RE: PPG Starphire Glass ( ?? Questioning My Data)

Sandy, Does your Starphire glass have any yellowish quality to it? It should
have none. If it has a yellowish quality, you have Solarphire.

Starphire can also come coated with Solarban 60, don't get that.

Eric Neilsen Photography
4101 Commerce Street
Suite 9
Dallas, TX 75226
http://e.neilsen.home.att.net
http://ericneilsenphotography.com
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sandy King [mailto:sanking@clemson.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 11:28 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Re: PPG Starphire Glass ( ?? Questioning My Data)
>
> Since I have not seen the data that was faxed to
> Eric today by PPG I have no idea how it compares
> to the data he provided back in 1999. However,
> there is still a real discrepancy here with the
> data. Last evening I sent to the list a link to a
> data sheet from Precision Glass and Optics,
> www.pgo.com. The specific link was
> http://www.pgo.com/pdf/ppg_starphire.pdf.
>
> Now, here is the thing. PG&O is one of the actual
> fabricators of PPG Starfire glass. If you go to
> the link above you will see that the information
> they provide about this glass is very specific in
> that it includes things such as available
> thicknesses, chemical composition, electrical and
> thermal characteristics, as well as transmission
> from 330 nm up to 2100 nm. You really get the
> impression that the folks who prepared this data
> sheet knew their stuff. And I would think that if
> anyone would know the real transmission data it
> would be a fabricator rather than distributor.
>
> Now, the plain fact is that the transmission data
> provided by this fabricator of Starphire, at 5.6
> mm thickness, is very different from what Eric
> provided back in 1999, and I presume very
> different from the data he was faxed today by
> PPG, since he claims it is very close to his old
> data.
>
> So Eric's information is interesting, but it
> hardly closes the case on the question of the
> real UV transmission of Starphire. Course,
> analysis by spectrophotometer would answer the
> question and I hope to find someone to do this
> testing.
>
> BTW, if anyone would like to test the Starphire
> glass against plain white float glass, which I
> encourage, you can obtain a sample piece of
> current production Starphire in 4" X 6" size by
> calling the folks at PPG. I have also heard that
> some Lowes stores stock Starphire, but have never
> seen it in my area of the country. Just make sure
> that the float glass to which you compare it is
> of modern fabrication and has no coating.
>
>
>
> Sandy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >After last nights back and forth, I was indeed going to call PPG.
> >
> >This required all of 3 minutes and a short wait for a return call. I
> >received a call back from Penny Bridges. She has since faxed to me data
> for
> >both the Starphire glass and SOLARPHIRE glass. The thinnest that the
> >Starphire is listed as being manufactured is 1/8” or 3.3mm and all the
> way
> >up to ¾. The data sheets do differ somewhat from those I received in
> 1992
> >as one would expect; most businesses update their literature. I received
> >separate sheets for 4mm and 8mm and this one combines the information and
> >transmission data in 10nm increments and only shows transmission data for
> a
> >glass with a thickness of 5.66mm. It does not show up on the available
> sizes
> >but that is what is referred to in the chart.
> >
> >While it does not match my data, as one would expect from different
> >thickness of glass, it does come darn close to the 4mm data that I have.
> It
> >is not what I believe to be true as Sandy indicated in his email, but
> what I
> >know to be true based on the manufactures data. Penny said that they have
> >not changed it since they first starting making it but do offer a
> coating.
> >
> >It took very me little effort and would certainly have been something
> that I
> >would have done if I were to include test information about a type glass
> in
> >a book : ) But wait, that is what I DID back in 1992. It appears in my
> book
> >on platinum printing. I don't site all the data. But do talk about why
> and
> >when one might benefit from using it.
> >
> >
> >This data also talks about the infrared quality of the glass. I have not
> >studied gum like I have studied platinum/palladium printing. It may be
> that
> >Judy's experience with Starphire has something to do with other
> >characteristics of the glass that are not beneficial to the chemistry she
> >used.
> >
> >
> >At this moment, I can't lay my hands on them which does bother me. I
> took
> >them out of my notes to make copies for some students and can't locate
> them.
> >I do however, have the data for the 4mm which is what Sandy googled.
> >
> >I will however, be glad to post PDF's of the documents after I receive
> them
> >in the mail. The faxes are OK, but I'd rather wait at least until I have
> a
> >chance to print them with my higher quality printer. I am sure she'll fax
> >them to you too Sandy.
> >
> >The PPG web site that I posted last night has their phone number. I
> suggest
> >calling them.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Eric Neilsen Photography
> >4101 Commerce Street, Suite 9
> >Dallas, TX 75226
> >214-827-8301
> >http://ericneilsenphotography.com
Received on Fri Nov 18 07:30:08 2005