Lens cleaning fluid. - help

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 21:23:40 +0100, Epoch wrote:

> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate cleanly
> and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now seems
> impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it, or drink it,
> or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>
> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.

How about a cocktail made from the highest proof vodka you can
find, with or without an added dash of PhotoFlow solution?
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

Epoch wrote:
> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning fluid?
>
> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from a
> couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at least next
> Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for overnight
> delivery.
>
> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out to be
> greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>
> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate cleanly
> and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now seems
> impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it, or drink it,
> or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>
> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"frederick" <lost.DeleteThis@sea.com> wrote in message
news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
> Epoch wrote:
>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning fluid?
>>
>> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from a
>> couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at least
>> next Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for overnight
>> delivery.
>>
>> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out to
>> be greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>>
>> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate
>> cleanly and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now
>> seems impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it, or
>> drink it, or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>>
>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<


Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)

One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff? - I mean, you
can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides that
you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this has
become.
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

Epoch wrote:
> "frederick" <lost RemoveThis @sea.com> wrote in message
> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>> Epoch wrote:
>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning fluid?
>>>
>>> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from a
>>> couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at least
>>> next Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for overnight
>>> delivery.
>>>
>>> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out to
>>> be greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>>>
>>> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate
>>> cleanly and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now
>>> seems impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it, or
>>> drink it, or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>>>
>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>
>
> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>
> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff? - I mean, you
> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides that
> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this has
> become.
>
>
Methanol might be more difficult to obtain than Isopropynol - one reason
being that it is very poisonous. Isopropyl alcohol is used in alcohol
swabs and is easily obtained at "100%" grade in small bottles (~100ml)
in this country (NZ). I use it to clean my dslr filter. For larger
containers, in this country (and probably others) you need to provide
suitable ID and details on intended use for recording in a police
database, as it can be used in illicit drug production.
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"frederick" <lost RemoveThis @sea.com> wrote in message
news:1158373075.224536@ftpsrv1...
> Epoch wrote:
>> "frederick" <lost RemoveThis @sea.com> wrote in message
>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>> Epoch wrote:
>>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>>> fluid?
>>>>
>>>> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from
>>>> a couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at
>>>> least next Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for
>>>> overnight delivery.
>>>>
>>>> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out
>>>> to be greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>>>>
>>>> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate
>>>> cleanly and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now
>>>> seems impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it,
>>>> or drink it, or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>>>>
>>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>
>>
>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>
>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff? - I mean, you
>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>> that you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country
>> this has become.
>>
>>
> Methanol might be more difficult to obtain than Isopropynol - one reason
> being that it is very poisonous. Isopropyl alcohol is used in alcohol
> swabs and is easily obtained at "100%" grade in small bottles (~100ml) in
> this country (NZ). I use it to clean my dslr filter. For larger
> containers, in this country (and probably others) you need to provide
> suitable ID and details on intended use for recording in a police
> database, as it can be used in illicit drug production.<


I need something urgently - later this morning when the stores open.

Maplin (similar to Tandy) have Isopropyl alcohol, according to their
website. How much slower is Isopropyl alcohol to evaporate, compared with
Eclipse (which contains Methanol)? Does it leave any residue? - and is it
safe for lens coatings?

Thanks
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

Epoch wrote:
> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning fluid?
>
> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from a
> couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at least next
> Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for overnight
> delivery.
>
> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out to be
> greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>
> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate cleanly
> and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now seems
> impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it, or drink it,
> or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>
> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.


