How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

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Refractordude
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How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#1

Post by Refractordude »


Just ordered another diagonal. The old one has a few scratches among other things. How do you clean your diagonal? I use a blower bulb and then wipe with a Ziess lens cleaner. However, over time still ended up with a few scratches.
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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#2

Post by Bigzmey »


I blow dust off with a hand bulb. Since the surfaces are typically protected by EP or caps, I don't feel the need to use wipes.

On my other optics (EPs, photo lenses) I do use Ziess lens wipes without any issues.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#3

Post by Thefatkitty »


I have a total of two diagonals, an iOptron 99% dielectric with a compression ring, and the star diagonal that came with my old early '80's orange-tube C80, though in the pic it's on my Jason:
diagonal.jpg

When I got the C80, all was good except for the above diagonal. I took it apart and discover in addition to the hazy film on the prism, the black velvet underneath it had literally gone grey with age :lol:

I washed the prism the same way I would a newtonian mirror. Distilled water with some dish soap, a gentle wipe with a cotton ball, and a rinse off with distilled water as well. I replaced the old black velvet with a new piece my wife had in the sewing box. What a difference!

No need to clean my iOptron as I've only had it for a year and a bit. But it may never need cleaning, as the star diagonal gives a darker background and a slightly wider field of view, and hence sees the most use. I know it just has a thumbscrew instead of a compression ring, but my KK's and others are for life, so a few marks on the barrels just means to me "battle-scars"...

I try to clean optics as little as possible. I keep dust covers on scopes, and lenses with caps in cases. Still, poop happens... ;)

All the best,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I guess I am the odd person as usual :)
I clean all of my diagonals once a year using a bulb blower and Zeiss wipes and a microfiber cloth if needed.
Mirrors and prisms are removed from the body and cleaned as well as the case being thoroughly cleaned and checked for paint chips and such.
After cleaning they are checked for alignment with a laser.

Eyepieces are kept capped and in their cases as well and cleaned as required.
I have some with very short eye relief and need to be cleaned after every use.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Refractordude
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Re: How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#5

Post by Refractordude »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 3:45 am I guess I am the odd person as usual :)
I clean all of my diagonals once a year using a bulb blower and Zeiss wipes and a microfiber cloth if needed.
Mirrors and prisms are removed from the body and cleaned as well as the case being thoroughly cleaned and checked for paint chips and such.
After cleaning they are checked for alignment with a laser.

Eyepieces are kept capped and in their cases as well and cleaned as required.
I have some with very short eye relief and need to be cleaned after every use.
I was thinking exactly what you do. After every observation use the bulb blower and put the caps back on. Would like a bit more information on diagonal alignment please.
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pakarinen United States of America
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Re: How Do You Clean Your Diagonal?

#6

Post by pakarinen »


Canned air, followed by 90% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. I'm a barbarian.

OTOH, all my dgnls cost under $100. (I also have an original Celestron that came with my vintage C8 decades ago).
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I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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