DIY Solar Filter

[ehorvath]

Another DIY project that worked GREAT and was CHEAP!  So I needed another solar filter for my "twin" Orion AstroView telescopes.  I have like, no money, and a filter for my scope is $130.00.  I ordered another dust cap which was only $12.95 with shipping.  I cut the top off, leaving a lip of about 1/4 inch to give room to glue the film to.  I cut and glued in a piece of black polymer solar film to fit on the inside of the dust cap.  To make it look "nice" from the outside, I cut the top off of a peanut can so I only had the metal ring, and glued it onto the outside end of the dust cap to help hide the uneven cut edge of the dust cap......works like a charm!!!  In the pic is a new dust cap and the one next to it is my DIY Solar Filter!

[nightfisher]

Very nice bit of work, you have beat me to it on this as i have a spare dust cap for my Vixen vmc110, i have cut the end out leaving a lip, but not got round to fitting the film to it . Is the black polymer safe to use?

[outofsight]

Wow, what a great idea!! where did you get the black polymer?

[Merlin66]

https://www.seymoursolar.com/

This seems more popular in the US than the Baader Safety Film.

http://www.cloudynights.com/page/articles/cat/user-reviews/solar/white-light-solar-filters/seymour-solar-vs-baader-astrosolar-solar-filter-thin-film-comparison-r2019

[Steve Ward]

You've made a lovely job there ... 

A little late now but I would highly recommend the use of Baader Solar film over the Seymour or ThousandOaks  polymer films though (and any glass-based filter bar Zeiss)  , the views are far superior and much more finely detailed ... 

[ehorvath]

Thanks guys!  As for safety, yes, it is 100% safe and is all I use on my telescopes.  I prefer the black polymer film over the others because I like the more natural orangish-yellow color that it gives the sun vs the white color of the other films and glass filters......honestly it's just a personal preference. I do also use the white glass filters as well but simply like the black polymer much more!  I use the Thousand Oaks black polymer which I purchased off of ebay....I think it was only $10 for an 8" square sheet!

[Dave In Vermont]

I believe that in the US - the Thousand Oaks = Seymour = Orion solar-filters. I have an Orion solar-filter on order for my ST80. It was very inexpensive at about $23.00 US, but the Seymour site shows the same thing at > $50. Same specifications and claims of an orange-yellow colour to the Sun, and granulation discernible. According to reviews, the major difference between the Seymour and the Baader is that the Baader needs additional filtering as the image is too bright for comfort. The problem with the Seymour is that they don't like additional filtering - and this can present a limitation for some applications.

We shall see.

Dave

[ehorvath]

I try to stay barnd specific so I checked on Orion's web page and the solar filter for my telescopes were $130 each and I needed 2 of them.  Hence the DIY projects which worked perfectly fine.

[Steve Ward]

Each to their own I guess ... 

Having tried all three types I can confidently say that the Baader gives much more detailed views than the others ...   ... a view only marginally improved by upping things to a wedge.

As for a ... "more natural orange/yellow colour" ... methinks not ... 

[ehorvath]

Never seen the view thru the others but not being able to work or having money....my options are limited so I do what I can to see what I can!