SCT Corrector Plate Cleaning - No Touch Method
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
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SCT corrector plate cleaning is very simple with First Contact non-spray formula polymer. While there are different ways to apply the polymer, using a pipette is fast, easy and more controllable than pouring the polymer from the vial. Use the applicator bottle brush for small optics such as a small secondary mirror or eyepieces. If you have questions or need any information not covered in this video please email Contact@PhotonicCleaning.com and we'll reply as soon as possible.
If your corrector plate is covered with water spots and/or dew spots and runs, the polymer alone may not have removed them all. If you still have water spots on your corrector plate follow this link to watch our newest video showing the best way to remove water spots from a SCT corrector plate: • SCT Corrector Plate Co...
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I just ordered it. After all the research I’ve done, this method seems the easiest way to clean my 11inch SCT in the least damaging way. No way will I remove my corrector plate. I do not trust myself to do that lol. I will watch this video again prior to giving it a go!
Glad to hear! If you have any questions check out our other videos or feel free to contact us through the store website
Did you clean your corrector plate? What were the results like?
Wow. Just amazing. I've never used this technique but you have me very intrigued.
Thank you for your kind words! If you would like additional information about the process or which of our First Contact Polymer products is best suited to your cleaning requirements please email us at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com, we're happy to help.
So this is essentially a "Brazilian for your scope"! Love it.
Hi Bill. We've never really thought if it like that, but if you've got a whole lot of dust bunnies and fuzz on your optic I suppose that analogy fits!
Just purchased some to use later this year to clean my new 9.25 sct. I live in the southern US and it gets quite humid and there can be lots of pollen in the air. I also live close to a major interstate highway and I regularly get an almost oily haze on my corrector plate (possibly air pollution/smog). I'm confident this will remove it as I am too scared to touch and possibly scratch the corrector plate. Using this will put my nerves at ease.
Hi Aaron, you will have no problems removing the oily film from your corrector plate. The solvents in the polymer will dissolve such contaminants and then be encapsulated in the film. The video is fairly comprehensive but if you have any questions we didn't cover please feel free to contact us at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com
So I cleaned the corrector plate today. It's was quite easy and definitely stress free, as far as potential scratches. I did get a small super tiny droplet on the corrector ring and it left a small mark on the plastic ring, no biggie. It removed all of the oily residue but left what appears to be the outlines of dew droplets on the plate, should I try the water stain remover? For others the film applied on a dry Texas afternoon the static charge left on the glass will make dust cling right back to the glass BUT is it clean! So glad I purchased this no teeth clenching moments!
@@AaronDavila1 you probably do have some water spot contamination on your corrector plate. The water spot pretreatment will remove the dew droplet outlines. You must take care so the pretreatment does not flow past your secondary mount or past the outside retaining ring and ingress into the tube assembly.
Dry climates do allow for a static charge; if you peel slowly the charge will dissipate as you peel and be much less a problem.
The fact that the polymer will attack the gaskets is a deal-breaker for me. This is a very expensive way to clean your corrector and not really necessary. A modern-day optical coating is a lot more durable than they were many years ago. In most cases, harder than the glass. I have used this method on precision optics that are very soft. High-end military optics. Nothing approaches it for cleaning first surface raw aluminum coatings where any rubbing will severely scratch the coating. Short of removing the lens for immersion cleaning, this is the best method for removing particulates from the surface of the lens without scratching. However, if the lens has a lot of chemical deposits that are water-soluble, this method won’t remove stains and blemishes from the surface of the lens.
Mike, you are certainly correct that today's optical coatings are better than they were in the past although still not as hard as the underlying glass. Fluorite CaF2 has about 1/4th the hardness of optical glass such as BK7 and is very easily scratched. Magnesium fluorite MgF2, a common optical (glass) and mirror coating, has about 2/3s the hardness of optical glass. You are also correct that First Contact won't remove water-soluble contaminates as water is a polar molecule and the solvents in First Contact are non-polar. Well, the polymer will often remove some of the contaminates, those that it can encapsulate, but it won't dissolve the contaminates at the molecular level. What First Contact does is allow one to either use the polymer in conjunction with a water-based cleaner, or remove most of the contaminates that can scratch coatings so that a water-based cleaner can be used post-polymer and minimize the threat of scratching.
