Removing water marks from flat ports

[matdiver]

Hi,

I have a Nauticam flat port. After a few years' use it had really started to show some bad signs of water-marking. Anyway, having looked back at some old posts on the other place, I came across a recommendation for this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com.be/dp/B00ADMA8GQ/ref=pe_43847721_694249361_TE_SCE_dp_1

(windscreen polish).

 

It worked amazingly! A couples of minutes with the pad attached to a drill, then a few drops of water, a bit more rubbing and it was like new 🙂

The instructions say it's non-abrasive, but i don't think I'd use it on a port with a special coating or a filter.

 

Cheers,

Matt

[CoDale]

I also have a Nauticam flat port which has what I would call etching due to salt and hard water.  It is old but I thought I might try something before eventually buying a new one.  

Have you taken any photos, especially macro if you port is used for that?  Any issues?  Does it wash away cleanly when done i.e. around the edges of the glass?

 

Cerium oxide seems to be used for glass polishing and is called "opticians rouge".  I have never used it.

[Muellema]

Hi,

I have used cerium oxide many times to remove watermark`s and even to polish small scratches at my glass ports. For me it works perfect.

Br Markus

[cerich]

6 hours ago, Muellema said:

Hi,

I have used cerium oxide many times to remove watermark`s and even to polish small scratches at my glass ports. For me it works perfect.

Br Markus

same, even used it a full day once and fine git sandpaper to rectify a pretty bad scratch in a glass dome one. That said, It's major work, requires power tools (drill with sandpaper on discs, 1500, 2000 then 3000 and a bench buffer for the cerium oxide polish stage first with 2.3 microns then with 1.2 microns). It is "doable" but had I been anywhere close to where could send it for new glass, I would have. Is it as optically as good or strong? Nope, but you can't see the scratch in images, no distortion I can discern and it didn't implode at 180 ft so.. there is that. You aren't going to get much results without power tools, just saying, or be there a week for scratch, for the stains, yeah but use elbow grease (or at least a dremel with appropriate bits

It also occurred to me, after I was done, that there are actual businesses in almost everywhere that polish glass for glasses on face and other stuff like construction on the daily and it was likely could find someone willing to give it a go with better tools and are used to polishing glass and I should have tried finding one to give it a go first



 

Edited March 8 by cerich

[Muellema]

Hi,

 

Just to clarify my post. I removed watermarks wihtin approx. 15-30min. I never use tools, always just a linnen cloth polishing by hands. I`m not talkin on repairing deep skratches. But slight scratches on the glass are also possible to be polished within less than 1 hour by hand.

 

VG Markus

[cerich]

33 minutes ago, Muellema said:

Hi,

 

Just to clarify my post. I removed watermarks wihtin approx. 15-30min. I never use tools, always just a linnen cloth polishing by hands. I`m not talkin on repairing deep skratches. But slight scratches on the glass are also possible to be polished within less than 1 hour by hand.

 

VG Markus

indeed, my post was to inform that the common thinking that any scratch on a glass dome is a done deal is not true always.

For water marks, much easier to fix. 

[matdiver]

On 3/7/2024 at 11:09 PM, CoDale said:

I also have a Nauticam flat port which has what I would call etching due to salt and hard water.  It is old but I thought I might try something before eventually buying a new one.  

Have you taken any photos, especially macro if you port is used for that?  Any issues?  Does it wash away cleanly when done i.e. around the edges of the glass?

 

Cerium oxide seems to be used for glass polishing and is called "opticians rouge".  I have never used it.

Hi, actually I'm doing mainly video but I hadn't really noticed image deterioration as such, it was just that the port itself looked terrible. I suppose there are other things that affect the image such as particles in the water and it's difficult to tell whether it's the port or the poor visibility. Yes, it washes away completely cleanly with a cloth and water. You only need a very small amount of product (1/4 of a teaspoon would be plenty).