17 replies to this topic

[jragsdale]

I just picked up this older Unitron scope that had been in storage at the Western Oregon University for many years. The scope is in great condition but some of the rings have these deposits on them. At first I thought spider as they're fairly common on old things but there's no hint of spider webs and spider droppings are usually more consolidated and a mixture of white and black. I tried searching online but no luck, the only things suggested were silverfish and booklice, but I'm not familiar with either of those. Anyone else ever come across this? It's stubborn to clean off, but I can scrape the deposits off with a fingernail then clean any remaining residue with "Bird & Spider Stain Remover" that I picked up to try on this one.

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[pretyro]

I think they might be insect egg sacs, at least the remainder (sort of a dry proteinaceous structure perhaps with some chitin).  It won't dissolve easily (well, maybe hot HCl for a couple hours will help).  Your approach is better though -- scrap them off with you finger nail then wipe the surface.

[deSitter]

They look like fly specks. When I had my 5" out in Idaho, flies were everywhere because of nearby ranches, and for some reason they were attracted to my scope. They left specks everywhere - it was particularly hard to remove them from the stainless steel rod of my tube balance system. (Really, you cannot believe the number of flies around in grassy lowlands out west..)

 

-drl

[Senex Bibax]

Looks like it has lice

Edited by Senex Bibax, 29 April 2025 - 07:47 AM.

[NinePlanets]

If they were darker brown I'd call them cockroach poop.

[jragsdale]

They look like fly specks. When I had my 5" out in Idaho, flies were everywhere because of nearby ranches, and for some reason they were attracted to my scope. They left specks everywhere - it was particularly hard to remove them from the stainless steel rod of my tube balance system. (Really, you cannot believe the number of flies around in grassy lowlands out west..)

 

-drl

Yeah, I live in Idaho and I do know how bad the flys can be in some places so I'm familiar with their patterns. I considered flys but it's too consistent in size and much smaller than typical fly "spots".

 

I like the insect egg sac suggestion, that seems possible. They are in weird positions and in very small crevices so I assume the insect that did this was very small.

[NinePlanets]

I worked in a factory for a while that refurbished electronic items that had typically been used in unkempt housing conditions (for want of nicer way to say it). These units very often contained hoards of dead or living cockroaches. The circuit boards and insides of the plastic housings were covered with identical specks to those in your photo - in the tiniest of crevices even - though they tended to be dark brown or black in color. Other than the color, I would peg these as cockroach poop. I would know the smell anywhere. Look for small bean-shaped things that are much larger than the poop specks. Those are the egg cases that contain as many as 40 eggs.

 

If not cockroaches, these are the poop of a similar kind of bug  I can almost guarantee it. Maybe silverfish, but I'm not familiar with their poop.  

Edited by NinePlanets, 29 April 2025 - 09:13 AM.

[deSitter]

I worked in a factory for a while that refurbished electronic items that had typically been used in unkempt housing conditions (for want of nicer way to say it). These units very often contained hoards of dead or living cockroaches. The circuit boards and insides of the plastic housings were covered with identical specks to those in your photo - in the tiniest of crevices even - though they tended to be dark brown or black in color. Other than the color, I would peg these as cockroach poop. I would know the smell anywhere. Look for small bean-shaped things that are much larger than the poop specks. Those are the egg cases that contain as many as 40 eggs.

 

If not cockroaches, these are the poop of a similar kind of bug  I can almost guarantee it. Maybe silverfish, but I'm not familiar with their poop.  

 

Yep, I have seen those in electric clocks, which get toasty warm. And that smell - turns my stomach even to imagine it. At first I thought it was stale machine oil...

 

-drl

[NinePlanets]

Yep, I have seen those in electric clocks, which get toasty warm. And that smell - turns my stomach even to imagine it. At first I thought it was stale machine oil...

 

-drl

 

Yep. You got it!    The poop would tend to concentrate on power transistor or regulator heat sinks and microprocessors (the warmest parts).

 

That smell gets into your nose hairs and you smell it all day long until you wash your nostrils out.  [shudder]

Edited by NinePlanets, 29 April 2025 - 09:35 AM.

[Marcus1]

Glove and mask up with eye protection, not mice poop but why take the risk. Use an old credit card instead of fingernails

[Marcus1]

Is the paint intact under the white things,, not powdery by any chance?

[Marcus1]

Not cockroach poop which is oily brown splotches.

[starman876]

i would use the dishwasher

[jragsdale]

Is the paint intact under the white things,, not powdery by any chance?

Yeah, the paint is perfect underneath, otherwise I would suspect some kind of weird corrosion or mold/mildew.

[Kokatha man]

 (Really, you cannot believe the number of flies around in grassy lowlands out west..)

 

-drl

Try the Oz bush in summer..!    

[Senex Bibax]

Try the Oz bush in summer..!  

Or northern Canada in summer for mosquitoes and black flies

[Senex Bibax]

Yep, I have seen those in electric clocks, which get toasty warm. And that smell - turns my stomach even to imagine it. At first I thought it was stale machine oil...

 

-drl

Even worse, when you pop bread in the toaster, and before it is half done a roach comes scurrying out from under it

[deSitter]

Or northern Canada in summer for mosquitoes and black flies

 

OH yeah - I've had the Minnesota version of this adventure.

 

-drl