SCT corrector plate cleaning

[beren]

Finally took the plunge and cleaned my scopes corrector plate yesterday , a task ive been dreading for ages . Used the method described here http://www.arksky.org/asoclean.htm , i purchased the cleaning fluid instead of making some up through Bintel that stocks it as UTHC Cleaning Solution . Like the method desribed i used a wide angle cut camel hair brush for intial gentle dusting but instaed of pads i used just kleenex 4 ply white tissues that can be found at the supermarkets and are in a soft travel pack . These tissues are nicely folded and after the dusting i just kept the tissue in its floded state and lightly sprayed one end and then gently with just the pressure to keep the tissue on the surfacre of the CP i glided in one direction only . Replacing a tissue after each run and dividing the CP into quandrats i eventually finished , after each run to i went over with a dry tissue to to collect any fliud deposits keeping the movemnt in one direction only.
Before i started the CP had a uniform amount of dust along the surface , frustrating because im pretty diligent with covering up etc . i think a factor in the dust build up was my scopes exposure to some heavy dew when i didnt have dew control equipment when i first recived it . But now the CP has come up very well , missed a couple of small spots around the secondary housing but it looks like its just come out of the box ....sweet. Its not as daunting as you would think and im glad i finally did it.

[RAJAH235]

Beren, Just to relay a piece of info. I got a few weeks ago from an optometrist. It is NOT adviseable to use tissues of any type to clean any optical equipment as they are all cellulose,(plant/wood) based, & as such will scratch the surface coatings. It's O.K. to use them to soak up the last drops,but not to clean the optics. I bought a lens cleaning cloth from her, for cleaning my E/Pcs. $3.00 + $3.00 for some cleaning fluid.
I also use a blower brush to chase the droplets off the mirror. Blower only, of course.
Sorry If this worries anyone but ........
Just the facts m'am. :D L.

[h0ughy]

I have also bought the Bintel UHTC snake oil and it cures all your optical woes. But I use a few microfibre optical lens cleaning cloths that I got from OPSM. They cost about $7 each and afterward I wash them in warm slightly soapy water the clean them and then let them dry. The cloths are excellent, no streaks or residue. I might add that I haven't cleaned my optics for quite some time, and will be done some time in the next few weeks when I can get some new Bintel snake oil.

But it only makes sense that a coating will be rubbed off with over rubbing, and the more you clean it , the more coating will degrade. But then so does our eyesight! So eventually once we have removed all of the coating we will throw away the scope and get a new Ritchey Chrétian($$$$$$$) and all of our troubles will be cured. Built in dew heater!:D

[rumples riot]

Hey Stuart, Peter and myself cleaned my CP a couple of weeks ago and it is dirty again, not as bad as it was but still starting to accumulate dirt. When we cleaned it Peter made a comment that hold pretty true. That the CP is a magnet for dirt. It seems no sooner do you clean it than dust is leaping onto it.

I suspect that the coating is a lot tougher than we are lead to believe, so severeal cleans a year for ten years would no doubt see the coating degrade at which point you just send the scope back and get them to recoat it. Or buy the RCX.