>
> >Franny Drobny wrote:
> >So, in short, I baked my binoculars to get rid of the water and it worke=
> d.
> Does
> >anyone know if per chance I have somehow permanently ruined them in othe=
> r
> ways? =
>
> >For example, that they'll probably disintegrate within 6 months because =
> of
> this?
>
> I have broken (albeit not baked) my binoculars in the past, and found Clo=
> se
> Scientific Instruments =
>
> in Seattle to be a great resource for binocular repair. They not only
> repaired, but first let me know
> if they thought they were worth repairing. Since they also sell
> binoculars and could have =
>
> told me to buy a new pair, I felt I was getting honest service. So if yo=
> u
> want to "confess" your
> solution to a professional, maybe they can give you a prognosis. Close
> Scientific is a small
> storefront at 2316 4th in Seattle, 206-728-2121. =
>
>
> Marlene Penry
> Seattle, WA
> mpenry at compuserve.com =
>
>
Hi Marlene,

I'm of the opinion that Mr. Close makes his living repairing more
expensive instruments than binoculars, and they (bino's) are an
interuption to his real biz. Try me here at Orion Telescope (408)
763-7006 Watsonville CA. I'm only cranky on Mondays.

As for your oven treatment, I beg the listning audience NOT to do this!
With over 22 years of servicing binoculars, here's why.
1). Most binoculars use a tree sap called Canadian balsaam to cement the
two optical elements used both in the eyepiece and objective lens
assembly(s) together. Heat is used to de-laminate these optics!
2). Whether your glass has leather, rubber, or some type of synthetic
covering, most are not ready for the temperature dished out by ovens.
3). Grease, used to lubricate the moving parts of your glass starts to run
and can get on your optics if subjected to extremely high temps.
4). Once even condensation let alone water dries on your internal optics,
they will never look quite as good as they once did. The light path
through your glass relies on "total internal reflection" to do what it does.
Any contact of any substance will interfere with these physical laws, and
render them not quite as good as they were. An example of this affect can
be seen by looking through a glass backwards, holding it away from your
face by one-half an arm's length. Dried condesation will appear as a
uniform haze, while dried water drops will look exactly like dried water
drops.

Dunked bino's are called "swimmers", and do require lots of time to
service, hence more of your dollars to repair. As for passing judgment on
a birder by the dollars spent on their glass, that is rediculous!! As a
entry-level birder, I swagered up to the bluff overlooking Port Gardner
Bay up in Everett with a new pair of Swarovski's thinking I was some kinda
birder till this petite older lady so graciously pointed out all the birds
I was missing with her old crummy Tasco's. Dollars can't out do experience!
But she did really like my Swarovski's!



Cory Suddarth
Watsonville CA.
corys at oriontel.com