Anybody installing trits?

I have a Cryos head with 6 trit slots and I have the 6 vials, just searching for someone that can do the install. Anybody do this type of work?

May want to include your general location?

Also, it is super easy to do. Get some Norland 61 optical glue. Clean the area free of dust and lint with a new toothbrush, and 90% alcohol. Then just glue them in. Next, stick it in the direct sunlight to cure for a few hours. Since you have to do several round areas, take it in stages. I do 2 or 3 slots at a time usually.

Oklahoma, but I'm happy to ship out anywhere. Yeah I've researched this and watched videos about how to do it, and while I feel like I can do it, I'm also not confident that I'd do a perfect job of it. I've seen bubbles and dust being issues for people and I'd rather it just done right.

I fully understand. It is easy to fix if you mess up. I remove them (broken, dim or bubbled) with a dental pick that I heat up red hot or boiling water. Stop by your dentist office and get some old tools. They give them away.

Can you post a pic? I can do it but am in Canada.

Str8stroke said:

I fully understand. It is easy to fix if you mess up. I remove them (broken, dim or bubbled) with a dental pick that I heat up red hot or boiling water. Stop by your dentist office and get some old tools. They give them away.

Click to expand...

Would it be possible for you to go in a bit more detail about how to remove dim/broken trit vials (installed with Norland 61) with a dental pick - using the two methods you mention? thanks much!

gunga said:

Can you post a pic? I can do it but am in Canada.

Click to expand...

I ship there all the time, not a problem! Here's the link to the head I have and need trits installed in: http://www.oveready.com/a-parts/bezels/cryos-cooling-bezel-copper-32-/prod_305.html

phosphor, there are a few methods I use. It depends on the location of the trits and material they are installed in. If you have a HA finish you need to be super careful not to scratch things. The same is also true in Ti of course. Boiling is good option too. I usually use a combination of the hot pick and boiling. But not always depending on if you can't get the item wet. Also when you boil the Norland melts and begins to make a sticky mess. So I caution you there too. Sometimes, I will wrap the item up in that blue painters tape. It helps keep the goo off if it is a lot of Norland I am removing by boiling. I find it helps big time if a black HA and has lots of deep knurling.

But, the most used method for me, is heating a dental pick. I use a small torch and get it glowing red. I gently poke around the norland melting it until I can get the trit out. If you don't have a fine pick, I have used a thick sewing needle locked in some 4" vise grip pliers. Don't put a torch on HA or Ti. It will change the color if you hold it too long. After I pick it out, if I can boil the item, I will. Then I use a tooth pick to scrape all the remaining goo off.
Final step is cleaning with 90% alcohol. Then I inspect under a bright light for lint or debris. Check very carefully. It is easy to overlook leftover gunk. Now I am ready to install the new trits.

Hope that helps folks out.

gunga would do a great job for you. I can also do for you if you want to stick with USA.

Removing Norland, IMO, works best with nail polish remover. Soak the piece in nail polish remover for about 24 hours and it will make the Norland gummy and easy to remove. Never tried the boiling water but it might work as well.

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:

gunga would do a great job for you. I can also do for you if you want to stick with USA.

Removing Norland, IMO, works best with nail polish remover. Soak the piece in nail polish remover for about 24 hours and it will make the Norland gummy and easy to remove. Never tried the boiling water but it might work as well.

Click to expand...

Yes not involving borders does help. PM me an address to ship to. Thanks!

Many thanks; this clarifies the process perfectly!

Str8stroke said:

phosphor, there are a few methods I use. It depends on the location of the trits and material they are installed in. If you have a HA finish you need to be super careful not to scratch things. The same is also true in Ti of course. Boiling is good option too. I usually use a combination of the hot pick and boiling. But not always depending on if you can't get the item wet. Also when you boil the Norland melts and begins to make a sticky mess. So I caution you there too. Sometimes, I will wrap the item up in that blue painters tape. It helps keep the goo off if it is a lot of Norland I am removing by boiling. I find it helps big time if a black HA and has lots of deep knurling.

But, the most used method for me, is heating a dental pick. I use a small torch and get it glowing red. I gently poke around the norland melting it until I can get the trit out. If you don't have a fine pick, I have used a thick sewing needle locked in some 4" vise grip pliers. Don't put a torch on HA or Ti. It will change the color if you hold it too long. After I pick it out, if I can boil the item, I will. Then I use a tooth pick to scrape all the remaining goo off.
Final step is cleaning with 90% alcohol. Then I inspect under a bright light for lint or debris. Check very carefully. It is easy to overlook leftover gunk. Now I am ready to install the new trits.