Did you try breathing on it and letting moisture from your warm breath
condense on the lens? This produces pure water.
Then wipe it off with a piece of microfiber cloth.
That combination is super safe and will remove even "oily" smudges.
Bob Williams
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"DoN. Nichols" <dnichols.DeleteThis@d-and-d.com> wrote in message
news:eefp500ad7@news1.newsguy.com...
> According to Epoch <epoch.DeleteThis@nil.net>:
>>
>> "frederick" <lost.DeleteThis@sea.com> wrote in message
>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>> > Epoch wrote:
>> >> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>> >> fluid?
>
> [ ... ]
>
>> >> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>> > Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>> > Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>
>>
>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>
>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff?
>
> I'm answering from the perspective of someone in the USA, so
> things may well be different where you are.
>
> Isopropanol *should* be readily available from a pharmacy, as it
> is often used for cleaning areas around wounds prior to applying
> bandages. Our local pharmacys (and the drugs section of the supermarket
> as well) offer 70% and 91%.
>
> Here -- to get pure *ethanol* (well -- something like 95%, as it
> tends to absorb water from the air) in *this* state (Virginia) you go to
> the Alcohol Control Board -- where you buy the various stronger
> alcoholic beverages (wine and beer you can get other places) and you can
> buy it -- with a rather stiff tax on it, because it is being sold there
> for consumption by humans.
>
> When I worked for the US Government, we kept some bottles around
> for lens cleaning purposes (we worked with night vision equipment,
> mostly), and we had to go through a major pain of record keeping for the
> bottles, with only one bottle open and available for use at a time. The
> rest had to be locked up.
>
>> - I mean, you
>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>> that
>> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this
>> has
>> become.
>
> Glues and such have been under some level of control here for
> many years -- because of kids inhaling them, and some dying of liver
> damage or other things of the sort. Those glues have had additives
> tossed in to make them a bit less good as glues, but very unpleasant to
> inhale. IIRC, the control of the glues (at least model airplane cements
> and similar) started in the late 1950s. But -- if you are buying from
> an industrial supplier, you are presumed to be beyond the sniffing age.
> The restrictions are more likely to be enforced in a place which
> typically sells to kids, like model shops.
>
> Other solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, have been pretty
> much unavailable except in chem labs, because of the number of people
> who have died while using it. For that matter, I had a rather nasty
> bout when I used it to clean the gates of two 16mm movie projectors at
> school. I was one of those allocated the job of projection for the
> classes.
>
> Good Luck,
> DoN.


About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some wonderful
stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape heads and it was
the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly, left no residue, and
made a first class job of cleaning heads and rollers.

Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
anything similar since. even Eclipse fluid isn't as good.

Perhaps I could ask you my question about Isopropyl alcohol? - does it leave
any residue?, and is it safe for lens coatings?

Cheers.
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

Epoch wrote:
> "frederick" <lost.RemoveThis@sea.com> wrote in message
> news:1158373075.224536@ftpsrv1...
>> Epoch wrote:
>>> "frederick" <lost.RemoveThis@sea.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>>> Epoch wrote:
>>>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>>>> fluid?
>>>>>
>>>>> I've been using Eclipse, but have run out and it's only available from
>>>>> a couple of on-line stores in the UK - which means waiting until at
>>>>> least next Tuesday for delivery, and that only if I pay about £7 for
>>>>> overnight delivery.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've tried some stuff that claimed to be lens fluid - which turned out
>>>>> to be greasy water with the evaporative qualities of concrete!.
>>>>>
>>>>> What I need is a high grade alcohol type fluid that will evaporate
>>>>> cleanly and leave no residue. The trouble is that in Nanny UK it now
>>>>> seems impossible to get hold of anything suitable, lest you sniff it,
>>>>> or drink it, or give it to the cat, or some other bizarre use.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>>
>>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>>
>>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff? - I mean, you
>>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
>>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
>>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>>> that you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country
>>> this has become.
>>>
>>>
>> Methanol might be more difficult to obtain than Isopropynol - one reason
>> being that it is very poisonous. Isopropyl alcohol is used in alcohol
>> swabs and is easily obtained at "100%" grade in small bottles (~100ml) in
>> this country (NZ). I use it to clean my dslr filter. For larger
>> containers, in this country (and probably others) you need to provide
>> suitable ID and details on intended use for recording in a police
>> database, as it can be used in illicit drug production.<
>
>
> I need something urgently - later this morning when the stores open.
>
> Maplin (similar to Tandy) have Isopropyl alcohol, according to their
> website. How much slower is Isopropyl alcohol to evaporate, compared with
> Eclipse (which contains Methanol)? Does it leave any residue? - and is it
> safe for lens coatings?
>
> Thanks
>
>
It should be safe for all lens coatings etc.
Another poster mentioned lower purity grades. Pure Isopropyl alcohol
leaves no residue. Of course nothing is 100% pure, but the grade sold
as 100% here (NZ) is no problem. I suggest to avoid lower purity grades.
It is slower evaporating than methanol for sure - but fast enough not to
be a problem. Usually when cleaning a dslr filter, the absolute minimum
is used - one or two drops on an entire pec-pad. As you wipe the pad
across, you can see the trace of alcohol on the surface behind. From my
experience the trick is to move the pad at a speed where you can just
see the last traces of alcohol evaporating from the glass a mm or two
behind the pad. Streaking etc is from redepositing stuff removed from
the lens surface, and particularly any trace of oils from your skin, or
trace of any contaminants on a surface that the pad has been in contact
with.
I have used the same technique for cleaning dslr low pass filters for
cleaning internal elements on disassembled lenses, and it is excellent.
Work with very good light on the lens - ideally with a black
background so that any tiny smear or speck can be seen. Never touch any
part of the pad with your fingers, or allow the pad to touch a surface
that is not spotless. Clean and dry your hands, as well as any
equipment (tweezers/wands etc) thoroughly before you start.
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