We are aware there are some applications where First Contact is not the first choice for cleaning, it merely gives consumers a choice given the science and personal capabilities available. Some optics just do not need to be cleaned to the molecular level and residues do not matter to the user; in such cases something as simple as glass cleaner can be used. First Contact IS the first choice for many, including NASA, LIGO, Lockheed and others where even a single microscratch is unacceptable.
We're glad to hear you're happy with First Contact cleaning your high end optics and first surface aluminum coatings. If you ever have an application you're curious about please contact us at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com, we're happy to answer any questions you may have.
Amazing Product.
Thank you Lazeerer!
Nice👍
Thank you! If you have any questions about First Contact Polymers feel free to email us at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com, we're happy to help.
I feel like a tip tilt method of spreading the polymer would be better than a feather brush. You definitely don't want to move any grit around on the corrector plate. Of course this would probably take more polymer.
Hi Cosmocarl, thanks for your input. One could certainly apply the polymer and "tip / tilt" the plate as you mentioned, that has been done on plenty of optics. And of course you're right that you don't want to move grit around on the surface. When using any brush the idea is to spread the polymer using the polymer's surface tension so the bristles don't actually make contact with the plate surface. Even if one does get too close to the surface with the bristles there should be no pressure put on the bristles (like when you paint a fence or board) so the bristles "hydroplane" so to speak. Clear skies!
absolut fantastic
Why are there no testimonials on this youtube page? You've never received negative feedback?
Boris,
Thanks for your interest in First Contact!
There are 64 comments on this TH-cam video. Do you not see the comments left by others? And yes, there are several non-positive comments on this video. Can we ask about your cleaning requirements? Perhaps email us at Contact@PhotonicCleaning.com so we can discuss your needs and any further questions you may have.
Great job !
No problems with the coating ?
+Sébastien FLENNER, there are no problems with the coatings. Coating adhesion to the substrate is typically quite good, unless the manufacturer had problems during production and the coatings are simply "laying" on the substrate. We've never seen, or had customer feedback, First Contact damaged corrector plate coatings!
great 👍 can i use car battery's distilled water instead of that chemical you used?
BaguSadikin, many people do clean corrector plates and mirrors with distilled water, mild detergents, etc. but with the risk of leaving residue in the form of streaks and spots, or scratching the coatings. First Contact does not leave residue and in fact can remove residue from other cleaning attempts, and it won't damage the coatings.
Really helpfull sir, im very paranoid before knowing the chemical, and now im ready for cleaning :) thanks'
Sweet!
Do I have to do the whole corrector or can I just do a couple spots
+Markinpuff , you do not have to clean the whole corrector, spot cleaning is quite easy and acceptable. If you need assistance with spot cleaning please email us at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com, we're happy to assist.
what agreat idea! I want some
akkasoothy, please send an email to us describing your equipment and we can suggest the best First Contact Polymer product(s) to clean your equipment. Email Contact@PhotonicCleaning.com.
what about hard water residue? had a sprinkler go off on my edge hd 11 inch. and what about use on mirrors
Hi Ryan, The polymer by itself typically doesn't remove all contaminates in a water spot. Water spots are best cleaned using our two step cleaning process with pretreatment and polymer. We've got a video on our TH-cam channel showing how to spot clean a corrector plate (necessary if you're cleaning the plate in situ). Water spots on mirrors can also be removed with the water spot pretreatment and polymer. You can read our "Water Spot Removal with First Contact Polymer" document on our website under the "SDS and Tech Data" link at www.photoniccleaning.com. Feel free to send us an email at contact@photoniccleaning.com and we can give you more insight into the process.
My Meade SCT has been dormant for a new of years. Now that I have more time on my hands I'm putting it back in use. Although its been kept well indoors, on inspection there seems to be two patches of what I suspect is a fungus..though not really sure. With a very sorft brush i went to lightly brush the dust off the plate however the patch in question just seemed to smear. Is this something that first contact can remove or do I need to revert to a more aggressive cleaning approach?
