Cheap and cheerful cleaner!

[Brendan of Borg]

Howdy,

Looking around for a can of compressed air to clean inside me scope,the prices are like £6!!

Anyone know of cheap alternatives etc...?

Cheers.

[Brendan of Borg]

I only want a quick squirt!!!

[yeti monster]

A hose attached to a bicycle tyre? about 10 psi would be a fair blast I should think.

[brianb]

Do NOT use cans of "compressed air"! What you get is actually butane propellant, not very clean at that - it comes out as a fine mist & will stain optical surfaces. Even worse, by adiabatic cooling the outflow is very cold and can crack delicate optics if sprayed directly on.

The only thing that's worse than a "compressed air" can is a garage airline, there will be an oil mist suspended in the air flow.

A rocket / hurricane blower (large size bulb blower) works well and is safe.

[yeti monster]

Ah, yes, oil mist on glass won't be very nice. BoB had, sort of, implied that he'd only be cleaning the inside of his scope, making me think that it was, perhaps, all stripped down with no optics. Quite right Brianb, better not to introduce further fbs to an instrument, under any circumstances.

[yeti monster]

Do NOT use cans of "compressed air"! What you get is actually butane propellant, not very clean at that -

Not wishing to "start" anything, but is that correct?

[brianb]

Not wishing to "start" anything, but is that correct?

It's some mix of butane, isobutane & propane. Whatever they usually use for aerosol propellant now that CFCs are banned. What it isn't, is air.

[yeti monster]

Sounds rather combustible to me!

[Iris]

It's some mix of butane, isobutane & propane. Whatever they usually use for aerosol propellant now that CFCs are banned. What it isn't, is air.

I made the mistake of using this stuff once and got my optics all stained with some residue. I eventually cleaned it off with the manufacturer's recommended solution of IPA and distilled water.

The can does not specify the actual content but does warn against using it near naked flame or incandescent material and states that it contains 7% by wt flammable ingredients.

Now I use a camel hair brush and hurricane bulb - much better methinks.

[Brendan of Borg]

Wow - what a learning curve for me!! Thank you all for the comments! Think that I will steer clear from the compressed can option! I assumed that it was well safe!!

So these rocket/hurricane blowers are better/safer then??

[Brendan of Borg]

& camel hair brush? Never heard of one!! I assume it's long and does not lose hairs!!!?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Buy a "rocket" blower from any camera shop.

[Brendan of Borg]

Job done! Cheers and... that's all folks!! beep beep.....

[vlebo]

& camel hair brush? Never heard of one!! I assume it's long and does not lose hairs!!!?

I've never seen a camel with it's hair brushed.