Changes

A lint-free cloth does clean the fibers, but it can move some dirt down to the end where it should not be. It would be good if we could use compressed air to clean the fiber cladding and ends before fusing as well as using a lint-free cloth. Even compressed air might mess with the cladding, though, so we should be careful with it.

A lint-free cloth does clean the fibers, but it can move some dirt down to the end where it should not be. It would be good if we could use compressed air to clean the fiber cladding and ends before fusing as well as using a lint-free cloth. Even compressed air might mess with the cladding, though, so we should be careful with it.

Jim and I talked while he was working on getting the ferrules back in the splicing unit.

Jim and I talked while he was working on putting the new ferrules in the splicing unit.

I said I thought if I fused rough cut fibers strong enough, I would definitely fuse polished fibers strong enough since the polished fibers have much better contact than rough cut ones. But Jim said the rough cut ones with their rough surface might absorb more light and heat up more than polished fibers. The light might be more likely to shine through polished fibers and not heat them as much. We don't know for sure, so it is best to polish the scrap fibers before fusing and weight testing them. We only need to polish as far as 5 micron grit, though.

I said I thought if I fused rough cut fibers strong enough, I would definitely fuse polished fibers strong enough since the polished fibers have much better contact than rough cut ones. But Jim said the rough cut ones with their rough surface might absorb more light and heat up more than polished fibers. The light might be more likely to shine through polished fibers and not heat them as much. We don't know for sure, so it is best to polish the scrap fibers before fusing and weight testing them. We only need to polish as far as 5 micron grit, though.