Epoch wrote:
> "DoN. Nichols" <dnichols RemoveThis @d-and-d.com> wrote in message
> news:eefp500ad7@news1.newsguy.com...
>> According to Epoch <epoch RemoveThis @nil.net>:
>>> "frederick" <lost RemoveThis @sea.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>>> Epoch wrote:
>>>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>>>> fluid?
>> [ ... ]
>>
>>>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>>
>>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>>
>>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff?
>> I'm answering from the perspective of someone in the USA, so
>> things may well be different where you are.
>>
>> Isopropanol *should* be readily available from a pharmacy, as it
>> is often used for cleaning areas around wounds prior to applying
>> bandages. Our local pharmacys (and the drugs section of the supermarket
>> as well) offer 70% and 91%.
>>
>> Here -- to get pure *ethanol* (well -- something like 95%, as it
>> tends to absorb water from the air) in *this* state (Virginia) you go to
>> the Alcohol Control Board -- where you buy the various stronger
>> alcoholic beverages (wine and beer you can get other places) and you can
>> buy it -- with a rather stiff tax on it, because it is being sold there
>> for consumption by humans.
>>
>> When I worked for the US Government, we kept some bottles around
>> for lens cleaning purposes (we worked with night vision equipment,
>> mostly), and we had to go through a major pain of record keeping for the
>> bottles, with only one bottle open and available for use at a time. The
>> rest had to be locked up.
>>
>>> - I mean, you
>>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in case
>>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain - can't
>>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>>> that
>>> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this
>>> has
>>> become.
>> Glues and such have been under some level of control here for
>> many years -- because of kids inhaling them, and some dying of liver
>> damage or other things of the sort. Those glues have had additives
>> tossed in to make them a bit less good as glues, but very unpleasant to
>> inhale. IIRC, the control of the glues (at least model airplane cements
>> and similar) started in the late 1950s. But -- if you are buying from
>> an industrial supplier, you are presumed to be beyond the sniffing age.
>> The restrictions are more likely to be enforced in a place which
>> typically sells to kids, like model shops.
>>
>> Other solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, have been pretty
>> much unavailable except in chem labs, because of the number of people
>> who have died while using it. For that matter, I had a rather nasty
>> bout when I used it to clean the gates of two 16mm movie projectors at
>> school. I was one of those allocated the job of projection for the
>> classes.
>>
>> Good Luck,
>> DoN.
>
>
> About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some wonderful
> stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape heads and it was
> the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly, left no residue, and
> made a first class job of cleaning heads and rollers.
>
> Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
> directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
> anything similar since.
>
Freon is IIRC a Dupont trade name for their CFCs, including
refrigerants. Unfortunately, it was destroying the Ozone layer.
Damn shame - I've never had car air conditioning that worked as well as
the ones I had in the 80's.
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"Epoch" <epoch.TakeThisOut@nil.net> wrote in message
news:4n19b0F87k86U1@individual.net...
>
> "DoN. Nichols" <dnichols.TakeThisOut@d-and-d.com> wrote in message
