It's that time of year

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

It's that time of year

Post by Die Judicii » 01 May 2020, 8:08 pm

Alright,,,, it is definitely that time of year where commonly between 2am through till dawn,,,,,,, it is a constant battle to keep the ocular lens dry
and clear to view through.

What product recommendations would you blokes come up with to help solve this ????
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
User avatar
Die Judicii
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3726
Queensland

Re: It's that time of year

Post by straightshooter » 02 May 2020, 7:43 am

Your question aligns with the modern mentality that there is a pill for every ailment.
What is happening is that at some time in the early morning you are going through the 'dew point' unless of course you are in a mist or rain.
The answer is for the scope lenses to be sufficiently warm that water in the air is disinclined to precipitate on the lens.
For example compare breathing onto a cold mirror with breathing onto a warmer mirror.
There are hydrophobic coatings available from welding suppliers or that massive hardware chain that has specials that put lesser operators out of business but gouges on everything else.
The drawback of these coatings is the resulting somewhat distorted image through the scope and that repeated use will eventually cause the fluid to seep by the lens seals causing internal problems in the scope.
Which brings to mind an admonition for any so called "waterproof" optical equipment. Never make any adjustment whatsoever if the instrument is wet.
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking." Sir Joshua Reynolds
straightshooter
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1270
New South Wales

Re: It's that time of year

Post by marksman » 02 May 2020, 11:10 am

if its just dew l will put a neoprene cover on till ready, if its rain l go home
“If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed”. Mark Twain
User avatar
marksman
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3660
Victoria

Re: It's that time of year

Post by pomemax » 02 May 2020, 11:40 am

Experiment time :
Next time you are going out take an old scope with you but on half of the lens paint it with the juice from a potato ( cut spud use a soft brush) or better still if you have 2 old scopes paint one and compare to the unpainted
Dont paint right in to the corners of the lens
changes the surface tension of the lens so water runs off used to do it in cars front window before demisters . never tried
on a scope tho
pomemax
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1165
New South Wales

Re: It's that time of year

Post by Die Judicii » 02 May 2020, 11:55 am

straightshooter wrote:Your question aligns with the modern mentality that there is a pill for every ailment.
What is happening is that at some time in the early morning you are going through the 'dew point' unless of course you are in a mist or rain.
The answer is for the scope lenses to be sufficiently warm that water in the air is disinclined to precipitate on the lens.


Yeah SS,
I'm fully aware of what is happening, and how, and why.
I was however just wondering if,,,,,,, there happens to be a new beaut product that works, works well, and not detrimental to the lens, that I hadn't heard of.

:lol: Praps what I need is a 12v waterproof electric blanket. :thumbsup:
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
User avatar
Die Judicii
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3726
Queensland

Re: It's that time of year

Post by Stix » 02 May 2020, 12:06 pm

pomemax wrote:Experiment time :
Next time you are going out take an old scope with you but on half of the lens paint it with the juice from a potato ( cut spud use a soft brush) or better still if you have 2 old scopes paint one and compare to the unpainted
Dont paint right in to the corners of the lens
changes the surface tension of the lens so water runs off used to do it in cars front window before demisters . never tried
on a scope tho


Nothing like a good layer of starch to clear things up for better vision... :lol:

Sorry pome.. :) :sarcasm:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3675
South Australia

Re: It's that time of year

Post by Blr243 » 02 May 2020, 3:18 pm

First time I went thar hunting in new. Zealand we carried toilet paper and were haveing to dry our
Lenses. every 5 mins it drove me nuts everything in nz is wetter than water ..... tissue paper is probably abrasive and bad for good glass but I was just useing a Nikko sterling gold crown so no matter really .....if u do settle on a cloth that u are confident will cause no damage consider the following idea ......chemical hand warmers or feet warmers , the type we use to sight in our thermal scopes. One of them wrapped in cloth might be ok , perhaps a heated cloth might work better than just a cloth .....last year I hunted for a week every month thru winter but not once had moisture problems
Blr243
Major General
Major General
 
Posts: 4503
Queensland

Re: It's that time of year

Post by Die Judicii » 02 May 2020, 9:34 pm

Blr243 wrote:First time I went thar hunting in new. Zealand we carried toilet paper and were haveing to dry our
Lenses. every 5 mins it drove me nuts everything in nz is wetter than water ..... tissue paper is probably abrasive and bad for good glass but I was just useing a Nikko sterling gold crown so no matter really .....if u do settle on a cloth that u are confident will cause no damage consider the following idea ......chemical hand warmers or feet warmers , the type we use to sight in our thermal scopes. One of them wrapped in cloth might be ok , perhaps a heated cloth might work better than just a cloth .....last year I hunted for a week every month thru winter but not once had moisture problems


Thanks BLR,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, At this time of Covid living you suggest using toilet paper,,,,,, :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
User avatar
Die Judicii
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3726
Queensland


Back to top
 
Return to Scopes, sights and optics