done.
There are many of you who lack the patience to let a natural satin
black patina develop on the lead came and solder joints over a
several year period. Or there may be a personal preference for that
black sheen achieved through the vigorous scrubbing with whiting
powder and a stiff natural bristle brush in the clean-up process with
traditional putty. And I will admit that that scrubbing process also
cleans up the rub marks on lead came that results from its handling.
Well, you can still sprinkle on the whiting and scrub away. It will
not affect NDG, even if you add a little traditional putty to get the
oil and lamp black that may well be contributing factors to that
black sheen. For those of you that like to use or finish with the
Pzazz brushing wheel and Carnauba wax to achieve an even higher
gloss, you can still do that. It will not affect NDG.
If you are using brass or copper came and applying patina to blend in
the solder joints, if you are using black patina on lead-free came to
achieve a more traditional appearance, or if you are one of the few
who use black patina on lead came, have no fear. Patina will not
affect NDG. Streuter Technologies has tested NDG with most of the
chemicals we use in the stained glass industry, such as glass
cleaners, fluxes, patinas, etc., and have found that NDG in
impervious to all of them.
That is my report on No Days Glaze. I suggest that you contact them
at http://www.streuter.com/stainedglass or 888-989-3832 and request samples
of NDG for your own trials or to ask any questions that I may have
overlooked in my own exploration. You can order No Days Glaze direct
from Streuter Technologies, or purchase it from Delphi Glass, in
Lansing, MI. Delphi is the first distributor to stock NDG. The rest
of our wholesale distributor network has adopted a wait-and-see
attitude.
--Joseph 2bears, Lomita, CA
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Hallie Monroe
AGG member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 18 |
| Status: |
Offline
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Posted: Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 09:39 pm |
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OK, I went to their site and watched the assembly video. Here are 2 questions...
If the product liquifies with heat, and the stained glass panel is in direct sun most of the day, as the glass in the panel heats up will this product start to liquify an run?
Also will it allow for expansion and contraction the same way putty will?
I do see that if a client asked for stained glass in an Insulated Unit that this may have a use with out off gassing or leaving oily finger prints and whiting dust.
Has anyone out there used it?
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joseph2bears
AGG member
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Tue Apr 8th, 2008 09:20 pm |
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Hi Hallie. Yes, I have built a panel with NDG, so I have some limited experience in working with it. If you will email me at joseph@joseph2bears.com I will send you a user's report on my experience. I have not posted the report since I am in the process of publishing it in Glass Craftsman magazine. I just returned from Expo in Las Vegas where I talked to Joe Porcelli and Bart Streuter about my article. Bart Streuter is currently reviewing the report for comments which will be included in a sidebar to my report. I am not sure I made the best choices in using NDG, or used the best methods. That is why I have solicited Bart's feedback to be included with my report. As an example, I tend to solder hot and fast with a heavy Hexagon iron. This caused the NDG to boil out of the joint and cause a mess which was difficult to clean. A lower temperature iron might give better results. Aside from my clumsiness, I raise a number of issues in working with NDG that you will find insightful and helpful. I will be happy to send you a pre-publication copy if you will respect it as copyrighted material until it is published.
NDG is a "phase change" material. That is, below 160 °F it is a solid and at, and above 160 °F it is a liquid. As long as the window stays below 160, NDG will be a solid and will support the window. Normal solar heating should not be a problem.
NDG is a flexible material with excellent adhesive and sealing properties. It is not hard and brittle, and will flex to some degree. It is also impervious to almost everything and does not degrade over time. It has the promise of far outlasting the lead came. But as to how it performs in a window over decades we don't know. It is just too new. Streuter has performed weather tests and other strength tests with good results, but until there is long term installation experience the jury will be out.
I also agree with your thought that the best application of NDG may be in a triple-glazed Insulated Glass unit. But there are caveats to even that application which are covered in my report.
--Joseph 2bears
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champ
AGG member
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Posted: Thu Apr 10th, 2008 02:12 am |
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| I recently used NDG on a panel just to try it out. I used a heat gun for softening the material and slightly set the glass into the channel. When I was paying total attention, you could see the NDG change from solid to liquid. However if I was not totally attuned, I found the NDG would push out and travel further onto the glass than I desired. This overflow makes the job look dirty. As I tried to clean the NDG of the glass, I found no glass cleaner able to remove the overflow. I even resorted to a razor blade to scrap the excess. Finally, I stumbled upon WD40, of all things, and it cleaned the excess off the glass and then hit it with glass cleaner to remove the WD40 residue. Unfortunalely I did notice that the bond of NDG and the glass had deteriorated. I could, in spots, actually finger peel the NDG away from some glass. I probably did allot of things wrong but this was my first experience with NDG. Overall, it saves allot of time and you really need to pay attention in its heating application and is sweet to use if you pay attention. I plan on using it again but with the WD40..!!
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