Hi. Thank you for your inquiry! Well, as far as removing your fungus the short answer is "maybe". Our company purchased a "dormant" 8" Meade SCT and upon receipt we found there to be fungus on the back side of the corrector plate and also on the primary mirror. Having never tried to remove fungus with First Contact we thought we'd give it a try and apply the polymer to both the corrector and primary and the fungus was completely removed! There are many, many types of fungus and since we only dealt with it one time we can only say it might remove the fungus. That it smeared with a soft brush gives us hope it is not strongly adhered to the plate.
@@davidgiesen1832 Super! Thanks for the prompt reply. It certainly doesn't seem to be etched into the coating, and from what I can tell seems to be present on the outside only. I think there's a good chance of restoring it to former glory. Its 25 years old but as good as new in all other aspects.
In your video, when you have taken the polymer film off, there seems to be a mark on the surface at appx the 2 o'clock position. Is that residue from the ploymer or??2
Hi, and thanks for your interest in First Contact. No, it wasn't residue as the dry film came off complete and there were no thinned areas during application that would cause polymer to remain on the surface. As long as you apply a thick, continuous wet film the dry film has the mechanical strength to hold together when peeling.
I looked back at my notes on this video and didn't make any comments about the mark. I look over surfaces carefully after videos and would have noted any issues. I suspect the "mark" is actually a reflection from an overhead light that was visible after all the contaminates were cleaned from the corrector plate.
Please note that if it were polymer residue, one of the many advantages of First Contact is that the liquid polymer will dissolve dry polymer and once dry again will peel as normal and remove any residue. If a user applies the polymer too thin or leaves and "island" of polymer not in contact with the other polymer one can just apply more liquid polymer and peel once dry.
With all that being said, please know First Contact will not always remove all the contaminates from a water spot or dew event. Often the contaminate are "glued" to the surface when the spot / dew evaporate. Water is a polar molecule and the polymer's solvents are non-polar and thus don't break down polar molecules well. If you clean your corrector plate and notice water spots use this procedure for removal: th-cam.com/video/7Tmsf055BHs/w-d-xo.html
Can this be used on the mirrors?
Dennis, yes it can be used on mirrors. Take a look at some of the other videos on our TH-cam channel to see mirrors being cleaned and also the "Testimonials" section on our website; www.photoniccleaning.com
I clean my telescope the same way I clean my glasses and with the same spray bottle. I’ve never had a problem, no scratches, nothing. Glass it tougher then you think.
Woody, thank you for your comment. There are those intrepid people who wish to clean their precision optics with soap and water, etc. and if they are happy with the results then we're happy! Yes glass is tough, however the coatings applied to some precision optics are very delicate and cleaning with a cloth and lens cleaner, etc. can create microscratches which diffract light. How much light is diffracted depends on the quantity of microscratches of course. If you ever decide to test our First Contact Polymer give us a shout!
Great video! How much does this First contact cost? Really interested in trying this out. Hope you can reply real soon🙂
Steinar, thank you for your kind comment. Cost is dependent on the size and quantity of the item(s) you wish to clean. Please email us at contact@photoniccleaning.com or visit our website at www.photoniccleaning.com and see more information about First Contact
why not take the corrector ring off?
+Markinpuff. You certainly can take the corrector ring off the outer perimeter, although you must take care not to rotate the plate, or one can "match mark" the plate and housing in case it does rotate slightly you can realign.
biore pore strips ... for scopes lol
Oh my so unaffordable!!
Ed, First Contact is quite affordable considering the cost of potential damage to an optic using other methods. And First Contact won't leave residue. Our 15ml applicator bottle will clean up to 60 square inches of surface area, making it very affordable, and the cost per ml goes down with larger purchases.
I agree with Ed
Wes, First Contact was not developed to replace simple water and/or glass cleaner for those intrepid people who prefer to clean their optics with less technical methods, but was developed to eliminate the likelihood of damage induced by surface contact from other cleaning methods. We hope you enjoyed our video and look forward to working with you with any future precision cleaning requirements you may have!
How much 😵
Hi LAschotts, the cost depends on a couple things: 1. The size of optic you wish to clean, and 2. How many times you wish to clean your optic with the kit you order. As with any product there is Economy of Scale, but lets start with what you wish to clean first! Please contact our representatives at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com and tell us about your application and we can provide the cost for the best First Contact Polymer products to meet your requirements.
