Re: [ATM] optics cleaner

[Mark Holm <mdholm@telerama.com>]

Guy Brandenburg wrote:
> Here is some information on USP Collodion.
<snip>
>and it's pretty scary stuff:
<snip>

A quick glance at the MSDS shows that there are two major hazards: fire
and inhalation.  The major portion of the solvent is ethyl ether.  Ethyl
ether is very volatile (evaporates quickly) and it's vapor is quite easy
to ignite.  Stories indicate that static electricity sparks are enough
to ignite it.  Ethyl ether is also an anesthetic, so breathing the vapor
is likely to produce some degree of central nervous system impairment.

All in all, this would not be good stuff to use in a home or ordinary
shop environment.

I find the 5% castor oil listed rather interesting from an optics
cleaning point of view.  I know why it is there.  It plasticizes the
nitrocellulose.  That is, it makes the nitrocellulose more flexible,
less brittle.  I would expect it to leave a little castor oil residue on
any surface it was in contact with.  This would not be ideal for optics
cleaning.

Mark Holm
mdholm@telerama.com

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