[pure-silver] Re: WHAT IS LENS CLEANING FLUID?
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:40:41 -0700
----- Original Message -----
From: "Speedy" <speedgraphic@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:07 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: WHAT IS LENS CLEANING FLUID?
I have used Golden Grain, or Everclear. What is that?
It is 190 proof Grain alcohol. You can buy a half pint of
it
at your local licquor store for less than five bucks and if
you have the need to do so it also doubles as "focusing
Fluid."
A half pint of the stuff for lens cleaner will last a very
long time
as long as you are not drinking it.
Good Light!
Speedy
Its grain alcohol, AKA ethyl alcohol (and a formal
chemical name I can't remember). Grain alcohol is taxed as
liquor unless denatured. The denaturant is usually something
like xylol or other solvent to make it undrinkable.
Isopropyl alcohol is a good solvent for many purposes which
is available in relatively pure form at low cost at places
that sell computer supplies etc. Rubbing alcohol is
isopropyl alcohol diluted usually to 70%. It works as a
cleaner for some things but leaves too much water behind for
use on film or lenses.
Most commercial lens cleaners are diluted ammonium
carbonate. The carbonate is lower in pH than household
ammonia which is diluted ammonium hydroxide. Some types of
glass dissolve in high pH solutions although I think lens
cleaner is so diluted it probably is of no consequence which
kind of ammonia is used.
The standard solvent for cleaning parts in optical
factories was acetone but since this is a pretty
non-selective solvent for paint and cements it should be
used on lenses only as a last resort and with great care to
avoid getting it painted surfaces etc.
Most glass cleaner, such as Windex, is ammonium
hydroxide but some of the newer "streak free" cleaners are
butyl alcohol. The main thing with a lens cleaner is that it
should do no damage to the lens or lens mount and that it
not leave any sort of residue.
I don't think much of the "magic" cleaners, I think they
are just conventional cleaners at high prices.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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