Here is why I tell people not to use IPA on optics.

[mixedgas]

Why to not use drug store IPA on your optics:

Quote:

Rubbing Alcohol and all preparations under the classification of Rubbing Alcohols are manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the U.S.Treasury Department,Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco,and Firearms,Formula 23-H(8parts by volume of acetone,1.5parts by volume of methyl isobutyl ketone,and 100parts by volume of ethyl alcohol)being used.It contains not less than 68.5percent and not more than 71.5percent by volume of dehydrated alcohol,the remainder consisting of water and the denaturants,with or without color additives,and perfume oils.Rubbing Alcohol contains,in each 100mL,not less than 355mg of sucrose octaacetate or not less than 1.40mg of denatonium benzoate.The preparation may be colored with one or more color additives,listed by the FDAfor use in drugs.Asuitable stabilizer may be added.Rubbing Alcohol complies with the requirements of the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco,and Firearms of the U.S.Treasury Department.
NOTE—Rubbing Alcohol is packaged,labeled,and sold in accordance with the regulations issued by the U.S.Treasury Department,Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco,and Firearms.

End Quote.


355 mg per 100 ML is more then enough to leave a NASTY white film.

Steve

[dnar]

Rubbing Alcohol and all preparations under the classification of Rubbing Alcohols are manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the U.S.Treasury Department,Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco,and Firearms. 1

1 Statement applicable to the USA only.

[JohnYayas]

Yup. In the Navy when I took a class on nuclear grade soldering we used to always clean the solder joints with IPA. It works great to cleanu up extra rosin. And then the next step was to clean off the haze left by the IPA with something else. I'd never use it on optics.

[dnar]

Yup. In the Navy when I took a class on nuclear grade soldering we used to always clean the solder joints with IPA. It works great to cleanu up extra rosin. And then the next step was to clean off the haze left by the IPA with something else. I'd never use it on optics.

Modern rosins don't require cleanig, in fact they serve well left in situ.

[JohnYayas]

Modern rosins don't require cleanig, in fact they serve well left in situ.

We didn't use anything modern in the Navy. In addition, we had to inspect each solder joint under magnification for pits, etc, so it had to be cleaned first.

[badger1666]

so what is best used for cleaning optics ?
i like the idea of first contact as used by some pl members but its a pita to use on some stuff , because i find it hard to get off
and other places it difficult to put on

[absolom7691]

I find that a good grade of acetone works well. I try to use the drag method when I can. If I can't, I use surgical grade swabs with wooden sticks.

[Shawnb]

purosol is what i use its AWSOME

[sugeek]

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/...g=en&region=US

I actually found some on Amazon, as ordering from sigma aldrich can be fun...

http://www.amazon.com/Methanol-99-9-...1&s=industrial

I was amused by the customers also purchased...

[planters]

Dsli Jon turned me on to the reagent grade acetone soaked lens papers folded and held by a hemostat. The ability to customize the shape of the edge used for the single drag makes this very adaptable.

One of the little understood costs of the post 9/11 "war on terror" in the U.S. has been the tight restrictions on the availability of many chemicals such as methanol.