Cleaning Optics
Robert E. Ridgley (ODCEM105@SIVM.SI.EDU)
Wed, 12 Apr 95 08:20:12 EDT
I've listened to the tips about cleaning optics and while many of them
are good I thought I'd share something that I discovered a few years
ago. It's a product called OPTI-CLEAN POLYMER from a Bradford
Laboratories in Sunnyvale, CA (408-745-1031. It's a strippable polymer
coating that cleans optical surfaces. It's made from water, denatured
alcohol, and a urethane polymer. Apply the liquid with a soft brush and
after it dries in about 1/2-hour it can be striped off using a piece of
masking tape to start the process. The dried file encapsulates all the
dirt and crud. The manufacturer claims that it cleans down to the
molecular level. I've used it for about six years on mirrors, corrector
plates, and eyepieces and have never had a problem. It removes
particles, grease and oil and will not harm the optical coatings. Try
it, you'll like it.