Seek Thermal Lens Repair

[IwuzBornanerd]

DO NOT apply superglue anywhere near the lens. Very bad idea as the cyano glue vents nasty gases and causes residues to form on the lens. Remember the lens is coated so removing such contamination is very risky.

Use only low vapour glues near lenses. ...

Fraser

Should I expect the same sort of crud to come out of the solvent based "plastic weld" products that soften the plastic in order to bond it to itself rather than glue pieces together?  I have been using such an "adhesive" containing Methyl Ethyl Ketone to bond styrene parts together to make housings for things such as a Raspberry Pi and I have been considering using it to make lens mounts for ZnSe lenses for the Seek.  If the stuff is going to emit such slime I'd best stick with the rolled paper & cardboard I have used on webcams in the past and deal with the associated paper dust. 

I'm also preparing to house a Pi Zero in a case with batteries & turn it into a "Seek Reveal".  The lens will be about 12mm away outside of that case when attached.  I hate to have that be hazardous.

[Fraser]

I use plastic weld solvent all the time. It is safe to use in lens housing construction. It's only issue for me is it's very watery consistency that flows quickly to places you do not want it ! I apply it with a small brush and via a syringe fitted with a very fine needle. The plastic weld solvent is pretty pure and when it evaporates it leaves no residues. Think of it like Acetone.

Cyano' glue is well known for its outgassing and coating of surrounding surfaces with a white haze. There are low gas versions of Cyano' glue but all suffer with the issue to some extent.

Fraser

[LesioQ]

My expirience shows that also silicones (at least vinegar smelling ones) emit vapors prone to deposition on optics.
I like Norland UV curing glue (from Edmund).
https://www.norlandprod.com/adhesiveindex2.html

[IwuzBornanerd]

While we are talking about crud getting on the lenses, it seems like the question also should be asked:

 Is there a good, proper, safe way to clean such stuff off of these IR lenses?

[Fraser]

If you look in my 'FLIR E4 Useful information' thread I think you will find advice there.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-the-useful-information-thread/msg332104/#msg332104

Fraser

[IwuzBornanerd]

If you look in my 'FLIR E4 Useful information' thread I think you will find advice there.

Fraser

On several matters, yes.  Thank you.

[LesioQ]

Does anyone have a spare Seek Compact lens for sale ?
Can be used/abused, if pricing reflects this.
Piotr

[Uho]

Does anyone have a spare Seek Compact lens for sale ?
Can be used/abused, if pricing reflects this.
Piotr

For what generation of thermal imager do you need a lens? The lens design is different.

[LesioQ]

I have a Compact XR cam with focusing thread.
Would prefer regular Compact (wider) lens though.
Being a DIY-er,  currently I'm using a single tiny Ge lens from eBay, but image periphery is greatly distorted.
This means anything would be interesting to me, not only a direct replacement lens 

[Uho]

I have such a lens.

[Uho]

More photos

[LesioQ]

The lens is mounted and working great.
I also noticed that if the lens focusing rotation wasn't limited to <1 turn, it would be able to focus like marco lens - at very close distance.
This can be accomplished with a small sharp knife or a dremel tool, by getting rid of a protrusion/detent at the inside of outer rotating frame/grip.