Quality of, and cleaning, ground glass

[keithostertag]

Two questions:

1) Is there a preferred method to cleaning ground glass? I have been using drugstore isopropyl alcohol (IPA 91%) and a lint-less soft rag, but I have one old GG that stays stubbornly dingy.

2) How to select GG when buying? Especially over Internet... are "brand" names obviously and consistently better? Or can you recommend very good sources? Are there different types (other than markings) to look for?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[keithostertag]

I should have said... I'm asking about cleaning the frosted side.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Glass is fairly inert. The only reagent that will cause immediate damage is hydrofluoric acid. Over a period of months a strong solution of ammonium, sodium or potassium hydroxide will etch it slightly. For the dingy glass first try a commercial glass cleaner. If this does not work then try Bon Ami cleaning powder. This is a mild abrasive containing rotten stone which will not harm the glass.

 

[Alan9940]

1) Wow...guess I've never had a gg so dingy that removing it from the camera and washing in mild dish detergent and water couldn't clean up.

2) I've always liked the Satin Snow gg I've used over the years. I've heard for many years that Bill Maxwell's replacement screens are very nice, but I've never personally used one.

Good luck with the cleaning effort!

Best regards,
AlanH

 

[shutterfinger]

Remove said ground glass from the camera frame. Place it in a pan of warm water and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Put a large drop of dish detergent on the ground glass and rub the ground glass gently with your finger tips, flip the glass over and repeat for the other side. Rinse thoroughly in running water then rinse in a weak Photoflo solution. Stand on edge and air dry or towel dry with a lint free towel.
Always handle a ground glass by the edges. Dawn works well.

 

[removed account4]

Bon Ami. ...

fedlsphar is good stuff !

 

[cowanw]

Just to make a note that Deardorff GG grids will disappear if washed. Perhaps not to the point here, but are there any other makers grids that wash off?

 

[paul_c5x4]

are there any other makers grids that wash off?

Yes. The grid lines on my MPP will wash straight off. It is advisable to do a test in a small area away from the central area.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

I use warm soapy water with gentle circular rubbing and rinse under warm tap water... repeat if necessary. Once completely clean I follow with a rinse of 91 percent isopropyl alcohol. Then wipe the polished side dry, then "pat" the matte side dry. Of course, if there are ink marks that must be removed first this process is preceded with either alcohol, naphtha or acetone to remove the ink first.

 

[snay1345]

Get some worley's wonder. Best glass cleaner on earth. I use it for everything.

 

[removed account4]

the lines of my szabad looked like they vanished ( warm water and dish soap dilute )
but they came back when the glass was dry ..

 

[DREW WILEY]

The best ground glasses I've ever found were the relatively inexpensive hand-ground Satin Snow ones. He's out of business now. But I've installed them on both 4x5 and 8x10 cameras. Allegedly there's another fellow making something similar. Official Sinar ground glass is also
quite nice. But I hate fresnels, period, and never add them to a GG. They make fine focus miserable.

 

[AgX]

Concerning the GG itself: it underlies the laws of optics and there will be no miracle GG.

But there is a GG design best suited for the very situation.

 

[ShannonG]

Ive had a few GG custom made and ground from a guy i found on the internet.but this one is by far the best GG ive used,,,its easy to clean,,spreads the light evenly and the grid doesn't wash off..My custom made GG doesnt spread the light evenly and the grid washed off with the first cleaning..best to spend a little cash from the get go...http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/864099-REG/cambo_99060043_c_43_ruled_ground_glass.html