Dew Shield Finished..... Finally

[Mav359]

Last year i started but never finished my Dew Shield.

I bought a hyperstar for my C9.25, i had a dew shield but it wasn't very effective and now i could no longer simply lay my flat field panel on top of the scope so i could take my flats. So i needed to build a dew shield that would first be effective as a dew shield but also hold the weight of my flat field panel.

I had an old astrozap solar filter that was damaged so i decided to start with that. As it attached to the scope using screws it would hold the weight so i took a piece of perspex and cut a disc out and used 16xM4 threaded rod to sit between the two.

Once i had the correct length that the dew shield needed to be i looked to the wrap itself. I used 2 layers of under floor insulation, they sat between two layers of radiator foil backed insulation & that all wrapped between 2 layers water proof canvas.

That was all sewn together (not by me had my old dear do that), i had a loop left in the end which slides onto the rod and velcro fastening strap added.

As a dew shield it was finished and works really really well and as an added bonus it acts as protection against knocks on the hyperstar which is now attached to the correcter plate... win,  however once its on its tight and taking it off i was in danger of moving the scope and ruining alignment so rather then taking it off each time i made a solar filter, lens cap out of cardboard that would attach to the end of the dew shield. I used neodymium magnets on the end of the dew shield and magnetic strips on the lens cap & solar filter. It all seemed to work fine.....

However quickly my attempt to use cardboard ran into an obvious issue... it got wet & water and cardboard don't mix so i had no solar filter and no lens cap. The other issue i had was that the wrap on one side waqs started to fray they way it had been sewn together. I have been using a bin bag on the end of my scope and that wouldn't do. The last issue i had was the magnets, they were great but i had to stick them onto the plastic and slowly they came away, patching has been required.

Firstly i got a quote for a company to cut me 4 rings, a disc and a round foam cushion, i then replaced my original cut ring for the top of the dew shield, much smarter. For the Lens Cap i took the disc and glued one of the rings too it to add strength and then glued the foam cushion to the centre of the other side and put all that to one side. For the solar filter i took the two remaining rings and bolted them together, the solar paper which i still have to buy will fit between the two rings.

The magnets came next, because the stick on ones had come off i bought countersunk magnets and bolted them to the end of the dew shield, i then bough a large Ferrous sheet and cut rings to match the plastic rings, i stuck one on the lens cap and one on the solar filter and i will do the same to my bant mask, now all three simply hold to the end of the dew shield really securely. The reason for the foam was as it plugs into the end of the dew shield it seals the end as a good lens cap should.

Its probably over the top and its gotten rather expensive (£300ish) but it works briliiantly as a dew shield, protects the hyperstar, supports my flat field , and i have usable accessories.

i happy, what to you think?

[The BFJ]

That's a fine piece of work, well worth the effort from the sounds of things

[Mav359]

Cheers Jon

Yeah well worth it, really pleased.

Solo isn't too impressed but what does he know

[michaeldurban]

That's amazing Mav...well done !

A truly professional setup...great stuff !!!

[michaeldurban]

ehm...

here's mine...

(whimper, whimper...)