jumprightinit
New member
Anyone have a recommendation to a business that refurbishes binoculars? Thanks
Binocular fixer ?
- Thread starter jumprightinit
- Start date
calling_rookie
New member
Doug at Cameraland in New York.
jumprightinit
New member
Originally Posted By: calling_rookieDoug at Cameraland in New York.
Is this the camera-land you were advising on? Thanks
http://cameralandny1.reachlocal.net/equipmentrepairs.html
Is this the camera-land you were advising on? Thanks
http://cameralandny1.reachlocal.net/equipmentrepairs.html
Chapped Lips
New member
that's 2 of us...i have a set of 1968 bushnell custom 7x35 that gave unbelievable clarity & brightness til the center focus froze...anyone,pretty please?....
jumprightinit
New member
I just emailed cameraland, they want $70. to clean them and give an estimate. Given that the estimate is unknown until you put up $ 70. and shipping to and from, for the cleaning I might end up with an estimate that comes close to the $350. I paid originally for them. May be better to just buy new ones.
Martyn4802
New member
Is there anything that's a problem with them now?
If not, you can clean them yourself, saving a whole lot of money.
Prices you got quoted are about par for the course for all aftermarket bino fixers.
If not, you can clean them yourself, saving a whole lot of money.
Prices you got quoted are about par for the course for all aftermarket bino fixers.
Evil_Lurker
New member
Well, if you take them part yourself to clean them, be aware of one thing:
The mirrors they use inside binoculars and microscopes are "first surface" mirrors (often called front surface mirrors).
That means, instead of a coating on the back of the glass (like your bathroom mirror), the coating is applied right to the front surface (the one you need to clean).
It's only a couple of molecules thick, and it's VERY easy to scratch. You're actually cleaning aluminum, instead of glass. Once it's scratched, there's no fixing it.
I've cleaned microscope interior mirrors/lenses, so it's possible, but you need to be in a super clean environment, get everything off with air, and only use lens paper suitable for the job. The mirrors are glued in, and you can soften the glue by getting most any kind of solvent on it.
I fold up a lens tissue (while wearing gloves, so I don't contaminate it with finger oil), them use a foam Q-Tip (pushing the tissue) to wipe the surfaces, using a single drop of Isopropyl on the tissue.
If that doesn't scare you, go for it. I was sweating BB's every time I did it, personally. The microscopes were $11,000 each, though, so I had a lot at risk.
Good luck.
The mirrors they use inside binoculars and microscopes are "first surface" mirrors (often called front surface mirrors).
That means, instead of a coating on the back of the glass (like your bathroom mirror), the coating is applied right to the front surface (the one you need to clean).
It's only a couple of molecules thick, and it's VERY easy to scratch. You're actually cleaning aluminum, instead of glass. Once it's scratched, there's no fixing it.
I've cleaned microscope interior mirrors/lenses, so it's possible, but you need to be in a super clean environment, get everything off with air, and only use lens paper suitable for the job. The mirrors are glued in, and you can soften the glue by getting most any kind of solvent on it.
I fold up a lens tissue (while wearing gloves, so I don't contaminate it with finger oil), them use a foam Q-Tip (pushing the tissue) to wipe the surfaces, using a single drop of Isopropyl on the tissue.
If that doesn't scare you, go for it. I was sweating BB's every time I did it, personally. The microscopes were $11,000 each, though, so I had a lot at risk.
Good luck.
Last edited:
jumprightinit
New member
Originally Posted By: Evil_LurkerWell, if you take them part yourself to clean them, be aware of one thing:
The mirrors they use inside binoculars and microscopes are "first surface" mirrors (often called front surface mirrors).
That means, instead of a coating on the back of the glass (like your bathroom mirror), the coating is applied right to the front surface (the one you need to clean).
It's only a couple of molecules thick, and it's VERY easy to scratch. You're actually cleaning aluminum, instead of glass. Once it's scratched, there's no fixing it.
I've cleaned microscope interior mirrors/lenses, so it's possible, but you need to be in a super clean environment, get everything off with air, and only use lens paper suitable for the job. The mirrors are glued in, and you can soften the glue by getting most any kind of solvent on it.
I fold up a lens tissue (while wearing gloves, so I don't contaminate it with finger oil), them use a foam Q-Tip (pushing the tissue) to wipe the surfaces, using a single drop of Isopropyl on the tissue.
If that doesn't scare you, go for it. I was sweating BB's every time I did it, personally. The microscopes were $11,000 each, though, so I had a lot at risk.
Good luck.
Is there anything that's a problem with them now?
If not, you can clean them yourself, saving a whole lot of money.
Prices you got quoted are about par for the course for all aftermarket bino fixers.
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To begin with there is something loose on the inside that clunks around. They are hard to get both sides focused together. They are 11x80 Swifts, about $350 new.
I did try to take them apart to see if I could fix the clunking but even with jewelers screwdrivers etc I gave up before I thought I was going to wreck them.
The $70. doesn't cover fixing anything and is just for the cleaning and estimate. Might not be worth it. If I had some idea of what the cost of fixing them was before sending them I could make a better decision. Thanks for the replies.
After reading your post Lurker I'm probably better off never having taken them apart
The mirrors they use inside binoculars and microscopes are "first surface" mirrors (often called front surface mirrors).
That means, instead of a coating on the back of the glass (like your bathroom mirror), the coating is applied right to the front surface (the one you need to clean).
It's only a couple of molecules thick, and it's VERY easy to scratch. You're actually cleaning aluminum, instead of glass. Once it's scratched, there's no fixing it.
I've cleaned microscope interior mirrors/lenses, so it's possible, but you need to be in a super clean environment, get everything off with air, and only use lens paper suitable for the job. The mirrors are glued in, and you can soften the glue by getting most any kind of solvent on it.
I fold up a lens tissue (while wearing gloves, so I don't contaminate it with finger oil), them use a foam Q-Tip (pushing the tissue) to wipe the surfaces, using a single drop of Isopropyl on the tissue.
If that doesn't scare you, go for it. I was sweating BB's every time I did it, personally. The microscopes were $11,000 each, though, so I had a lot at risk.
Good luck.
Is there anything that's a problem with them now?
If not, you can clean them yourself, saving a whole lot of money.
Prices you got quoted are about par for the course for all aftermarket bino fixers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To begin with there is something loose on the inside that clunks around. They are hard to get both sides focused together. They are 11x80 Swifts, about $350 new.
I did try to take them apart to see if I could fix the clunking but even with jewelers screwdrivers etc I gave up before I thought I was going to wreck them.
The $70. doesn't cover fixing anything and is just for the cleaning and estimate. Might not be worth it. If I had some idea of what the cost of fixing them was before sending them I could make a better decision. Thanks for the replies.
After reading your post Lurker I'm probably better off never having taken them apart