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Athoul
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 7717
Location: Canada
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 Posted: 4/12/06, 8:04 PM Post subject: Laser Lens |
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From time to time you may find your laser has gotten some dust on its lens. This usually doesn't happen very often, however when it does it can be a pain to fix. Usually what happens is that people attempt to clean it and end up making it worse until the projected dot resembles that of a cloud or galaxy instead being nice and round. If you find that your laser lens is in need of cleaning use the following method in order to clean it, you will find it to have the best results without making things worse.
What you will need.
1. A Microfiber cloth
Make sure this cloth is specifically designed for cleaning lenses, you can pick up one at your local camera or glasses store. Sunglasses hut sells a small set containing a microfiber cloth and lens cleaning solution that I find works really well.
2. A Q-tip, tooth pick or pen.
You will need to fold the cloth over one of these in order to be able to reach the lens properly.
3. Lens cleaning solutions (Optional)
You will need this only if your lens will not become clean after using the micro fibercloth alone.
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED!
Make sure you wash your hands with soap and water. Completely dry your hands afterwards. The oil from your hands can contaminate the cloth and will be counter productive to cleaning!
The procedure
For the Black/Gold pen ptyle models (usually 532nm)
1. Wash your hand with soap and water, make sure you dry them properly.
2. Remove the apperature end cap(the little gold cap with the hole that the laser exits from).
3. Take one of the items in step 2 above(in the what you need section), by making sure you do not touch the part of the cloth that will be cleaning the lens, fold the cloth over it. You might want to fold it twice.
4. Gently(very important) move the cloth into the aperture until it comes in contact with the lens. Rub it from side to side but do not press to hard. You might need to do this a few times to get it clean.
5. Check to see if the dot is once again back to it's original appearance. If it is, return the small end cap to the aperture.
That's it, you're done 
For the Pulsar (red 650nm)
1. Wash your hand with soap and water, make sure you dry them properly.
2. You will not be able to remove any end cap like with the green laser models. So this means you will need to use either a toothpick or the handle part of a Q-tip to reach the lens. In this case fold the cloth over which ever one you use, again make sure you do not touch the part of the cloth that will be cleaning the lens. You probably will not be able to fold the cloth twice, so you need to be very careful not to press to hard on the lens.
3. Gently(very important) move the cloth into the aperture until it comes in contact with the lens. Rub it from side to side but do not press to hard. However you may find there is no room to rub the lens from side to side, in this case you will need to gently rotate the cloth in a twisting motion back and forth. You might need to do this a few times to get it clean.
4. Check to see if the dot is once again back to it's original appearance.
That's it, you're done
For the New "All Black" Models
1. Wash your hand with soap and water, make sure you dry them properly.
2. You will not be able to remove any end cap like with the green laser models. So this means you will need to use either a toothpick or the handle part of a Q-tip to reach the lens. In this case fold the cloth over which ever one you use, again make sure you do not touch the part of the cloth that will be cleaning the lens. You probably will not be able to fold the cloth twice, so you need to be very careful not to press to hard on the lens.
3. Gently(very important) move the cloth into the aperture until it comes in contact with the lens. Rub it from side to side but do not press to hard. However you may find there is no room to rub the lens from side to side, in this case you will need to gently rotate the cloth in a twisting motion back and forth. You might need to do this a few times to get it clean.
4. Check to see if the dot is once again back to it's original appearance.
That's it, you're done
In the case you need to use lens cleaning solution.
1. Apply 1 drop only to the part of the cloth that will be cleaning the lens, the follow the same procedure as above. You will want to finish by using a dry part of the cloth to wipe the lens dry, this should take one pass side to side or gentle rotate.
_________________
Cheers,
Sean.
Last edited by Athoul on 10/30/06, 4:30 PM; edited 4 times in total |
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NairB
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 11 Dec 2005
Posts: 2008
Location: Scotland
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Xanovaria
55mW Advanced Wicked Laser
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 72
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| Posted: 5/10/06, 1:11 AM Post subject: |
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Please also make sure to remove the batteries from your unit to avoid self blinding. 
