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Here are some answers to some common
questions. If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free
to contact us
. All inquiries will be responded to.
Q. What recommendations do you have for
caring and cleaning of acrylic mirror, such as washing, dusting, polishing, and
removing scratches?
Washing?
A: Wash mirror with a solution
of mild soap or detergent and lukewarm water. Use a clean soft cloth, applying
only light pressure. Rinse with clean water and dry by blotting with a damp
cloth or chamois. Grease, oil or tar may be removed with a good grade of
hexane, aliphatic naphtha, or kerosene. These solvents may be obtained at a
paint or hardware store and should be used in accordance with manufacturer's
recommendations.
DO NOT USE: window cleaning
sprays, kitchen scouring compounds or solvents such as acetone, gasoline,
benzene, alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, or lacquer thinner. These can scratch
the mirror's surface and/or weaken it, causing small surface cracks
called "crazing".
Acrylic mirror can be cleaned
with the following commercial cleaners without damaging the coated surface. CAUTION:
Some of these cleaners may attack the uncoated side or edge of the sheet.
-
Fantastik® household cleaner
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Mr. Clean® household cleaner
-
Formula 409® household cleaner
-
Top Job® household cleaner
-
Glass Plus® cleaner
It
is not recommended to use abrasive cleaners on the mirror surface.
Dusting?
A: Dust with a soft, damp cloth
or chamois. Dry or gritty cloths may cause surface scratches and create a
static electric charge on the surface.
Polishing?
A: Protect acrylic sheet and
maintain its surface gloss by occasional polishing with a good plastic cleaner
and polish. Apply a thin, even coat with a soft clean cloth and polish lightly
with cotton flannel. Then wipe with a damp cloth to help eliminate
electrostatic charges that can attract dust particles.
Removing Scratches?
A: Fine scratches can be
removed by hand polishing. Apply a plastic scratch remover to a soft flannel
pad and rub. When the scratches have disappeared, remove all residue and
polish. For deeper scratches, first sand lightly with a 400-grit “wet or dry”
sandpaper, using plenty of water and rinsing the sandpaper frequently. Follow
by buffing with a clean muslin wheel and a good polishing compound. For the
highest gloss, use a clean-up wheel made of soft cotton or flannel sections
and on which no compound is used. An electric drill with a buffing wheel is
ideal.
Q: Why Acrylic Mirror Instead of Glass
Mirror?
A: Several reasons.
First of all, for safety. If one of
our Personalized Clocks or Engraved Mirror Portraits falls off of your wall or
shelf, it will not shatter. Shattered glass can be thrown as far as twenty
feet away from the point of impact! Granted, acrylic mirror certainly may chip
a corner in a fall. But that would only happen if it fell on an extremely hard
surface, such as ceramic floor tile. More likely you would simply need to
replace a frame.
The second reason is because
these types of results are not possible with glass mirror. We have made many
clocks over the years using glass mirror, and while they were very nice
looking, they don't compare to these. You see, with glass mirror the etching
can be done on the front surface, and you will get a "frosted" look. Very
nice, but when viewed from any angle you end up seeing a double image. A look
that I really don't mind, but many people don't care for. You can also etch
the mirror on the back side, but this takes much more laser power and also
more time to do. Then you won't have the double image when viewed from the
front. But glass mirror does not accept color very well and the contrast
needed for doing portraits is not available.
Another reason is the weight
factor. As a purchaser of one of Etched Elegance's products, you will be
paying for shipping. Glass mirror weighs nearly 2 1/2 TIMES as much as
acrylic mirror. So the use of acrylic mirror is
definitely
an advantage for you, our customer!
Q: But Doesn't Acrylic Mirror Have Poor
Reflective Qualities?
A:
Maybe in the past it did, but todays acrylic mirror is nearly
indistinguishable from it's glass counterpart. Only on large size, poorly
installed applications will you see any waviness to indicate acrylic mirror
instead of glass. Another consideration is the fact that with our products the
mirror itself is what is drawing your attention, not whatever the mirror is
reflecting. In other words the mirror is used as a visual effect, to set off
the clock or portrait. It is not being used in a typical fashion, to check
your hair, for instance. (Though they will work for that!) So if there were
any waves or other imperfections in the mirror, it would not be very
noticeable.
Q: How long will it take to recieve my order?
A:Your order will be
manufactured and shipped within 48 hours of receipt. Lasered Mirror Portraits
will be manufactured and shipped within 48 hours of receipt of photo. Photos
should be e-mailed to Photo
Submission @ Etched Elegance.net within 24 hours of ordering to ensure
that Lasered Mirror Portrait orders are processed in a timely fashion. Also
keep in mind that USPS shipping will take longer than UPS.
Q: I Forgot That I Have a Wedding Coming Up This Weekend. Can You Make Me a Personalized Clock For It?
A: In this situation it would be best to call us before ordering and we would be better able to help you. However, if it is Thursday already, it is probably too late. Unless you wish to pick up the items here.
Q: Why Don't Photos Do These Justice?
A: Mostly because a mirror is a difficult thing to take a good picture of. You are not only taking a picture of the mirror, you are also taking a picture of what the mirror is reflecting. Obviously, if you take a picture directly in front of the mirror, you will have a picture of yourself taking a picture! Bottom-line is that these items, especially the Lasered Mirror Portraits, look better in person then they could ever look in any photograph! When you see one I guarantee that you'll agree.
Q: Can I See Some of Your Other Work ?
A: Yes, we will soon be adding a
Gallery Page to our web site. It will contain photos of some of the more
interesting projects we have completed. Given the difficulty of taking quality
photos, some of the images may simply be the graphics for a particular
project. Be sure and check back for our Gallery Page!
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