Baader Optical Wonder Fluid - Cloth

[Littleguy80]

Just about to place an order for some Baader Optical Wonder Fluid. I have some cloths that came with my Starguiders. Will these do the job or should I order the cloth that goes with the cleaning fluid? 

Thank you!

[Alan White]

Neil

I have both, the fluid must be used very sparingly as it will disolve blackening, I know I have done it!
Most important thing is use a blower to remove all loose debris before use of either product.

Televue has a good guide to Eyepiece cleaning.

Hope this helps, Alan

[Pig]

Just remember to spray it onto the cloth and not onto the glass ?It is very good stuff.

[laudropb]

I ordered both. The cloth is very good quality and the fluid lives up to its name.

[John]

I've had both the cloth and the fluid for quite a while now. They work extremely well (spray fluid onto cloth rather than optics as said) and last for many cleanings. Well worth the small investment.

[Littleguy80]

Thanks all. Order placed with our sponsor for both the fluid and cloth

Appreciate all the tips too. Will be a nervous first clean I expect!

 

[Ant-33]

Another alternative is Pec Pad wipes. They're single-use, and designed for this kind of work. That way you don't run the risk of damaging your lens coating if the cloth has picked up some dust or grit. I also use powder-free vinyl gloves or something similar so I don't get the oils from my skin on the wipe before touching the lens with it. Hope that helps.

Cheers, Tony.

[Littleguy80]

10 minutes ago, Ant-33 said:

Another alternative is Pec Pad wipes. They're single-use, and designed for this kind of work. That way you don't run the risk of damaging your lens coating if the cloth has picked up some dust or grit. I also use powder-free vinyl gloves or something similar so I don't get the oils from my skin on the wipe before touching the lens with it. Hope that helps.

Cheers, Tony.

Thanks Tony. Good tips

[Bruce Leeroy]

I struggle to get a 'proper' smear free finish with the wonder fluid and microfiber cloth, I get best results using the disposable spectacle cleaner wipes and a small cloth provided by my local opticians that has a slightly rubbery feel to it. The disposable wipes can be a bit too wet so I let them evaporate a little...during use as they dry they will polish the residue away. As Tony says whatever you use try not to get grease from your skin onto your cloths.

[Merkhet]

I find the  Baader cloth and fluid are excellent.

I cleaned a 12" mirror with the fluid and cloth .    It came up superb.

A warning though when using any lens fluid.      Just dampen the cloth. You do not want any free fluid getting between the individual lenses of an eyepiece.    When I had less experience and sense, I used a soaked lens tissue that was supplied in a sealed sachet. With hindsight I now realise that I should have squeezed out the excess fluid from the tissue.

I didn't.  The fluid seeped into the lens mount and between the uppermost pair of lenses in a microscope eyepiece I was cleaning. Th fluid either dissolved the cement holding the lenses together or seeped into the air gap.  The result is a lens with a slight vignetting around the edge.

If you are using it on a mirror you have nothing to worry about.   But still be careful of your handling of the situation.

Just think about what you are doing and you will have no problems.

It's  excellent stuff.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Merkhet said:

If you are using it on a mirror you have nothing to worry about.   But still be careful of your handling of the situation.

Well you are really not supposed to use them on mirrors, they are designed for eyepieces and lenses with hard coatings.

[Merkhet]

Stu    and  Littleguy80              I have my bottle in front of me and one line says.......

                              cleans without scratching: eyepieces, objective lenses  - even mirrors (please see separate instruction ! )

I didn't receive a separate instruction sheet, and looking at the new Baader website I cannot find any separate instructions for use with mirrors.

Perhaps I should retract my statement about cleaning mirrors.  I got away with using it on a mirror, but I would not like anyone  to destroy their coatings.

So best read the extra instructions before using it on a mirror.

If any one has a copy of the extra instructions for mirror use, could they please put up a link to them or copy them out here before any damage is done.

 

Thanks Stu for pointing that out.

[newbie alert]

I've used it on my corrector plate on my sct ..im sure it was that that has bubbled up the xlt coating and taken it off... 

In hindsight now I'd never clean optics again

[Stu]

30 minutes ago, Merkhet said:

Stu    and  Littleguy80              I have my bottle in front of me and one line says.......

                              cleans without scratching: eyepieces, objective lenses  - even mirrors (please see separate instruction ! )

I didn't receive a separate instruction sheet, and looking at the new Baader website I cannot find any separate instructions for use with mirrors.