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Kredo
4.99mW Green Laser Toy
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
Posts: 1
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| Posted: 6/13/06, 2:54 AM Post subject: |
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Really? more!!! very intresting!
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Athoul
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 7717
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 10/04/06, 5:05 PM Post subject: |
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Updated to Include the New Black models, which is the same as the Pulsars as far as cleaning goes.
_________________
Cheers,
Sean. |
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Knight of Myth
Nexus Laser
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 109
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 6:10 PM Post subject: |
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OK, so I just tried cleaning my phoenix using the method described here and it looks WORSE!  It looked a little cloudy before but now it looks terrible! What do I do?
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Gadgeteer
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 2304
Location: North Texas
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 6:28 PM Post subject: |
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You caused further contamination. Your hands need to be clean and dry before handling any cleaning supplies and even then, do not touch the part of the cloth that will be in contact with the lens.
The fact that you made it worse is a clear indicator that it is a contamination issue. What cleaning solution are you using and is the microfiber cloth new and clean?
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Knight of Myth
Nexus Laser
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 109
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 6:30 PM Post subject: |
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I used some stuff called "Lens Kleener." It says it's a professional lens cleaner. I used that in conjunction with the cloth that came with my laser goggles. I did touch it first though...
Is my laser screwed now?
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Gadgeteer
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 2304
Location: North Texas
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 6:36 PM Post subject: |
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Probably not but make sure you do not use any real pressure on the fiber when cleaning the lens. There will be particles that are picked up by the cloth and that are already on the lens that will result in "wet sanding" the coating. This is where I say give the lens a quick shot of clean, compressed air (canned air) prior to using the cloth.
Is this a CNI (black with gold trim) where you can remove the end cap?
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Knight of Myth
Nexus Laser
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 109
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 6:46 PM Post subject: |
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| Yes, it is the black/gold case.
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Knight of Myth
Nexus Laser
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 109
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 7:26 PM Post subject: |
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Here is a picture of the dot on my laser. I know it's overexposed, but you can still see all the scattered dots around the main one. What do I do?
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Gadgeteer
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 2304
Location: North Texas
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 8:55 PM Post subject: |
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Unscrew the end cap if you haven't already for proper cleaning. You can use a sterile q-tip to gently clean the lens. You may want to try a different cleaning solution (91% rubbing alcohol or Everclear from the liquor store).
If the stuff you have is "anti-fog" then that will certainally cause what you are seeing so check the lable and see if that is the case.
I was out on a job and ran out of lens tissue. Went to Krogers or some place like that close and picked up some to get me by, BIG mistake!!! It wasn't anti-fog but the quality was no where near what is needed for high power intra-cavity optics. Just to give you an idea about contamination issues with laser optics. Really has to be clean and the laser will prove that for ya.
Good luck and I'll stay tuned to help you out there.
JD
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Proctor
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 2478
Picture(s): 2
Location: Surfing Eta Carinae
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 9:14 PM Post subject: |
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Here's what I did tonight, and it made it better than when it had the blue sticker on it when I first got it.
I took a q tip out of a new box. I squirted the sunglass hut lens cleaner just a little bit so it would drip down the top of the push sprayer thing. I took the q tip, put it on that little drip. I went over the lens very smoothly in one direction then I use the other side very lightly to dry it off and take everything off the lens.
It looks brand new and it gave me i'm guessing a little bit more power since it was probably loosing some to all the god damn scatter.
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Gadgeteer
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 2304
Location: North Texas
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Knight of Myth
Nexus Laser
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 109
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| Posted: 10/07/06, 9:31 PM Post subject: |
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| OK, I just got a brand new Q-tip and applied a very small amount of 91% alcohol, rubbed the lens lightly in one direction, then flipped the Q-tip around and dried it. The dot looks exactly the same. Could my lens be scratched? What is wrong?
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