And still looked a bit dirty.
Hello again Paul, no the corrector plate surface was actually pristinely clean after First Contact removal. Unfortunately the back side of the corrector plate does have coating damage from the previous owner, who left the telescope stored in a garage for years and allowed fungus to form on both the primary mirror and backside of the corrector plate. For demonstrations, the corrector plate works quite well. I suspect you could see the backside coating damage in the video. Take a look at the results other customers have reported on their optics: www.photoniccleaning.com/FCPTestimonials-s/130.htm.
Also, if you're familiar with LIGO I'm sure you know their optics demand cleaning to the molecular level. LIGO uses First Contact exclusively to clean their Advanced Core Optics. Take an opportunity to watch the LIGO video on our website's Home page. Cheers!
@@PlandemicSeries-com thank you for your comments and interest in First Contact. To answer your questions and comments:
First, we have demonstrated First Contact Polymer's safety and capabilities on customer's equipment many times. However, we don't have the luxury of performing lengthy video sessions with such equipment. Did you take a look at our Testimonials page to see all the customer's comments and photos? www.photoniccleaning.com/FCPTestimonials-s/130.htm
Second, yes we are aware many prefer to blow off contaminates and use other methods to clean optical components and we applaud these people. We have a combined 40 years experience at our company on other optical cleaning methods and we know it is difficult to accomplish other cleaning methods without leaving residue or scratches so if you're doing so without any damage or residue that's great! Sadly, it is very easy to create microscratches that are not necessarily visible to the eye but cause diffraction to photos passing through the optic. Also, yes our product is not as inexpensive as distilled water, but consider that our Red First Contact Deluxe kit will clean a 14" corrector plate 4 times the cost per cleaning isn't substantial. Please also realize, First Contact Polymers were developed for precision optics which must be cleaned to the molecular level and our primary customers are Lockheed, Raytheon, NASA, etc. Many years ago citizen astronomers began using First Contact on their telescope optics and as the interest and sales grew we felt the need to meet those customer's requirements. Concerning safety; no other method of cleaning is more safe than First Contact Polymers. Applying First Contact is actually a no touch method and our products have been tested and are in use on tens of thousands of optic all over the world including auguably the most sensitive optics on the planet located at the various LIGO facilities around the world: www.photoniccleaning.com/category-s/137.htm. The coatings on your corrector plate are quite safe with First Contact Polymer.
Have a great day!
$50 yes, $550 no.
I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you are looking at? many of our kits are reasonably priced roughly around $100 to $200 and will last the average consumer multiple cleanings before they would ever need to order more. Most won't need an entire liter of polymer which is around the price you are suggesting. If you have any questions about our product please feel free to contact us.
The starter kit is $148 US and according to google’s math, the starter kit will get you 280 square inches of surface cleaning, which on a 11inch SCT that’s just over 3 full cleanings (90 sq inches per clean). How often will I clean it? Depends but let’s assumed once a year, which would then last me 3 years, which is $50 a year to ensure optimal light transmission. $550, that’s a lifetime amount of cleaner lol
@@platetectonic sorry it's taken so long to reply; for some reason we did not receive a notification when you commented. Your math is correct! The Red First Contact Regular All-Inclusive kit ($148.00) will clean your 11" SCT 3 times; $50.00 per cleaning. The price per ml goes down for kits containing more polymer. For instance the Deluxe All-Inclusive kit reduces cost per cleaning to just under $40.00. However, for a person with just one 11" telescope that's several year's cleaning with the Deluxe kit! We don't often have customers with just one telescope so the polymer is used up cleaning multiple 'scopes. We do have individuals with several large telescopes that order liters because the cost per ml is significantly reduced, although our usual liter customers are businesses. And finally, we often run discounts in conjunction with exhibitions we attend. If you're curious send us an email at Sales@PhotonicCleaning.com and we can discuss further. Clear skies!
Blimey what a hassle!
Hi Paul, I suppose any cleaning process could be looked at as a hassle right? No one wants to tackle the task because of the risk of damage to the optics, but that's what's so unique about First Contact! You don't actually touch the optics so there's no risk of damage.