Washin Canada Balsam?

[Mark Sawyer]

I recently received a quarter-pound of Canada Balsam (mostly powder) from Surplus Shed. In the instructions, it said to wash it in cold water before dissolving it in xylene. Should I just put it in cold distilled water, shake it a minute or two, let it settle pour off the excess, and let it air-dry as dust-free as possible?

[Nodda Duma]

I bought some of that stuff, too. The instructions are for the big solid chunks they used to sell. This powder stuff is almost unworkable.

I dissolved mine in Xylene (about double the Xylene needed for cement) , then let contaminants settle and then filtered it, then let xylene evaporate over time to the proper ratio xylene/balsam for optical cement. So weigh your dust and your xylene before you mix so you know what you have.

[pgk]

..... to the proper ratio xylene/balsam for optical cement. .....

What is the proper ratio?

[Mark Sawyer]

The instructions ay 1:1, presumably by weight. Think I'll dissolve mine in the proper amount, and see how it looks. If needed, I can add more xylene to thin, then filter and evaporate. Or let it settle and just draw from the top as needed.