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G3bill
Tinkerer
Username: G3bill
Post Number: 44
Registered: 12-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 01:09 am: | 
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Thought I'd try and find a can of Naphtha for cleaning the lenses. As long as I have a few that are in need of help I ordered a quart on line to have my money refunded? I assume it was because of not being able to ship to California, yes we're still part of the USA. I asked my cousins husband that house paints and his shop had it. Only thing is its labeled "V.M. & P NAPHTHA" I emailed the company and no reply on what the V.M.& P. stands for? Any thoughts if its ok for camera & lens cleaning to remove oil? |
Msiegel
Tinkerer
Username: Msiegel
Post Number: 321
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 07:03 am: |
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VM&P stands for Varnish Makers & Painters Naphta.
I cannot tell if it safe to use on camera parts, especially on plastic parts or painted ones, as we don't have that specific type under that name here in Austria.
Ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid are said to work fine also Coleman fuel IIRC.
Have a look here - maybe that helps a little:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha
I guess some of the other members here can help better.
Best regards
Martin |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 460
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 09:13 am: |
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Haven't gone to the hardware to see what they have in naptha, but I usually just use Ronsonol since it comes in a smaller size with a nice pour tip. Makes it easier to use just the amount you need.
PF |
Fidji
Tinkerer
Username: Fidji
Post Number: 21
Registered: 12-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 09:26 am: |
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I believe Naptha comes in different grades and is made from different substances.The petroleum naptha made for lighter fuel is perfectly safe on cameras and lenses,but I don't use it on SLR freznel screens made of plastic.It will remove some paints if rubbed in hard enough,but most are safe enough.
The grade you have may be different as it has uses in the paint industry,so I would hesitate using it.
Ronosol and other makes of lighter fuel are safe and easy to buy in small cans,so I would stick to them. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 1049
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 10:05 am: |
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As many have already stated over the years, lighter fluid is the best bet - small can with a nice fine spout. If things are similar over the pond, the VM&P is the same as our 'paint/varnish grade' pure petroleum feed stock solvent naphtha. This distinguishes it from the industrial cleaning solvents - usually based on reclaimed feed stocks that can contain ketones and traces of methylene chloride in some instances.
Just try rubbing some of the stuff on a piece of styrene plastic, a small area of well aged domestic paint (try the lounge door, the missus won't mind!) and a varnished cabinet surface, then see if the surfaces pick up. If the cloth only removes dirt the solvent will be OK for our uses on lenses and camera mechanisms. |
G3bill
Tinkerer
Username: G3bill
Post Number: 45
Registered: 12-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 02:51 pm: |
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Thanks for the input all, and I'll do the tests. My first thought was the ligter fluid was running out and kinda pricey at the corner drug store. My cousin picked a gallon of it up for $15 as thats the only size stocked at his paint shop. I knew he shouldn't have bought it with the VM&P on the can but wasn't going to ask to return it. If it doesn't test out I'll order the plain label one on the internet and have it sent to a relitives in Arizona, its getting hard to do anything any more with all the EPA regulations and think Ca is the worst. BTW no Mrs here, she was a Gold digger kept now by another fool,lol
ps. I'm glad to finally know what this means: "VM&P stands for Varnish Makers & Painters Naphta." Thanks!
