Lens cleaning for laser pointers - tips and instructions by Frank Smith

Lens cleaning for laser pointers - tips and instructions
by: Frank Smith

One of the most common problems you can have with laser pointers and one of the easiest to fix is dirty lens. You can tell the lens is dirty when the beam point is spotted or out of shape instead of the normal small tight circle.

There are many ways to clean the lens of a laser pointer such as q tips, microfibre, cotton buds and alcohol solution. Some of these may work, others will not but they all run the risk of damaging the lens. There are only two methods of cleaning lens that work well AND will not damage the lens. Those two methods are using compressed air and using professional lens cleaning tools such as a lenspen.

Compressed air and lenspens

The most common sources of compressed air are cans of compressed air and hand pumps or squeeze bulbs. The main criteria for compressed air sources is the air must be clean and dry. This is one reason why blowing on the lens is not recommended.

The best professional lens cleaning tools are lens pens from the company lenspens http://www.lenspen.com These lens cleaning tools are safe and suitable because they are designed to clean fragile precision optics such as camera lens.

Instructions

Safety is always an issue with high powered laser pointers so the first thing you do before cleaning the lens is remove the batteries from the laser. After removing the batteries, leave the battery end cap off as an extra precaution.

Compressed air will be able to clean 90% of lens so try using compressed air first. Gently unscrew the lens cap and with the nozzle held two to three centimeters away from the laser, direct a flow of air onto the lens for several seconds.

Install the batteries in the laser and test the beam. It should now be clean. If it is not, remove the batteries again and use the lenspen.

First gently use the brush of the lenspen to brush dirt and debris off the lens then use the pad on the other end of the lenspen on the laser pointer lens for several seconds to clean and polish the lens.

By the end of this process, then lens will have been thoroughly cleaned. If there is still a problem with the beam point or beam, it may be due to damaged lens.

Article is courtesy of Dragonlasers - No 1 lasers, laser pointer and green laser online store