Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

How to Register on LPF | LPF Donations

First 520nm Consumer Kill?

Ok, this is a nice kit, but frankly, over-priced:
LENSPEN is The superior Camera lens cleaning system for all fine optics, rifle scopes, camcorder and camera viewer screens, binoculars
This is the one I use on my diode windows and lenses:


Of course, there's always Amazon...
 





Yes, that's the one I use and screwed up the link to. I can recommend it from my extensive experience.
 
I use a soft dowel wrapped in microfiber cloth for cleaning, use a squirt bottle with water. Set it to mist. One squirt will do. You hardly need any. It will usually pick up any debris and leave little behind; never scratched an optic with it.
Lens paper and qtips always end poorly for the diode in my experience.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, ARG...Q-tips man...try that mess in an extended barrel!

I've dismounted hundreds of camera lenses and cleaned them...Dad made it a chore when in trouble..and both his collection AND mine! Oh, how I wish we had microfiber back then. It could take DAYS with 15+ cameras!
 
Just thought Id mention although Scumbagathiest has used acetone in the past, it may not be all that safe. Acetone is an excellent and very aggressive solvent and could well dissolve or at least soften the glue around the diode window enough for it to come loose. If you can get 96% ethanol it would be safer. There is also 99.9% ethanol but that contains a tiny bit of toluene which may leave a residue. Normally the small proportion of azeotropic water is high purity distilled water so it should not leave any residue.:beer:
 
Thank you Grainde! I SHOULD have mentioned to NEVER soak a coated lens in acetone! I've seen bad things happen when folks soaked their 9mm lenses to soften the glue...

I soak my lenses in alcohol when necessary or extracting diode lenses. I ONLY use acetone to soak the barrels if I think they need it, and then apply small amounts of PURE acetone to the lens to clean it AND wipe it off immediately. I then finish up with the lens pen to make the coating perfect and finish with CO2...speaking of which, I need a new CO2 nozzle gun for cleaning...I dropped a tool on mine and killed it.
 
So information, though: I was cleaning it using rubbing alcohol and Q-tips. I make a swirly motion while pulling away from the diode can, as I learned from Dave. It usually works just fine, but it was a lot harder with a smaller diode window.< quote
****************
I read somewhere that Q-tips often have a glue to hold the cotton in place- and some solvents 'melt' that glue and it can end up on your lens- Rubbing alcohol has water in it. I like optical grade IIRC methenol(?)- --

and there is some rather expensive lens cleaning stuff at P/L- IIRC you put it on the lens then it 'hardens' so you can peel it off and the crud is gone. I think Stan(UK) is one that sells it. Cleaning dichros, correction optics and other mirrors is hard to do when these are mounted inside a projector.

lots of info on this at the other forum.

hope this helps

hk
 
Last edited:
Get some Formula MC and a good camera lense microfiber.

When I first looked at your picture I thought of a loosy diode window.

I feel sorry for your loss and hope the next 520nm is going to be a very efficient one :beer:
 
Sorry for the loss. The picture shows a dirty window but it is dead now.
You are holding your hand like a Green Lantern. :)
 
I have a large lenspen and it works great. Never was able to find a source of a smaller one though, the damned thing is nearly 5/8" in diameter! Good for cameras or mirrors but unusable for lasers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top