Johan Broere
Contributor
I broke my perscription mask again. The lenses are ok, but the scattered mask glas is glued to them. I soaked them in nailpolish remover, but no luck. What should I try next? Thanks, Johan.
How do you un-glue mask lenses ?
- Thread starter Johan Broere
- Start date
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I'd talk to an optician, or the one who originally put the prescription into your mask. Hopefully, there is something you can do. You might want to get one of those plastic mask boxes.
SeaRat
SeaRat
Heat.
Most optical adhesives will soften and release with the use of heat. I use a heat gun, a hairdryer will not put out enough heat, boiling water will do the job.
Drop the lens into a pan of boiling water for a few minutes, carefully remove and you should be able to use a plastic scraper to remove all the shattered pieces quickly.
Most optical adhesives will soften and release with the use of heat. I use a heat gun, a hairdryer will not put out enough heat, boiling water will do the job.
Drop the lens into a pan of boiling water for a few minutes, carefully remove and you should be able to use a plastic scraper to remove all the shattered pieces quickly.
Maybe it is time for contacts? I finally gave up on the lense problem last year. Now I use disposable contacts at about $1.00 a pair. I just toss them after diving and put the glasses back on.
OP
Johan Broere
Contributor
The boiling water did not work on my lenses. Where is the good glue when you need it?
You've got to go hotter than 100-C / 212-F (i.e. boiling water).
You'll need an oven, eye protection and good heat mittens. Be VERY CAREFUL of thermal shock - using a cold metal tool to scrape the remaining plano fragments off the hot Rx lens could cause the Rx lens to SHATTER - EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY! Pre-warm your metal scraper in boiling water.
How hot for the oven? That depends on the adhesive. One widely used brand, Norland Optical Adhesive 61, softens at 125-C / 260-F. Start at 275-F and let the lens and adhesive get to temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
Some newer adhesives perform to much higher temperatures; Master Bond's new MS151 performs up to 205-C / 401-F.
Increase temperature gradually - if you start at a high temperature, but your adhesive would soften at a lower temperature, the adhesive could scorch and might permanently damage your Rx lens! If 275-F doesn't work, move up in 25-degree-F increments and leave time in the oven at each higher increment for the adhesive to soften. If you must go above 275-degrees-F, DO NOT remove a metal tool from boiling water and apply to the hot Rx lens - any water dropping on the lens could cause a shatter - it would be safer to pre-warm the tool over flame. Patience...
You'll need an oven, eye protection and good heat mittens. Be VERY CAREFUL of thermal shock - using a cold metal tool to scrape the remaining plano fragments off the hot Rx lens could cause the Rx lens to SHATTER - EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY! Pre-warm your metal scraper in boiling water.
How hot for the oven? That depends on the adhesive. One widely used brand, Norland Optical Adhesive 61, softens at 125-C / 260-F. Start at 275-F and let the lens and adhesive get to temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
Some newer adhesives perform to much higher temperatures; Master Bond's new MS151 performs up to 205-C / 401-F.
Increase temperature gradually - if you start at a high temperature, but your adhesive would soften at a lower temperature, the adhesive could scorch and might permanently damage your Rx lens! If 275-F doesn't work, move up in 25-degree-F increments and leave time in the oven at each higher increment for the adhesive to soften. If you must go above 275-degrees-F, DO NOT remove a metal tool from boiling water and apply to the hot Rx lens - any water dropping on the lens could cause a shatter - it would be safer to pre-warm the tool over flame. Patience...
BTW, if you accidentally scratch the plano side of your Rx lenses during the above process, don't worry. Minor scratches will be invisible once they're re-glued, as the refractive index of the adhesive is a close match to the lens itself.
OP
Johan Broere
Contributor
The oven did the trick at 275. Great. I had a windshield repair kit laying around with a handy scraper and glue. Thanks, Johan. I can see again.
I had lasek done a few years ago and my old masks with glued in prescription lenses were useless. About a half hour in the toaster oven at 500F did the trick. The prescription lenses fairly slid off off the mask lens. I had to scrape off a little residual glue on one set of lenses with razor blade, no problem. A quick scrub, reinsert lenses into frames and presto! two like new masks! Should have done this years ago.
You might want to try this outside though. I noticed some fumes coming off of the lenses. Nothing terrible but I don't imagine it would do you any good to inhale that stuff.
You might want to try this outside though. I noticed some fumes coming off of the lenses. Nothing terrible but I don't imagine it would do you any good to inhale that stuff.
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