How to get rid of dust inside a projector?

[mixedgas]

I try to avoid ISO alcohols like the plague. They pick up water very fast and just move grease or fingerprint oils around on the optic. Ethanol does that as well, and cross polymerizes on ion laser optics from the UV.

Methanol and Acetone are the way to go.

Multilayer coatings are almost always somewhat hydroscopic, hence the prohibition on water.

I've never had problems obtaining 1 litre of spectroscopic grade chemicals, by walking into the shop, handing a business card over, and explaining WHY I need the good stuff. Regulators often get requests for deviations, and if your not buying gallons, tend to allow them.

If you can't get better chems, buy the iso and somehow get it distilled in laboratory glass.

Karl, She's retired, she wont be writing optics installation manuals any more. I remember the day you argued with her... That was very brave....

Steve

[mixedgas]

Yes on the squeeze bulb, but take the brush off it and discard it.

Steve

[Anthony]

Methanol and Acetone are the way to go.
If you can't get better chems, buy the iso and somehow get it distilled in laboratory glass.

Steve

Steve,

Thank you for the anwser..
Its not easy buying chems these days... not even in a "free minded" country like mine.

I know acetone i sold in our pharmacy's.. but that stuff cant be good because is it sold as nailpolish remover.
Some of the homedepods are selling it but i can imagine it is not pharma grade.

I use the ECLIPSE optics cleaning system for all of my DSLR optics and sensors.
That stuf is methanol based and produced by PHOTOGRAPHIC SOLUTIONS inc...
Would that be the better solution?

[dsli_jon]

Karl + Steve -

Gr8, info Guys - we *definitely* need to get this info into the PL Wiki... ieL: New Main Page: 'Builders Tips' - Lemme know if u need help figuring that out, or, Cap'n Spec can assist, too... I got other cookies to bake, right now...

peas...
j

[JohnYayas]

You can get acetone and methanol from Grainger. Not sure of the quality but it's lab grade.

[dsli_jon]

You can get acetone and methanol from Grainger.

Mmm, good-call, for us 'Gringos', but he's in Netherlandia... Too, that-grade would not be 'ideal' - Spectroscopic-grade is, indeed, betterer... then-again, if you're working with relatively-low power lasers and Chinsese-optics and $49. galvos... might be just fine... Good tip, nonetheless... infinitely-better than Isoprop

peas..
j

[Anthony]

Your posts always make me smile.......

[Laser Wizardry]

" 15 characters"

[dsli_jon]

Hey Sir K -

Actually, HPLC and HRGC are generally held to higher purity...

Well, sure, but I was speaking 'in-context' - remember, we're not talking a pair of $2K German HR/OCs, here, prolly 'discount' RGB dichros and $49. galvos...
well, ok, fine, maybe they were $79... But again, if Mr Borg, here can even get ahold of 1/2-way decent ACS in his 'land', there, he'll prolly be fine... I mean, it seems like he's talking 'rough-cleaning', first, anyway...ya know, from that *belt sander* he used on his finished-projector, lol... Just kidding, Borg...

Still, all good info for das Wiki...
j

[White-Light]

Steve,

Thank you for the anwser..
Its not easy buying chems these days... not even in a "free minded" country like mine.

Try a company that sells fibre glassing supplies as they also sell Acetone as a the solvent for removing it. Your internet search engine is your friend here.

You'll also find it in 1 litre bottles through this source.

At least that's what happens in the UK.