Perhaps I should retract my statement about cleaning mirrors.  I got away with using it on a mirror, but I would not like anyone  to destroy their coatings.

So best read the extra instructions before using it on a mirror.

If any one has a copy of the extra instructions for mirror use, could they please put up a link to them or copy them out here before any damage is done.

 

Thanks Stu for pointing that out.

I'm not certain about the wonderfluid itself, but using a cloth on the mirror risks scratching it if there is any grit or dirt on it. It is much safer to use water (I use reverse osmosis water to rinse) with cotton wool just lightly dragged with its own weight over the surface whilst underwater. Plenty of online guides cover this.

I have actually used wonderfluid on anSCT corrector plate with no issues as the coatings are much harder than a front surface mirror.

[John]

I think there is a little confusion over this (with me as well )

On FLO's website they state that the fluid is not suitable for newtonian mirrors (which is where my understanding comes from) and FLO provides a link to a Baader instruction which does not actually specifically mention mirrors as far as I can see:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-optics-cleaning-protection/baader-optical-wonder-fluid.html

On Baader's own website there is a link to another document, which seems to be an update of the one that FLO links to, which does mention using the fluid on mirrors in a very specific way and applied using disposable tissues rather than the micro fibre cloth:

http://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/optical-wonder-set-(cleaning-fluid-and-cloth).html

I think this is an area that needs some clarification perhaps ?

[happy-kat]

Maybe it means house hold mirrors and not optical mirrors.

[John]

15 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Maybe it means house hold mirrors and not optical mirrors.

The 2nd document refers to newtonian mirrors. I'll use something else on my shaving mirror - don't want to take any risks !

[Pig]

Refractors are the answer ?

[Stu]

Interesting read, but I think I will stick with the more normally recommended methods.

[Merkhet]

I sure stirred up a hornets nest when I mentioned mirrors.  

I am glad though that the problem is getting a good airing and hopefully we can get to the bottom of the problem between us all.

Cheers everyone.

[John]

I'll stick to the "wire wool and dettol" method. You can see a lot more nebulosity when you have cleaned your mirror that way. In fact the whole sky seems covered in it ......

(only joking of course )

[David Levi]

"Turn Left At Orion" has this to say about cleaning lenses "Step 1: Don't do it". I had always thought that this would be my policy but I can see after a little bit of experience that this might not be practically possible. I can see little specks of dirt on my lenses but as I haven't felt that they are affecting the view I've just ignored them. It's good to hear other people's experiences therefore of cleaning lenses and which products and application methods they use.

[James]

12 hours ago, John said:

I think there is a little confusion over this (with me as well )

On FLO's website they state that the fluid is not suitable for newtonian mirrors (which is where my understanding comes from) and FLO provides a link to a Baader instruction which does not actually specifically mention mirrors as far as I can see:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-optics-cleaning-protection/baader-optical-wonder-fluid.html

On Baader's own website there is a link to another document, which seems to be an update of the one that FLO links to, which does mention using the fluid on mirrors in a very specific way and applied using disposable tissues rather than the micro fibre cloth:

http://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/optical-wonder-set-(cleaning-fluid-and-cloth).html

I think this is an area that needs some clarification perhaps ?

This is not an official clarification but based on my own experience - I never use the fluid on a mirror, full stop. Two reasons, in my humble opinion it's too strong and also applying it encourages people to wipe which is a no no for mirrors unless there's something really bad on there. Even then wiping isn't to be encouraged... I used it once on a mirror to remove a centre spot - it did the job admirably but also marked the coatings - no problem as the area affected was hidden by the secondary but still disconcerting all the same.

On eyepieces/objective lenses on the other hand I've had no problem using the fluid, water, my tongue (ahem, eyepieces only) etc - as long as there's not something solid on the surface the coatings are usually hard and can take it..

James

[FLO]

12 hours ago, John said:

I think there is a little confusion over this (with me as well )

The message regarding using Baader Optical Wonder for cleaning mirrors has always been ambiguous so we play safe - we say it 'isn't' suitable.

There is some concern the alcohol in Optical Wonder might remove the mirror's protective Silicon Dioxide overcoat (Synta, aka Sky-Watcher & Celestron, apply the overcoat during manufacture to prevent the mirror surface tarnishing). 

13 hours ago, John said:

I think this is an area that needs some clarification perhaps ?

We will try to obtain a definitive answer, if we succeed we'll post it here  

HTH, 

Steve 

[faulksy]

13 hours ago, Pig said:

Refractors are the answer ?

you won't be saying that in a couple of weeks when you through yours in the hedge