Canned Air

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one, advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

Regards,

Robert Lazar

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one, advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

Hi:

I use it all the time for corrector plates, cameras, and eyepieces. I don't
recommend it for first surface mirrors due to the possibility of blowing
propellant onto the surface of the mirror and damaging the coating.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Ï "Robert Lazar" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one,
advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

No matter what brand you use, make sure you pass the output through a
moisture trap. Then you will be relatively safe, unless the can contains
dangerous propellants.

Regards,

Robert Lazar
--
Ioannis Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
------------------------------------------
Eventually, _everything_ is understandable

Thanks for the advice, but how does one know which ones do not contain
propellants?

Robert Lazar


"Ioannis" wrote in message
...

Ï "Robert Lazar" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some
are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one,
advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

No matter what brand you use, make sure you pass the output through a
moisture trap. Then you will be relatively safe, unless the can contains
dangerous propellants.

Regards,

Robert Lazar
--
Ioannis Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
------------------------------------------
Eventually, _everything_ is understandable

Thanks for the advice, but how does one know which ones do not contain
propellants?


Hi:

All the commonly available canned air products contain propellants. This is not
a problem as long as you're careful to hold the can upright. As I said,
however, I would not use this on first-surface mirrors.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Robert Lazar:
Thanks for the advice, but how does one know which ones do not contain
propellants?

I think that they all do, but it doesn't matter as long as you follow
directions and hold the can upright. I've been using this stuff for
years on my Questar and various cameras with no ill effects. I would
also recommend not holding the can too close to the glass surface;
anything that you can't blow away with a gentler blast is probably
going to have to be removed in some other way.

I also think that Mr. Mollise's advice is important -- don't use canned
air on a first-surface mirror.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

absolutely not!

Ive had too many accidents with socalled "pristine pure air" from cans, deposit

film and all manner of gunk in my optics. I would put my optics on a train
track
and use Ole-99 to grind them clean first!
Jerry



Robert Lazar wrote:

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one, advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

Regards,

Robert Lazar

if you even have to ask - why take the chance?
if you have to ask - there is a problem?
if you like gamling with your optics - go right ahead!
Jerry



Robert Lazar wrote:

Thanks for the advice, but how does one know which ones do not contain
propellants?

Robert Lazar

"Ioannis" wrote in message
...

Ï "Robert Lazar" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

Does anyone use it to clean telescope optics? If so, what brand? Some
are
said to contain propellants that can be detrimental. If you use one,
advice
on where to obtain it would be appreciated.

No matter what brand you use, make sure you pass the output through a
moisture trap. Then you will be relatively safe, unless the can contains
dangerous propellants.

Regards,

Robert Lazar
--
Ioannis Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
------------------------------------------
Eventually, _everything_ is understandable

Canned air might be OK for cleaning crap out of a keyboard or smoke alarm. It
is NOT a good idea for optics. There are lens brushes for this purpose. If
canned air will blow it off, then a brush will brush it off. Be sure the brush
is clean and without oils on it.
Clear, Dark, Steady Skies!
(And considerate neighbors!!!)

Davoud wrote:

Robert Lazar:
Thanks for the advice, but how does one know which ones do not contain
propellants?

Another thing to remember when using canned air is to only use shorts
blasts of air. If you use long blasts, your going to spew out
propellent, and that stuff leaves a film and can freeze what ever it's
sprayed on. I use canned air to clean my optics. A few short blasts of
air, followed by a light brushing with my Lens Pen and then a few more
light blasts of air. If that don't remove what ever, then It stays
untill I do my yearly cleaning. Another thing to remember when using
canned air is if the can starts feeling cold, quit using it. Put it
down and wait untill it warms up before using it again. On a side note
canned air contains no "air" as in what we breath. At one time canned
air was just a can of freon with a nozzle on it but freon is banned so
now canned air is a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons and
tetraflouroethane, or basicly propane. Makes one hell of a blow torch!
If you want something with no propellants, get a duster bulb from the
photo store, or get an air compresser with a air drier attached (with
at least 15 foot of hose between the compresser and drier) and you
will have all the canned air you will ever need!
Roger