Laser Optics Cleaning

[James Terry]

I have been searching around Dallas for this Kodak liquid lens cleaner and I cant find it. So let me ask this question which I am sure has been asked a lot. What exactly should I be using on my laser table to clean the mirrors and optics and where do I get it? I doubt that brand matters here but I am Pinnacle/Laser Pro/GCC and whomever else you'd like to add in that string...

[Dan Hintz]

Pick up some Everclear at the local liquor store and keep it capped tightly...

[Rodne Gold]

Any decent high end photo shop will have the cleaner , the tissues and cotton swabs.
If not use their sensor cleaning fluid and the cleaning pads they sell.
You can also use pure acetone , but be carefuil with that and plastics

[James Terry]

I have a stack of Chemtronics CHEM PADs I can use but I havent found their water content. Says that it "leaves no residue".

Ingredients say: isopropanol (67-63-0), deionized water (7732-18-5)

[James Terry]

Here we go: 91% isopropyl alcohol & 9% deionized water

Is this acceptable or will I do better with Everclear?


Chemtronics CP400 Chempad Presaturated Cleaning Pads


General purpose, presaturated lint-free cleaning wipe
Lint-free, presaturated non-abrasive pad ideal for cleaning magnetic tape heads, defluxing PCBs & as a general precision cleaner for non-optical surfaces. Premoistened with 91% isopropyl alcohol & 9% deionized water. Compatible with plastic & rubber parts. Leaves no residual film. 50 pads.
Mild cleaning solution, nonabrasive wipe
Quickly removes dust, oils and contaminants
Applications:
Ideal for cleaning computers, office equipment, fiber optic connectors and instruments, and electrical equipment.
Cleans dirt, oxides and oil from magnetic and optical heads
Dimensions: 3" x 4" (7.6 cm x 10.2 cm)

[James Terry]

So denatured is less preferable but still acceptable? Odds are whatever they add will still evaporate right? But a better choice is the 190 proof Everclear then.

Definition of Denatured


A commercial term used to describe ethanol that has been rendered unfit for human consumption because of the addition of harmful ingredients to make it sales tax-expempt.

[Gary Hair]

Google is your friend:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=kodak+l...ox&Form=IE8SRC

I have been searching around Dallas for this Kodak liquid lens cleaner and I cant find it. So let me ask this question which I am sure has been asked a lot. What exactly should I be using on my laser table to clean the mirrors and optics and where do I get it? I doubt that brand matters here but I am Pinnacle/Laser Pro/GCC and whomever else you'd like to add in that string...

[James Terry]

What do you guys think about the gas additives route in order to get less than 5% water?

Auto Zone - read the labels on their "gas line deicer" or "Heet" gas additives. Between the Yellow and Red Heet you have pure Methanol and Isopropanol - the Auto Zone brand deicer is Ethanol (possibly denatured).

[Martin Boekers]

Not sure but, should'nt eye glass cleaner be fine? (for multi-coated lenses)

Epilog and I'm sure most other laser manufacturers should have it also.

Marty

[James Terry]

I would think that eye glass cleaner would have residuals in it to prevent fogging and such things. I would steer clear of anything like that. Some folks have suggested crt cleaner and I have researched that most of those have Windex in the mix.

I think with high powere optics, one has to be super careful with cleaning. I havent done this before so I'm going to be annoying about it until I find a good answer. So far the best solution seems to be Everclear liquor.

[Larry Bratton]

Pick up some Everclear at the local liquor store and keep it capped tightly...

As a matter of fact, Epilog recommends it. And..if you get really frustrated..mix it with orange juice (not for lens cleaning though)

[Daniel Reetz]

I've had great luck using Everclear and even Vodka to clean the lenses in my Zing. I use HFT microfiber cloths and/or Pec Pads -- in all cases, they are single-use.

[James Terry]

Thanks folks. Perhaps an admin wil modify the post title with a " - How do you do it" at the end. Being a newbie on a second hand machine, the only training I will be getting is what I read, ask and trial and error. Because of that I am erroring by far on the side of caution with everything I do to get started.

[David Harvey]

Eveercleaar? ...hmmmm, yeth...ees goooood!

Go for it babe,.....yeth..'damn...hey buddy, hand mi tht lenz dat just leaped out of my hand!!!!!

errr, ahhh....yus de exhaust gan..x ffan on.....]


crrap !......snzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

[Larry Bratton]

I've had great luck using Everclear and even Vodka to clean the lenses in my Zing. I use HFT microfiber cloths and/or Pec Pads -- in all cases, they are single-use.

I have found that 100 proof Smirnoff is a great cleaner. Not necessarily for lenses, but to clean residue off engraving plastic etc.