Martin/ Deron,
	We use several of the Puritan products on protected coatings and
mirrors: the same product as Deron listed, and 806 and 826 WC item numbers.
The 869 was called out as the preferred product.  And it true about the
fibers, there is tendency for some to be left behind after cleaning, but
usually a circular swabbing motion from the inside out can reduce this.
There is also a fine polyester cleaning wipe used by some, but I do not have
the catalog number on that.
Best,
Dan


Dan Osborn
Product Marketing Manager 

Omega Optical, Inc.
Delta Campus
Omega Drive
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Phone: Direct line: (802) 251-7305  or Toll Free: (866)-488-1064
Fax: 802-254-3937
Email: [log in to unmask] 
Web: www.omegafilters.com 

 

 

Celebrating 40 Years


-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Deron Walters
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:02 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: cleaning of filters

The most common Q tips have both a binder to hold the cotton together and a
glue that attaches the cotton to the stick.  Either of these could dissolve
in solvents and redeposit on optics.  However, there is a glue-free,
binder-free swab that you can special order, the 869-WC from
Puritan:

http://www.puritanmedproducts.com/search/search_4.asp?id=336&item=869-WC

I've used these with success on antireflection-coated singlets and doublets,
although I haven't tested them on exposed filter coatings.
One objection to these is that (lacking binder) they shed cotton fibers.
In my experience those can be blown away with a stream of pressurized air.

No financial interest.

Deron Walters
R&D Scientist, Physics
Asylum Research


> On Behalf Of Martin Wessendorf
> 
> Dan Osborn wrote:
> 
> > However, some grime does come off better in aqueous solvents, and it 
> > is OK to use a good breath of air on the filter surface and either a 
> > Qtip or wipe to clean it.  A water dampened Qtip or cloth followed
by
> > a dry wipe should be fine as well.
> 
> I had always heard that Q-tips have starch in them as a binder, and
were
> thus unsuitable for optics--that we should make our own with cotton
wool
> and an applicator stick.  Not so?