[Quaff]

HI, I have a piece of glass that is pitted or frosted a little, like it was exposed to HF or something.

Is there an easy way to polish it so it becomes clear again ?

I have a buffing wheel I use on metals and jewelry once in a while with a rouge compound, but that doesn't seem to take the frost off the glass..

thanks.

[Invincible]

Glass is harder than most metals.  Depending on depth of frosting, it might take sanding using progressively finer sand paper. 

[Quaff]

Thanks.   I tried a 220 grit with water and a vigorous circular motion on the workpiece, then went to a 320, and finally to a 420.   It improved it a little bit, but still has a long way to go.  The only thing I figure that will do it is a fine corundum on a horizontally rotating wheel like the kind I used to polish electrodes before I'd run cyclic voltammetry, but I am hoping there is an alternative..

[Invincible]

Thanks.   I tried a 220 grit with water and a vigorous circular motion on the workpiece, then went to a 320, and finally to a 420.   It improved it a little bit, but still has a long way to go.  The only thing I figure that will do it is a fine corundum on a horizontally rotating wheel like the kind I used to polish electrodes before I'd run cyclic voltammetry, but I am hoping there is an alternative..

How deep is the frosting, abstractly? 

Dremel has a 320 grit rotating sanding "puff" that can be used on glass.
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail.aspx?pid=512E

From there, you work your way up through a series of sandpaper to 1600 or 3200 grit silicon carbide, then you finish with glass buffing compound.  I don't know your project, but you may want to hit up a pub and ask for an empty Grey Goose bottles to practice with.  The bottle has a healthy portion of frosted and smooth portion you can compare and contrast against as you work your way to remove the frosting.

[doc30]

Rouge is cerium oxide, a standard material used in polishing glass. You may need to grind off the damage to the surface using finer and finer grits before using the rouge. If it is glassware that is damaged, it is a better idea to replace it as a safety measure.

[bromidewind]

If you have any glass making experience, you could always just melt it down and reform the glass

Of course, that relies on what the glassware is, what it's being used for, etc.

As for non glass master methods, I would recommend perhaps using a sodium bicarbonate slurry and scrub gently with a rough grit. Work your way up to a finer grit until it's removed.

[Quaff]

Its an optical application, and the material is fused quartz.

[Quaff]

Here's an interesting read

http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/feature/polishing_gemstones.cfm

[bromidewind]

I did read somewhere else that using a rock tumbler works great. But I'm assuming that's only for thicker pieces of glass, and probably things that don't need as much clarity as you do.

[doc30]

Its an optical application, and the material is fused quartz.

If it is for an optical application, it would probably be best to replace the element in question. Unless you have the proper tools for producing an optical finish, you will likely lose the optical properties you need and you will likely wind up with a finely scratched surface, too.

[poly-chips]

Have you tried a piranha wash?