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Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 126
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 07:10 pm: |
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An often mentioned alternative is Coleman Camping fuel. I don't know if that is available in CA or not. It is naptha based and I believe is very close to lighter fluid. Hopefully some others will relate their experiences with it. |
G3bill
Tinkerer
Username: G3bill
Post Number: 46
Registered: 12-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2013 - 09:46 pm: |
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I read that also, (I read on a forum coleman is 95% naphtha ?) and yes think its avalible here, don't know if its cheaper than I paid for the Naphtha?. I tried glenns test and the VM&P didn't remove paint or varnish, I didn't have styrene so might do that test tomorrow. Seems the same as the lighter fluid though. I put a drop of each on q-tips and they burned the same with same color, size and all. I put a few drops on two small pieces of paper towel and smell was different, maybe cause of the age of the lighter fluid being over 20 years, could that do it:-) after a half hour could smell a trace of the lighter fluid but not the new Naphtha. Think the only way to know for sure is to try a bit on the camera paint somewhere inside the body or lens in a crevice. |
G3bill
Tinkerer
Username: G3bill
Post Number: 47
Registered: 12-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 13, 2013 - 03:26 pm: |
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Update; after testing the vm&p naphtha on paint and varnish I tried a test on the lower area of camera near mount and didn't remove any (flat black) paint, dried as lighter fluid does without any sign of residue. Then I cleaned some oil from the inners and no problem. Still haven't tried the plastic or styrene test but think that will prove negitive also. Thanks for the help! |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1274
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 13, 2013 - 04:07 pm: |
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VM&P Naphtha is the same stuff as lighter fluid. It is safe on all plastics that I've tried it on (which is quite a lot), I'd judge it to be safer than any other effective degreasing solvent. It will take off some inks though (including the shutter speed scale in the viewfinder of an Olympus OM2. Please don't ask how I know.) |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 136
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 06:25 pm: |
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Someone sniffing the Naptha? |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 490
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 08:02 pm: |
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It's been taken care of, Denny.
PF |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 137
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2013 - 04:48 pm: |
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Just to make sure - My previous comment was about a posting that is no longer visible. It definetly was not about any of the comments currently visible.
Thanks PF |
Prasanna
Tinkerer
Username: Prasanna
Post Number: 89
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2013 - 08:59 pm: |
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For lenses I would prefer to use Household Ammonia plus detergent or soap for removing grease and grime, followed by a clean with distilled or filtered water. Water based solvents are safer.
Naphtha is an Omnibus name for mineral spirits. Naphtha comes in different combinations, as mentioned above. If it contains Xylene or Xylol then it will remove paint on the body of the lens. So take care using any that may contain Xylene. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1280
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 06:35 am: |
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Proper Naphtha is a light paraffin in the octane/nonane range. It is not a blend of solvents. However, the nomenclature is a real problem, as Prasanna suggests. The name has a different meaning everywhere you go, and I have not found a reliable (and understandable) word for it to explain just what it is. This is the main reason for the constant references to Zippo and Ronsonol lighter fluids, Coleman camp stove fuel, etc. You are not likely to find the term "n-nonane" on the can label, even though that is what you would really like to know. |
Jagstang
Tinkerer
Username: Jagstang
Post Number: 7
Registered: 01-2013
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 06:34 pm: |
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So in terms "naphtha", is Ronsonol one of the safer ones to use given it's referenced here? I only used it to help bring a stuck shutter in my Yashica 635 back to life, but just want to make sure it won't make deposits of something given it's based on paraffin. |
Nickon51
Tinkerer
Username: Nickon51
Post Number: 157
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 09:29 pm: |
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Shellite is what I use for shutters here in Oz. It's lighter fluid, "ronsonol", "naptha" etc. Its one of the safer of the petroleum based solvents, not that any of them are completely safe. Restrict its use to degreasing and dissolving old petroluem oils and greases. It works fine on shutters, wind-on levers and links etc. Keep it away from lenses, plastic, leatherette. I haven't seen any damage to those items from Shellite, but there are better cleaners to use out there.
My answer to your question is no, it wouldn't be my solvent of choice for lenses. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1281
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 10:41 pm: |
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Jagstang: Yes, Ronsonol is safe, high quality naphtha. It will not leave deposits. If there are deposits after using it, they are not from the naphtha but old oils that have not been completely cleaned away. |
Finnegan
Tinkerer
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 264
Registered: 09-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 24, 2013 - 11:04 am: |
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Regarding G3's mention of a different smell of 20 year old lighter fluid: lighter fluid takes on a sort "woody" smell when it has aged a long time. I buy most of my lighter fluid at estate sales and, occasionally, get some "vintage" cans of Ronsonol. I don't like the "old" smell but it works anyway. |