> news:eefp500ad7@news1.newsguy.com...
>> According to Epoch <epoch.TakeThisOut@nil.net>:
>>>
>>> "frederick" <lost.TakeThisOut@sea.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>> > Epoch wrote:
>>> >> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>> >> fluid?
>>
>> [ ... ]
>>
>>> >> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>> > Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>> > Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>>
>>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff?
>>
>> I'm answering from the perspective of someone in the USA, so
>> things may well be different where you are.
>>
>> Isopropanol *should* be readily available from a pharmacy, as it
>> is often used for cleaning areas around wounds prior to applying
>> bandages. Our local pharmacys (and the drugs section of the supermarket
>> as well) offer 70% and 91%.
>>
>> Here -- to get pure *ethanol* (well -- something like 95%, as it
>> tends to absorb water from the air) in *this* state (Virginia) you go to
>> the Alcohol Control Board -- where you buy the various stronger
>> alcoholic beverages (wine and beer you can get other places) and you can
>> buy it -- with a rather stiff tax on it, because it is being sold there
>> for consumption by humans.
>>
>> When I worked for the US Government, we kept some bottles around
>> for lens cleaning purposes (we worked with night vision equipment,
>> mostly), and we had to go through a major pain of record keeping for the
>> bottles, with only one bottle open and available for use at a time. The
>> rest had to be locked up.
>>
>>> - I mean, you
>>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in
>>> case
>>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain -
>>> can't
>>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>>> that
>>> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this
>>> has
>>> become.
>>
>> Glues and such have been under some level of control here for
>> many years -- because of kids inhaling them, and some dying of liver
>> damage or other things of the sort. Those glues have had additives
>> tossed in to make them a bit less good as glues, but very unpleasant to
>> inhale. IIRC, the control of the glues (at least model airplane cements
>> and similar) started in the late 1950s. But -- if you are buying from
>> an industrial supplier, you are presumed to be beyond the sniffing age.
>> The restrictions are more likely to be enforced in a place which
>> typically sells to kids, like model shops.
>>
>> Other solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, have been pretty
>> much unavailable except in chem labs, because of the number of people
>> who have died while using it. For that matter, I had a rather nasty
>> bout when I used it to clean the gates of two 16mm movie projectors at
>> school. I was one of those allocated the job of projection for the
>> classes.
>>
>> Good Luck,
>> DoN.
>
>
> About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some
> wonderful stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape
> heads and it was the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly,
> left no residue, and made a first class job of cleaning heads and rollers.
>
> Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
> directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
> anything similar since. even Eclipse fluid isn't as good.
>
> Perhaps I could ask you my question about Isopropyl alcohol? - does it
> leave any residue?, and is it safe for lens coatings?
>
> Cheers.
>
Do you wear glasses? Use the stuff that optometrists sell for cleaning. They
also have lintless papers. Most glasses are optical plastic and much less
tough than camera lenses.
EDS
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"Epoch" <epoch.TakeThisOut@nil.net> writes:

>About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some wonderful
>stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape heads and it was
>the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly, left no residue, and
>made a first class job of cleaning heads and rollers.

Probably Freon TF. It was not flammable like petroleum-based solvents,
and not toxic to people. I remember computer service people buying it
in gallow jugs.

>Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
>directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
>anything similar since. even Eclipse fluid isn't as good.

It turned out to be one of the CFCs most harmful to ozone. So it went
away.

>Perhaps I could ask you my question about Isopropyl alcohol? - does it leave
>any residue?, and is it safe for lens coatings?

I get pure isopropyl from an electronics supplier (Active Electronics).
It evaporates without residue. I have also gotten stuff that is
supposed to be pure isopropyl from a pharmacy, though I haven't tried
the evaporation test on it.

Isopropyl is one of the first things I try (after mild detergent and
water) for cleaning things - it seems to be less agressive than either
methanol or ethanol on plastics, for example. I have used it on lenses,
to remove blobs that regular water-based lens cleaner would not.

Dave
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

"frederick" <lost.DeleteThis@sea.com> wrote in message
news:1158377837.642812@ftpsrv1...
> Epoch wrote:
>> "DoN. Nichols" <dnichols.DeleteThis@d-and-d.com> wrote in message
>> news:eefp500ad7@news1.newsguy.com...
>>> According to Epoch <epoch.DeleteThis@nil.net>:
>>>> "frederick" <lost.DeleteThis@sea.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>>>> Epoch wrote:
>>>>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>>>>> fluid?
>>> [ ... ]
>>>
>>>>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>>>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>>>
>>>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>>>
>>>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff?
>>> I'm answering from the perspective of someone in the USA, so
>>> things may well be different where you are.
>>>
>>> Isopropanol *should* be readily available from a pharmacy, as it
>>> is often used for cleaning areas around wounds prior to applying
>>> bandages. Our local pharmacys (and the drugs section of the supermarket
>>> as well) offer 70% and 91%.
>>>
>>> Here -- to get pure *ethanol* (well -- something like 95%, as it
>>> tends to absorb water from the air) in *this* state (Virginia) you go to
>>> the Alcohol Control Board -- where you buy the various stronger
>>> alcoholic beverages (wine and beer you can get other places) and you can
>>> buy it -- with a rather stiff tax on it, because it is being sold there
>>> for consumption by humans.
>>>
>>> When I worked for the US Government, we kept some bottles around
>>> for lens cleaning purposes (we worked with night vision equipment,
>>> mostly), and we had to go through a major pain of record keeping for the
>>> bottles, with only one bottle open and available for use at a time. The
>>> rest had to be locked up.
>>>
>>>> - I mean,
>>>> you
>>>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in
>>>> case
>>>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain -
>>>> can't
>>>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>>>> that
>>>> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this
>>>> has
>>>> become.
>>> Glues and such have been under some level of control here for
>>> many years -- because of kids inhaling them, and some dying of liver
>>> damage or other things of the sort. Those glues have had additives
>>> tossed in to make them a bit less good as glues, but very unpleasant to
>>> inhale. IIRC, the control of the glues (at least model airplane cements
>>> and similar) started in the late 1950s. But -- if you are buying from
>>> an industrial supplier, you are presumed to be beyond the sniffing age.
>>> The restrictions are more likely to be enforced in a place which
>>> typically sells to kids, like model shops.
>>>
>>> Other solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, have been pretty
>>> much unavailable except in chem labs, because of the number of people
>>> who have died while using it. For that matter, I had a rather nasty
>>> bout when I used it to clean the gates of two 16mm movie projectors at
>>> school. I was one of those allocated the job of projection for the
>>> classes.
>>>
>>> Good Luck,
>>> DoN.
>>
>>
>> About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some
>> wonderful stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape
>> heads and it was the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly,
>> left no residue, and made a first class job of cleaning heads and
>> rollers.
>>
>> Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
>> directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
>> anything similar since.
> >
> Freon is IIRC a Dupont trade name for their CFCs, including refrigerants.
> Unfortunately, it was destroying the Ozone layer.
> Damn shame - I've never had car air conditioning that worked as well as
> the ones I had in the 80's.



Yes, I remember Tandy saying something about that when I asked where my
Freon had disappeared to.

Not many UK cars had air-con in the 80's Most do now - probably because of
all the damage done by Freon

so many substances are getting banned now - brake pads don't last because
asbestos has vanished, and the new compounds seem to wear the brake discs
(rotors) remarkably quickly - or maybe they're just using softer metal
because some ingredient for the steel is now on the verboten list.

I don't know what things are like in New Zealand, but the UK is in the grip
of safety mania! - it's now illegal for household electrical work to be
carried out by anyone who is not 'competent' (read 'Registered Tradesman'),
Gas has had the same restrictions for some years, smokers are near to being
lynched by roving teams of Government Health Inspectors, various products
are now starting to come with the sort of warnings that, until now, have
been the stuff of urban legends ('Never Operate Your New Flymo While Taking
A Shower', that sort of stuff!) and every supplier or retailer of goods and
services is in a state of near panic, and constantly thinking ten steps
ahead to try and determine whether their actions are going to land them in
civil litigation!

It's awful, really - one suspects that it's all part of a sinister plan to
reduce the population to an infantile state of utter dependency , prior to a
totalitarian coupe. If so, it's succeeding brilliantly - the nation that
carved out the greatest empire the world has ever seen, that endured the
agony of the Somme trenches without a Grief Councilor to bless themselves
with, and who stood firm while the Nazi's bombed cities to rubble, are now
too nervous to switch on an electric light bulb without consulting
appropriate instructions first.

