Solar Filter examples

[Ganymede12]

My Baader astrosolar safety film has just arrived but I'm not sure that my current design for the solar filter will work. Mine is made of paper and won't cover the full objective lens so I think it will be weak and may damage my scope once exposed to direct sun light. (Not to mention the film cost me £22 so I have to get it right first time!)

So before I go ahead and waste £22 I was wondering If I could see other examples? I've seen a few already but the have been for reflectors and mine has to be designed for a refractor.

(P.S I would have uploaded a photo of my current design but I don't have the tools to upload a photo to my computer. )

[garethmob]

theres one on the scope in my avatar (a bigger pic in my album)

it should be the same design (it is for the coulter and thats same design as my refractor astral 500)

its best to make it out of as stirdy as possiable ant, you dont want it to blow off in the wind and blind you

usally members use thick card, or a hat box on the one on my astral its thick card in a circle with a square of card on top and a round hole cut in with the filter in between 2 pieces of card (im terrable in drawing but have a look at the pic) the large square on the front is to protect it when its not in use

[RikM]

The Baader website has a nice overview of how to make a solar filter using their film. Baader Planetarium - making of an inexpencive filter cell

Use some sturdy card rather than paper and you should be fine. I used card from a cereal packet.

The only difference between my filters and the Baader instructions are that for the bottom circle, I left 8 little tabs sticking out and used these to reinforce the bonding between the rings and the 'cylinder'. The tabs fitted down the outsides of the cylinder and I wrapped tape over them round the whole thing.

[Gina]

I've made a couple using the Baader instructions and also something a bit different using the cap of my ED80 frac :- http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/174300-another-home-made-solar-filter.html

[Bizibilder]

Here are a few pics - one a simple card version as described by Baader in their literature, second my "posh" version made from a plastic ventilation pipe reducer (£1.50 if I remember!) and the third is of the posh one on my 120mm refractor. Card or plastic and lots of quality tape required.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Oops - forgot - the film should not be tight across the filter, hence the wrinkles that you can see. These will not have any adverse effect on the view you get.

[garethmob]

i will say im not using baader solar film on mine, i have seymore solar film so it might be a different set up but it looks the same design as these posted

[Ganymede12]

Say I had two identical cardboard rings. The centre hole is 70mm (like my scopes objective lens) and the edge of the disc is Xcm out from that.

First of all what should X be and how should I attach it to my telescopes dew cap?

[Bizibilder]

Have a look here: Baader Planetarium - making of an inexpencive filter cell it is the Baader instructions for making a cardboard filter holder and gives you all the information you need.

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

cut 6x 2 inch long strips from a cornflakes box.

now using a friend/wife/mum/dad have them help you wrap the cardboard strips around the end of your telescope. so it makes a short round tube 2 inches high.

now cut out 4 circles from the same cardboard box.

each circle needs a large hole cut from the centre.

take two rings and glue them together, take other two rings and glue them together.

now you should have two thick rings. take one and stick your solar film onto it. take the second thick ring and glue this so you make a ring sandwich with the solar film in between.

glue this large thick filter sandwich to your cardboard tube.

now on a sunny day, pop outside and carefuly hold it up to the sun, have a look through the filter for any tiny holes or tears ( bright light ), the sun should be a white'ish ball in the sky.

if no tears or holes show, you can now slip this filter over your telescopes end and look at the sun safely.

here is one i made as described above, this filter fits over my 114mm telescope and works perfect. i used white card but a cornflakes box will do the same job. i used a cardboard box to make my rings.

[ggreene1]

Baader Planetarium - making of an inexpencive filter cell

The link from the Baader Site spelled inexpensive incorrectly, but I feared if I corrected it the link wouldn't work. I just ordered some Baader film (hasn't arrived yet) but I think this is the construction method I'll use.

[Reggie]

I Wouldn't even bother going nuts and making something circular, all that faffing around Just get a suitable sized box that will fit over your objective, cut 2 circles out of both faces that are slightly smaller than the scope it's going to fit over, only by 1-2mm, then all you need is a square of baader film that is big enough to cover your hole and 4 bits of masking tape to hold it in place and ensure a good seal. make sure all of the edges on the box are taped up and that's it. When you come to fit the filter box to scope, you can run your fingernail around the edge to make it fit snugly

[satcomsta]

Here's my 8" Newt with a Baader white light filter. Works great for a full aperture filter. A home made filter for a Nexstar 102 GT, also a home made filte for a 9mmx50mm Orion finderscope and a pic of what it looks like thru it in white and with processing.