I live in the UK and it seems very hard to get here - many sites seem to have it but will only sell to businesses or schools. Anyone know a good source? Thanks!
I live in the UK and it seems very hard to get here - many sites seem to have it but will only sell to businesses or schools. Anyone know a good source? Thanks!
I've never purchased this, but with a quick search, it appears to be widely available in the US. They sure don't give it away, though. Art stores and Merck pop up.
For UK, I see these at the top of the list and more to follow:
https://www.supremepaint.co.uk/produ...a-balsam-100ml
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162580633469
I saw the ebay listing, unfortunately they won't ship to the UK. Probably a good source for other people here that are looking for Canada Balsam though.
Also I'm not certain the Canada Balsam you can get from art supply places is the right stuff for re-cementing lens elements, it seems always to have a yellow tint to it, while the stuff advertised as 'for microscopy' on chemical supply sites is clear.
It appears that the more reasonably priced “hobby” suppliers seem to have “dried up” in the last few years. They existed alongside the more commercial sources which now obviously exploit the situation to increase their profit margin. But perhaps it is like maple sirup with good and poor harvest years.
Balsam always a yellowish tinge, which is exaggerated in a clear bottle. I have never seen any colour when applied.
I read one place that the color goes away as it dries. And as Steven noted, it is probably so thin as to not carry any significant tint.
When I was looking for it, I only found the synthetic variant "Entellan" (there are other brands). It is used for mounting microscope slides and I found it at a shop for scientific school equiment. Finding xylene to dillute is was less easy. Tried a few times to use it but I found it a complete mess to work with.
Expert in non-working solutions.
Xylene and xylol are the same aromatic compound. They are unspecified isomers of dimethylbenzene. Perhaps, toluene (mono methylbenzene) would work. These compounds should be handled with great respect - preferably outside or with mechanical ventilation.
I found this to-day.
https://www.supremepaint.co.uk/produ...a-balsam-100ml
Expensive, but perhaps a UK purchaser could split up into 10ml portions and sell through LFPF. 10ml is enough for at least 5 lenses.
Were I'm from Canada Balm, of high quality is find in art supply shops, astroshops and chemicals shops, e.t.c.. E.G. : https://polymed.ro/balsam-canada.html https://www.skywatcher.ro/microscoap...on-cu-6ml.html
I think if you surf the web you will find a lot of shops much closer to you.
* I keep mine in the freezer, is been there for aprox... 5 years or longer.
*Don't forget to mark the lens if you don't have proper optical testing equipment.
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