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Anti-static dusters?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 13th 14, 10:47 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Paul Ciszek
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Posts: 244
Default Anti-static dusters?

I have had some trouble keeping my lenses and filters dust-free. The
various micro-fiber cloths--and I have tried a lot of different ones--
leave tons of lint behind, if you bother to look with a bright, narrow-
beam flashlight. The various aerosol dusters, even the ones sold in
camera stores, leave a residue behind. The squeeze-bulb dusters can't
blow with enough force to remove the lint, but I think that electrostatic
attraction may have something to do with that. You used to be able to
buy a squeeze bulb duster with a brush and a bit of polonium on the end;
the radioactive decay of the polonium would ionize the air around the
tip and reduce static. Of course, they don't sell those anymore, and
any old ones would have gone through too many half-lives to be useful.
Are there any modern alternatives?

--
Money is Speech
Corporations are People
Ignorance is Strength

  #3  
Old April 13th 14, 02:05 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Savageduck[_3_]
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Posts: 16,487
Default Anti-static dusters?

On 2014-04-13 09:47:42 +0000, (Paul Ciszek) said:

I have had some trouble keeping my lenses and filters dust-free. The
various micro-fiber cloths--and I have tried a lot of different ones--
leave tons of lint behind, if you bother to look with a bright, narrow-
beam flashlight. The various aerosol dusters, even the ones sold in
camera stores, leave a residue behind. The squeeze-bulb dusters can't
blow with enough force to remove the lint, but I think that electrostatic
attraction may have something to do with that. You used to be able to
buy a squeeze bulb duster with a brush and a bit of polonium on the end;
the radioactive decay of the polonium would ionize the air around the
tip and reduce static. Of course, they don't sell those anymore, and
any old ones would have gone through too many half-lives to be useful.
Are there any modern alternatives?


Yup! I still have one of those, bought around 1980-83 packed away with
my various turntable accessories. ;-)

There are good lint free cloths, and a good recommendation are always PEC pads.

Also a good combination is a Giotto's Rocket bulb blower(puffer) and a
soft 1''-2'' brush. Use the blower to blow off any loose dust. Then
with a clean brush (free of oil from fingers etc.) start by applying a
few puffs from the blower to the bristles. This does two things, first
removing any dust on the bristles, second applying a negative charge to
the bristles. Now brush off any persistent dust from your lens and
camera body, stopping frequently to reblow the brush to clean off
collected dust and recharge. Be careful not to touch the bristles with
your greasy fingers.

For antistatic and heavier dust removal try these guys, they are a good
source of cloths & brushes, even an ionizing air gun:
http://www.kinetronics.com
http://www.kinetronics.com/store/photoproducts.html
I have a couple of their "Tiger cloth" lint free antistatic cloths abd
a couple of their brushes.
http://kinetronics.com/store/tiger.html
http://kinetronics.com/store/wisk1.html
....and one of these kits is handy to have in your bag
http://kinetronics.com/store/DigitalCameraCK.html

For other cleaning supplies I usually go to Micro-Tools, which has US
and European store fronts, & Photographic Solutions
http://www.micro-tools.com

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/~/C...-Supplies.aspx

http://photosol.com

--
Regards,

Savageduck

  #4  
Old April 13th 14, 02:35 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Scott Schuckert
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Posts: 368
Default Anti-static dusters?

In article , J. Clarke
wrote:

You can buy new polonium dusters from Adorama for a hundred bucks or so.
The refills are also available (they're rated for 5 years). One of the
Amazon reviewers got a brush that was only 90 days away from its
expiration though, so buyer beware.


Good Lord, over $100 for the 1"size? I used to sell those in my camera
shop for about twelve dollars in the early 80's! I looked up the
manufacturer's web page - they're still in business, to my surprise -
and the current version of the product says it should be replaced every
18 months, and are therefore freshly made to order.

I remember the 80's ones being rated for several years.
  #5  
Old April 14th 14, 07:34 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Sandman
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Posts: 5,467
Default Anti-static dusters?

In article , Scott Schuckert wrote:

J. Clarke:
You can buy new polonium dusters from Adorama for a hundred bucks
or so. The refills are also available (they're rated for 5 years).
One of the Amazon reviewers got a brush that was only 90 days
away from its expiration though, so buyer beware.


Good Lord, over $100 for the 1"size? I used to sell those in my
camera shop for about twelve dollars in the early 80's!


Well, $12 in 1980 is $37 today! If you sold it for $12 in 1970, it would be
$78 today!




--
Sandman[.net]
 




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