Household Polishing for Lenses and Mirrors

• You need grinding and polishing tools for amateur optical polishing, along with slurry. Slurry is a type of thick polish used to grind or polishing glass, aluminum, mirrors and similar materials. Slurry can be bought from a number of different manufacturers and comes in different grades. You should purchase a heavier slurry for grinding processes where a large amount of glass needs to be removed, while lighter or micro-grit slurries should be used for lighter polishing work. Many amateur polishers add a little soap to the slurry to soften its effect if they want an even lighter polish. For purely polishing purposes, use a polishing pitch containing a metal oxide that is coated onto the lenses before lapping.
  
  Grinding machines and gentle hand-polishing are both options, but you should use a grinder to angle mirrors or lenses correctly, and slower motions to buff and lightly adjust angles. For grinding, the procedure depends mostly on the type of grinding wheel used. The most powerful are diamond or carbide based versions--these are expensive, and you should only use them for detailed work or glass that fractures easily. You should also note that the slurry used in grinding will rust many grinding wheels (or other machines you may be using), so be sure to use stainless steel parts or similar materials that will resist corrosion. Follow the W rule for hand or tool-based polishing--work in a polishing motion that moves both up and down while it progresses from left to right.
  
  

Camera Lenses

• Eyeglasses and camera lenses are the most common types of optic glass that other homeowners will have to polish. The dangers here are actually similar to the problems in professional polishing--the goal is to clean and buff the lens without damaging or scratching it. With delicate camera lenses this can be difficult.
  
  Make sure all large dust particles that could damage the surface are gone, whether you use a can of air or just your breath. Next, use a microfiber clot--one of the best tools you can use. These cloths are made of extremely small woven fibers that excel at capturing minute pieces of dust without damaging the lens. Sometimes using a small amount of water can make these microfiber cloths more effective, but be careful, because if there is too much dust present, the water will only increase the abrasion.