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Zeev Goldin
05-05-2008, 7:57 PM
Hello Good people.

I got a problem. My optic cleaner solution bottle got trashed by my wife. I need to do a job for tommorow so I need one. Where do You think I can get one (without ordering online) which big chain store. I live in LA the west Hollywood area.

Thanks

Gary Shoemake
05-05-2008, 8:09 PM
Any good camera should have some. My laser came with Kodak lens cleaner and tissues.

Zeev Goldin
05-05-2008, 8:27 PM
So it is he same solution to he Laser lens as to the camera?

Dave West
05-05-2008, 8:32 PM
If you have grain alcohol (Everclear) it works great. It was recommended to me by Epilog support.

Dave

Zeev Goldin
05-05-2008, 9:19 PM
I am sorry grain Alcohol where can I get that?

Gary Shoemake
05-05-2008, 9:28 PM
My Mercury came with it and many people use it and it is recommende by many manufacturers.

Zeev Goldin
05-05-2008, 10:24 PM
Guys Do You know which store would sell that stuff?

Mike Null
05-05-2008, 10:26 PM
A liquor store.

Dave West
05-05-2008, 10:29 PM
Liquor stores should have it under the brand name Everclear. If not just ask for grain alcohol. Depending on where you live you can get either 190 proof (95% Ethanol) or 151 proof (75.5%). California and Florida are two states that restrict you to 151 proof. No matter, it still works great.

Dave

Robert Ray
05-06-2008, 9:51 AM
I also use the Kodak lens cleaner on my laser engravers optics at home, and at my day job on the bog boys (Rofin 3500W systems) we use Methanol.

-Robert

Harry Radaza
05-06-2008, 9:48 PM
I thought i read somewhere that it is OK to use standard Contact lens cleaner. Is that true?

Killor Perez
05-07-2008, 5:36 AM
Hello, I searching this web at have a tutorial IR Optics Handling & cleaning.
http://www.iiviinfrared.com/tutorials/optics_handling_cleaning.html
and used acetone or isopropyl alcohol to clear.

Robert Ray
05-07-2008, 10:08 AM
Don't use rubbing alcohol on your optics. It leaves a cloudy film behind for some reason.

-Robert

Rob Bosworth
05-07-2008, 10:26 AM
Be very careful using anything with water in it. Saline solution is water and salt. The coatings on your optics are hydroscopic, which means the coatings absorb water. This water sits in and under the coating of the optic. When the laser beam hits the "wet" coating, the water absorbs the energy of the beam. This absorbed energy turns to heat, and heat helps break down the coating on the optic.

So anything you use to clean your lenses and mirrors should have the least amount of water in it possible.

Helen Cast
05-07-2008, 12:51 PM
OK...now I'm somewhat confused. I thought a recent post listed isopropyl alcohol as a good optics cleaner. An optics cleaning video from a distributor shows IA being used to clean all optics on the lasers they sell.

I bought 91% IA and am now wondering if this is inappropriate for the mirrors etc. or will a residue/film be left. Any comments? Thank you.

David Epperson
05-07-2008, 1:30 PM
Guys Do You know which store would sell that stuff?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).
We use 99% IsoPropyl alcohol to clean the lenses of our lasers at work. Just be sure to use a good soft lens cloth or tissue.

David Epperson
05-07-2008, 1:33 PM
OK...now I'm somewhat confused. I thought a recent post listed isopropyl alcohol as a good optics cleaner. An optics cleaning video from a distributor shows IA being used to clean all optics on the lasers they sell.

I bought 91% IA and am now wondering if this is inappropriate for the mirrors etc. or will a residue/film be left. Any comments? Thank you.

Nope. IPA is fine. That's what we use on all our laser equip and a lot of automated industrial vision inspection system camera lenses, mirrors and windows.

David Epperson
05-07-2008, 1:35 PM
Don't use rubbing alcohol on your optics. It leaves a cloudy film behind for some reason.

-Robert
"Rubbing Alcohol" is usually 70% IPA (IsoPropanol) and 30% water. It's the water part you don't want.

Patrick Cooley
05-07-2008, 1:36 PM
I use Lense cleaning cloths from Walmart. You can buy a box of them for $3 or so. Each one is indivdually wrapped and is soaked in some kind of alcohol. Seems to work well for me.
Pat.