Hope that helps folks out.

Click to expand...

Many thanks for the suggestion
-- I may experiment on some 'dummy' pieces first on which I allow a blob of Norland to cure for a while before trying to remove it.

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:

gunga would do a great job for you. I can also do for you if you want to stick with USA.

Removing Norland, IMO, works best with nail polish remover. Soak the piece in nail polish remover for about 24 hours and it will make the Norland gummy and easy to remove. Never tried the boiling water but it might work as well.

Click to expand...

Swagg said:

I have a Cryos head with 6 trit slots and I have the 6 vials, just searching for someone that can do the install. Anybody do this type of work?

Click to expand...

Both gunga and Sean have experience with this. You can't go wrong with either of them.

One thing to note about those Cryos heads is that the trits slots are shallow.

phosphor22 said:

Would it be possible for you to go in a bit more detail about how to remove dim/broken trit vials (installed with Norland 61) with a dental pick - using the two methods you mention? thanks much!

Click to expand...

I've used toothpicks after boiling the part. Less likely to accidentally mar the surface.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?408696-UV-Glasses-for-Mc-Gizmo-UV-lights
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...PF-UV-Hazard-Thread-Protect-your-eyes-and-DNA

The sunlight is one option. You can speed things up a bit with a dedicated UV light. "Black light" bulbs don't have the output that's needed, really.

I have sent several grails to Sean and (complex) trit install has always been expertely done! For easy installs like your Cryos bezel, I do them myself with Norland 61 and a UV light - it's easy and fun to try! Plus if you miss you can always boil it and try again

Sunlight is an option - but way to slow. When I first started I was using a blacklight which came with lots of warnings about UV A/B rediation. LOL....... That would take a few hours to set and overnight to really harden and cure it. Then I got a 700mA UV host and this thing will set the Norland in about 5 minutes. But I still prefer to keep the light on for about 20-30 minutes just to make sure the Norland is cured really hard.

I was trying to reinstall one into an optic today, and it popped out of my tweezers, and I can't find it!!!!

*Edit: after typing this I had a look around one more time with my UV light, and I found it on the floor behind me!!!

Glad you didn't step on it, man!

I think Norland has a chemical to melt the hardened adhesive, if need be, not 100% certain.

Do yourself a favor and try clear industrial silicone glue easy to,work with, make a mistake, you can start over, vibration proof, so you could drop it without breaking the vial thru the hard Norland.

I had a bead with two vials in them one cracked with the Norland, and I fixed it with the high quality silicone glue, can't tell the difference easy and without all the Norland fuss. It can get knocked around as silicone resists vibration.

Try it on a couple, if you don't like it, then proceed with Norland.

I am not of sold on the company or the product for our Trit vial installs, mostly due to their lack, of a response to UV eve protection questions. They know the risks and don't want to say a word. I also tried about a year ago, and got the same stonewall.

Worth a shot. With silicone you could be done in a half an hour, no UV and all that. More and more I feel Norland is not for us, it is industrial and installing these things in your garage with bad eye protection because no one will comment or talk about it is very risky.

Our hobby is not industrial endeavors, and all the things that come along with that. Read the Norland Web-site, it is in no way a consumer Web-site.

I will still work, on getting an answer, and if I do, I will report it back. I just don't think they want consumers using their products, regardless if they sell them to some of us.

Norland is is a good company, however it is for industrial use not hobbyists.

Best of luck.

PS...nail polish works too, and you can get if out if you have to change a vial.

You say that Norland is beyond the use of use hobbyists, yet many of us are trained engineers who are quite capable of reading Material Safety Data Sheets and protecting ourselves properly. Granted Norland was designed for fixing car windshields, glass repair, etc but it's a great product in trained hands.

You recommend the use of "industrial" silicone which comes with it's own risks including vapor inhalation. The stuff can be pretty potent and shouldn't be directly inhaled. From that perspective Norland is safer.

Ultimately use what you are most comfortable with, but Norland is tested and true and likely has the best longevity of the group. Nail Polish, even clear, can darken over time. Silicon is rubbery and can wear over time. Norland sets like glass and is very durable.