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Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:06 pm
by Wambli Ska
I like using alcohol to clean glass and in the old forum I mentioned that not all alcohols are the same. Some “rubbing” alcohols meant for human skin have oils and other stuff in them that leave undesirable residues on glass and the 70% in particular tend to leave a residue on lenses because the other 30% is water and I’m sure they don’t use distilled or filtered water when they blend them. 91% alcohol has been my preferred cleaned for not just glass but we also use it at home to clean countertops in the kitchen and glass stovetops. It is an aggressive cleaned that leaves these surfaces spotless with little effort. It’s so good that the folks that clean our home adopted it as their preferred cleaner for all the homes they do now since I shared this with them.
But for optics I’ve migrated to 99% alcohol which I’m buying on Amazon. The price is a little steeper but a bottle will last you a LONG time. Fast clean and NO residue on rifle scope, binoculars or camera lenses glass. Also a quick wipe down will clean out any droplets of gun cleaner that invariably end up all over the scopes when you clean your rifle. The stuff is the best I’ve found so I thought I’d share.
My routine on scopes is brush debris out first, then a soft cotton rag (clean cut up old t-shirts) soaked in alcohol or apply from a small spay bottle and wipe with rag, then a quick wipe with a clean microfiber cloth, repeat if needed.
I’ve used this method on filthy scopes that came with used guns I’ve bought to amazing results.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:10 pm
by shotgunshooter3
I bought a 100 pack of Zeiss single use wipes years ago and have barely begin to put a dent in my stash. They seem to work pretty well.
Another item I like for optics is called Cat Crap and is a phenomenal anti fog
https://ekusa.com/product/cat-crap/
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:50 pm
by Diver43
Up until recently unused Dive mask lense cleaner/anti fog.
Unfortunately it seems what I used is no longer available.
Thinking of giving 500 PSI cleaner a try.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:51 pm
by Diver43
Diver43 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:50 pm
Up until recently I used Dive mask lense cleaner/anti fog.
Unfortunately it seems what I used is no longer available.
Thinking of giving 500 PSI cleaner a try.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 8:51 pm
by Wambli Ska
Diver43 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2023 6:50 pm
Up until recently unused Dive mask lense cleaner/anti fog.
Unfortunately it seems what I used is no longer available.
Thinking of giving 500 PSI cleaner a try.
My buddy is an instructor and owns his own dive shop. He says that washing the lenses with Johnson’s baby shampoo and then leaving a thin film on the inside of the lens until it dries and wiping it clean with a towel is the best clean/anti-fog cleaner you can use. I’ve tried it and it works great!!!
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 8:57 pm
by Wambli Ska
By the way any liquid dishwashing soap makes for a great anti-fogger especially Dawn. Wipe on a thin film, let it dry and polish off without rinsing. But for swim masks the Johnson baby shampoo is better because it’s easy on the eyes (no tears).
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 11:14 pm
by jaywapiti
I'm with SS3 for the Zeiss wipes, throw some in the range bag, camera case, etc or your pocket
So for dive masks whats wrong with good old spit, been using it since 47 still works fine.
JAY
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 2:59 pm
by Wambli Ska
jaywapiti wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2023 11:14 pm
I'm with SS3 for the Zeiss wipes, throw some in the range bag, camera case, etc or your pocket
So for dive masks whats wrong with good old spit, been using it since 47 still works fine.
JAY
Spit still works fine for sure.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2023 3:00 pm
by Linefinder
Wambli, in our toolroom we often clean molds with ISO. Back years ago we used 70/30 and still had problems with rust. We finally figured out the 30% "other stuff" was the problem. We switched to 99% ISO and that problem went away.
Mike
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2023 4:55 am
by Wambli Ska
Linefinder wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 3:00 pm
Wambli, in our toolroom we often clean molds with ISO. Back years ago we used 70/30 and still had problems with rust. We finally figured out the 30% "other stuff" was the problem. We switched to 99% ISO and that problem went away.
Mike
Yeah I think you and I had an online conversation online about this a few years back.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2023 1:07 pm
by CPJ 2.0
Pure stuff makes an excellent machining coolant also. One particular snooty German (goes without saying) machine is designed specifically for it.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2023 5:44 pm
by Wambli Ska
CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 1:07 pm
Pure stuff makes an excellent machining coolant also. One particular snooty German (goes without saying) machine is designed specifically for it.
That would make sense. When it gets in your hands you can actually feel them get cold with the swift evaporation.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2023 5:45 pm
by Wambli Ska
Probably works really well if you get some water in your gas tank too.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:01 pm
by Linefinder
CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 1:07 pm
Pure stuff makes an excellent machining coolant also. One particular snooty German (goes without saying) machine is designed specifically for it.
I'm in the middle of a pretty decent sized milling/boring job in AT5 aluminum. I've gone through a gallon of 99%ISO in the last four days. Unfortunatly, I'm now using Relton A9 Aluminum cutting fluid, which is superb, but it leaves a helluva mess. Unlike fast evaporating ISO. One word of caution, though. ISO as a lubricant/coolant should be reserved for non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, bronze and Fortal. A spark from steel or SST could leave you with no eyebrows or worse.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:04 pm
by CPJ 2.0
Linefinder wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:01 pm
CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 1:07 pm
Pure stuff makes an excellent machining coolant also. One particular snooty German (goes without saying) machine is designed specifically for it.
I'm in the middle of a pretty decent sized milling/boring job in AT5 aluminum. I've gone through a gallon of 99%ISO in the last four days. Unfortunatly, I'm now using Relton A9 Aluminum cutting fluid, which is superb, but it leaves a helluva mess. Unlike fast evaporating ISO. One word of caution, though. ISO as a lubricant/coolant should be reserved for non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, bronze and Fortal. A spark from steel or SST could leave you with no eyebrows or worse.
Pffft. Where is your sense of adventure?
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:14 pm
by Linefinder
My sense of adventure ended yeas ago after weekly safety audits by auditors that never built something more complicated than a ham sandwich in their life.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:20 pm
by Linefinder
Case in point. a couple years back I mixed a 50/50 mix of Dawn dish soap and water. Excellent lube for aluminum. (Hint to self....clean vise well afterwards or it'll rust to heck and back). I almost got written up by an auditor because I hadn't labeled the contents of my spray bottle.
Re: Cleaning optics, not all alcohols are created equal.
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 10:10 pm
by CPJ 2.0
They sound like a blast to work around. And by blast, I mean like diarrhrea blasting.
I service a handful of fire suppression systems on some cutter grinders in an un-named place that makes un-named things. (NDA, blah blah blah)
Super cool machines, the tools that make the tools to make the parts. All oil cooled. Which sparks in atomized oil can be a bad thing. Hence the fire suppresion...
Wish I could take pics. Actually, I wish I could have the carbide scrap. I saw a drum that had 2000 some odd pounds in it. Thats like 15 grand in scrap.