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Author Topic: Cleaning Glass Edward Jurich Master Film Handler Posts: 305 From: Las Vegas USA Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-13-2003 01:38 PM                     I've tried different glass cleaners and lense cleaner. But nothing seems to get the glass in the port hole clean, there is always a haze on the glass that the projector shoots through. Anyone got any ideas what to use to clean glass clear.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-13-2003 01:57 PM                     Edward, join the crowd. I came across with some glass cleaner that has been the best I have ever seen or used. I tried it on Brad's screening room windows, and when I finished, the window was spotless with no streaks whatsoever. Brad seemed to be very impressed with it so I gave him what I had left. According to the can it comes in, it has the following chemicals in it. I don't know the mix, but it sure works good. 2-Butoxyethanol (111-76-2) Ethyl Alcohol (64-17-5) Methyl Alcohol (67-56-1) Deionized Water (7732-18-15) Liquefied Petrolium Gas (68476-85-7) Who actually made it - I don't know. It is distributed by an auto glass company out of Bellingham, Washington. The stuff only costs retail about $2.50 for a 19 ounce can.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-13-2003 01:58 PM                     I often get the ZEP concentrated window cleaner (normal dillution is 32:1) and I dillute it 16:1 in hot water and use a squeegy to clean it That removes most scum It is possible you have old glass that is not totally clear Most port should be at least White water float glass  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 09-13-2003 02:23 PM                    It seems like the best thing is to clean with whatever you prefer to remove the actual dirt but then go back and polish away the streaking using a soft cloth like a well worn cotton undershirt or handkerchief. I nearly made a horrible mistake about a month back when I had some sticky dirt on a port and decided the quickest way to remove it would be with a solvent (I think 1-1-1 trichorloethylene but I could misremembering). It easily removed the contaminent but left a huge "altered" area and I thought omigod...I've removed the coating...what was I thinking (this particular port has a coating like a lens). But then a proper conventional cleaning and polishing revealed no difference where the solvent had been so I guess it doesn't take off lens coating after all. Whew! That's the last time I use anything harsher than ordinary glass cleaner or maybe alcohol.  |  IP: Logged Edward Jurich Master Film Handler Posts: 305 From: Las Vegas USA Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-14-2003 08:43 AM                     This glass is less than a year old. There always seems to be some sort of smear film on it. I can make patterns with my fingers, almost like grease. I've tried buffing with a clean cotton cloth but it never comes completely clean. I'll keep trying.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 09-14-2003 10:02 AM                    If there is a greasy film on the glass then you're not going to get anywhere until that is washed off thoroughly. Use a solution of water and a detergent of some kind like dishwashing liquid, clothes washer detergent, Mr. Clean, etc; anything that cuts grease well. Soak a cloth with the water/detergent solution and give it a good scrubbing until you feel it squeaky clean. Then rinse with a cloth soaked in clear water and dry it. NOW go back and clean it again with your favorite glass cleaner and finally polishing it with the well-worn old T-shirt until it's streak free. You're wasting your time until the grease is removed so give it a good washing first.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-14-2003 01:58 PM                     The projectionists can use XeKleen with Webril wipes to clean accidental smudges off the glass. Otherwise they leave the ports alone. I use Glass Wax about once a month on the ports. Glass Wax dries after a few minutes and then you polish it away. I use Webril wipes and then newspaper. Those port glasses just seem to disappear when I clean them like that. The reason the projectionists don't use Glass Wax is they never seem to polish it long enough and too much haze stays behind. Brad would have us all go out and raid McDonald's of their napkins.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-14-2003 09:57 PM                     Just a thought....It makes me scratch my head a little when I see people trying to clean the porthole glass with oily rags used to wipe up projector oil from the floor. I have seen some portholes (and you probably have too) that looks like someone used a milkshake to clean the glass with.  |  IP: Logged Jannette McQueen Film Handler Posts: 50 From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Registered: Sep 2003 posted 09-15-2003 12:27 AM                     Like Gordon McLeod, we have the Zep products at our cinema. For the port glass, we usually use Zep-40 Heavy Duty Glass and All Surface Cleaner and then use the Zep wipes to clean it off. As far as I can see it works really well.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 09-15-2003 08:30 AM                        I always have an image being projected through the port as I clean the glass. Much easier to tell when it is really clean. If you see the image on the port glass, it is still scattering too much light, reducing screen contrast: http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/pytlak/dec99.shtml  |  IP: Logged Edward Jurich Master Film Handler Posts: 305 From: Las Vegas USA Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-15-2003 10:40 AM                     I used lighter fluid to clean the glass and then buffed it out with a cloth baby diaper. It got all the grease junk off and left the class almost completely clear. There is still a slight image on the glass but it's a ton better than it was. I'll try to find some Zep.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 09-15-2003 02:10 PM                        quote: Who actually made it - I don't know. It is distributed by an auto glass company out of Bellingham, Washington. The stuff only costs retail about $2.50 for a 19 ounce can. Do you remember what the stuff is called Paul?  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-15-2003 02:17 PM                     Be sure to keep a camel hair brush around too. There will be times when you just need to remove dust or lint from the glass and the camel hair brush does it without wetting the glass or creating static electricity. Get it a you photo supply store.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 09-15-2003 02:28 PM                     I use a Glass Cleaner called Sprayway Glass Cleaner from Sprayway, Inc. of Addison , Illinois. It using the same chemicals like Paul's stuff in his first post. It's ammonia free and contains no ozone depleting chemicals. The can size is 19oz . This stuff works great , better than any blue juice stuff.  |  IP: Logged Jackson Gilman Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Madison, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 02-29-2004 02:51 AM                     Our port glass is utterly filthy. In our booth, they don't provide for us proper cleaning solvents, unless you consider Windex(tm) a good cleaner...Nay, I have found too many streaks from Windex, but have noticed significant improvement by using the lens cleaner we have upstairs - god forbid when we run out, and are unable to clean not only our glass, but the lenses! (because management definatly won't order any more.) \ Anyhoo, is it the ammonia that creates those streaks on the glass? And if so, then why the hell does Windex claim to be streak free???  |  IP: Logged

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