Cleaning windows - the frames that is

[Vir Campestris]

We've got cast iron lattice windows on the front of our house. For those of you that haven't met them - they look a bit like leaded lights, except the diamond shaped bits are cast iron instead of lead. Now this place needs quite a bit of TLC, and one of the projects is to repaint these properly. The idea of hand-sanding all that iron and putty doesn't appeal - so is there a short cut? Dremel with a flap wheel perhaps?

Those of you with Georgian style windows will had had a similar problem, but on a smaller scale.

Andy

[Harry Bloomfield]

Vir Campestris wrote on 1/18/2015 :

As no one has supplied any ideas....

To do the job properly, take them out, strip the glass out, shot blast and repaint. Number the glass before you start, so they go back in the correct places.

[Thomas Prufer]

Thomas Prufer

[Vir Campestris]

I _really_ hope not to have to go that far!

Andy

[Fredxxx]

Probably not.

I would also be concerned that, whilst difficult, it's not impossible to scratch glass.

Anything high speed melts paint and it becomes glued to your sanding disc.

Good luck!

You can always try Harry's method!

[meow2222]

Wire brush. Use brass not steel, the latter is likely to scratch the glass up.

Or if you want a _real_ thorough job, dip it in HCl, circa 14%. Dip in molten zinc then reglaze.

NT

[newshound]

I was going to say Dremel with a wire brush rather than flapwheel. Perhaps you need both: flapwheel for the flat bits and wire brushes for the bits going down to the glass. +1 for brass ideally but I think steel might be OK if you are careful.

[meow2222]

it isn't. A dremel would take forever.

NT

[newshound]

OK, angle grinder then (with plain or flap sanding disks)

[meow2222]

those wont get in the nooks & crannies, and the abrasive may attack the glass, depending on exactly what it is.

I'd either do a minimal wirebrush prep job, or if renovation is needed strip the thing down completely, zinc dip or epoxy coat and reglaze.

NT