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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Denatured alcohol to clean port glass
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 09-03-2009 01:39 PM
No scientific proof, but on optical glass that is coated, which all good port glass is, I would think newspaper is a bit too abrasive -- after all your are rubbing trees soaked in ink on it. At least it's pretty abrasive before it gets good and soaked.
I would be afraid newspaper, given what it's made of could damage the delicate microcoating, but again, that's just my gut, nothing scientific. I've got a big plastic bag of cloth rags mostly old tee-shirts that I collect as they become worn. I've stored up more than I'll ever use in a lifetime. I use regular lens cleaner and the tee-shirt cloth. I figure if the cleaner is not harmful to coated lenses, it won't be harmful to coated optical port glass. I put it in a spray bottle and just lightly coat the glass where the image passes and then gently wipe clean -- around the rest of the glass if it needs it, I use windex, but again with a cloth wipe.
BTW, I have tried both expensive coated optical glass for the projector port and also Lexan plexiglass and haven't been able to detect any difference at all between the two either in brightness or resolution using the resolution test film. As for the impact of color from plexi, I don't have any instrumentation that can determine that, but to my eye, the white remains as white with the plexi in as it does with it out. That's good enuf for me if the eye can't detect any change. And Lexan is MUCH cheaper than coated optical glass. When you have big ports like we have, using plexi makes a substantial difference.
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Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 09-05-2009 10:22 AM
For regular port glass...
Windex. Regular, old Windex.
NOT "Potpourri Scented!"
NOT "Lemon Powered!"
NOT "Environmentally Friendly!"
Capital "W". Small "i". Small "n". Small "d". Small "e". Small "x".
Windex! Plain, old, no-frills, blue and comes in a clear plastic bottle with red letters on the label!
Windex! Costs $1.99 at the grocery store.
Just plain, old WINDEX!
***
That is the spiel I had to use after about six months of being in charge of field service at my old job!
The kids would ask what to buy and I would simply say, "Windex" but they would come back with all sorts of odd concoctions! They came back with these "Fresh scent" and "Super Lemon Concentrated" or "Environmental Formula" bottles of crap that did nothing but streak up the windows.
Or, what's worse... They'd go to the hardware store and come back with all manner of chemical cocktails, ranging from paint thinner, to naptha, denatured alcohol and, in one case a kid came back with a container of M.E.K!
If you have optically coated windows, use whatever the manufacturer recommends to clean them with. But, for the run-of-the-mill port windows I've seen in 90% of theaters, there's nothing more effective for the price. There's nothing cheaper and easier to obtain and there is certainly nothing safer to use than Windex.
Just use Windex!
I also agree with those above who say it's not as important WHAT you clean with but HOW you clean.
You can clean with a cloth rag. You can clean with paper towels from the restroom. You can clean with "Bounty" paper towels. Unless the manufacturer recommends something different, even newspaper will work in many cases.
But the number one thing is to use the correct PROCESS!
- Turn on the light! Don't clean windows in the dark! How can you know if they really are clean?! (Yes! I have seen people do this!
![[Eek!]](eek.gif) ) - Spray a LIGHT mist of cleaner on the window.
- Use your towel/cloth to wipe the entire window in order to distribute the cleaner.
- Wait a few seconds for the cleaner to dissolve the dirt.
- Use the OTHER side of your towel to wipe off all the dirt and liquid. Make sure you wipe in straight lines. It doesn't matter if you go vertically or side-to-side. Just do it consistently, in an even pattern that doesn't miss any spots.
- Be sure to get the edges and corners!
- Take ANOTHER clean, dry towel/cloth and wipe the glass until it is COMPLETELY DRY! Polish it well! This is where you get the glass really clean!
- When you are done, take your flashlight... (You work in a theater! You have a flashlight in your back pocket! DON'T YOU?!)... Take your flashlight and shine in on the window from an angle to see if there are any streaks or dust specks left behind.
- If the window is not satisfactorily clean, you might have to repeat the cleaning!
- In the case where there is oil on the window from the projector, you might have to clean the window two or even three times to get it really clean!
For me, it is Windex and disposable paper towels.
If the equipment manufacturer specifies something else, go with that.
But, 90% of the time it is PROCESS over products!
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