If I win the lottery, I'm on the first available boat to somewhere sane , no
doubt about it!
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help 

eds wrote:
> "Epoch" <epoch.RemoveThis@nil.net> wrote in message
> news:4n19b0F87k86U1@individual.net...
>> "DoN. Nichols" <dnichols.RemoveThis@d-and-d.com> wrote in message
>> news:eefp500ad7@news1.newsguy.com...
>>> According to Epoch <epoch.RemoveThis@nil.net>:
>>>> "frederick" <lost.RemoveThis@sea.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:1158356575.741661@ftpsrv1...
>>>>> Epoch wrote:
>>>>>> Can anyone in the UK point me to a readily available lens cleaning
>>>>>> fluid?
>>> [ ... ]
>>>
>>>>>> Any easily available solution would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>> Pure isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacist.
>>>>> Slower evaporating than Eclipse (methanol).<
>>>>
>>>> Thanks to all who replied (even the comedian)
>>>>
>>>> One question - will a pharmacy actually sell me the stuff?
>>> I'm answering from the perspective of someone in the USA, so
>>> things may well be different where you are.
>>>
>>> Isopropanol *should* be readily available from a pharmacy, as it
>>> is often used for cleaning areas around wounds prior to applying
>>> bandages. Our local pharmacys (and the drugs section of the supermarket
>>> as well) offer 70% and 91%.
>>>
>>> Here -- to get pure *ethanol* (well -- something like 95%, as it
>>> tends to absorb water from the air) in *this* state (Virginia) you go to
>>> the Alcohol Control Board -- where you buy the various stronger
>>> alcoholic beverages (wine and beer you can get other places) and you can
>>> buy it -- with a rather stiff tax on it, because it is being sold there
>>> for consumption by humans.
>>>
>>> When I worked for the US Government, we kept some bottles around
>>> for lens cleaning purposes (we worked with night vision equipment,
>>> mostly), and we had to go through a major pain of record keeping for the
>>> bottles, with only one bottle open and available for use at a time. The
>>> rest had to be locked up.
>>>
>>>> - I mean, you
>>>> can't even buy more than 24 paracetamol tablets these days - just in
>>>> case
>>>> you're thinking of trying escaping from the misery of New Britain -
>>>> can't
>>>> even buy wood glue, for that matter, unless the store manager decides
>>>> that
>>>> you're not going to inhale the stuff! What a nasty little country this
>>>> has
>>>> become.
>>> Glues and such have been under some level of control here for
>>> many years -- because of kids inhaling them, and some dying of liver
>>> damage or other things of the sort. Those glues have had additives
>>> tossed in to make them a bit less good as glues, but very unpleasant to
>>> inhale. IIRC, the control of the glues (at least model airplane cements
>>> and similar) started in the late 1950s. But -- if you are buying from
>>> an industrial supplier, you are presumed to be beyond the sniffing age.
>>> The restrictions are more likely to be enforced in a place which
>>> typically sells to kids, like model shops.
>>>
>>> Other solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, have been pretty
>>> much unavailable except in chem labs, because of the number of people
>>> who have died while using it. For that matter, I had a rather nasty
>>> bout when I used it to clean the gates of two 16mm movie projectors at
>>> school. I was one of those allocated the job of projection for the
>>> classes.
>>>
>>> Good Luck,
>>> DoN.
>>
>> About 10 years ago Tandy (now defunct in the UK) used to sell some
>> wonderful stuff called 'Freon' (I think) I used it for cleaning tape
>> heads and it was the best stuff ever! - it evaporated almost instantly,
>> left no residue, and made a first class job of cleaning heads and rollers.
>>
>> Then, without warning, it was gone - withdrawn because of a European
>> directive. I don't know what was in it, but I've never been able to find
>> anything similar since. even Eclipse fluid isn't as good.
>>
>> Perhaps I could ask you my question about Isopropyl alcohol? - does it
>> leave any residue?, and is it safe for lens coatings?
>>
>> Cheers.
>>
> Do you wear glasses? Use the stuff that optometrists sell for cleaning. They
> also have lintless papers. Most glasses are optical plastic and much less
> tough than camera lenses.
> EDS
>
>

Yes, I was going to give that idea.

Lencrafters have some wipes that are packaged one wipe at the time. It
can be used on Anti-reflective coatings.

What ever you use, make sure it is meant for AR coating. Stuff does not
smear much at all, and lenses get pretty clean.

Hope it helps,

Rob
 >> Stay informed about: Lens cleaning fluid. - help