Light Shroud for SW Heritage 130P

[SionR25]

When you post a link by clicking the insert link box it comes up in a pop up window. Put your link in here and click ok. The link then gets put in the text box and a bit of text is highlighted. You can change that highlighted text to whatever you want it to say.

Hope I have described it well enough .

Sion

[Naemeth]

You type the text in, highlight what you want and then link it to the URL you want, like so.

[Naemeth]

I've decided on the Neoprene, according to eHow:

"Neoprene fabric is durable and flexible and resists tearing. It can also withstand cold temperatures as well as exposure to the sun. Neoprene fabric contains air pockets that provide excellent insulation for wetsuits, cold-wear gear and lunchboxes and beverage coolers. Neoprene is also chemically inert and resists oils, making it useful for protection while handling chemicals. Since neoprene is more fire resistant than most rubbers, it can also be used in combat gear."

Perfect for our uses really, it has now been ordered .

[acey]

A light shroud or dew shield needs to be flexible and able to tolerate getting a bit wet. Thermal properties are irrelevant. So cardboard or flexible plastic will do the job just as well as foam. The dewshield on my 50mm finder is a bit of cardboard I've been using for a few years now - as a deluxe attachment I put a velcro tab on it to replace the elastic band I'd been using. (Some types of cardboard resist moisture better than others: I use a piece cut from a cereal box and it's fine).

The shroud on my 12" flextube is the Astrozap one, made of some kind of heavy fabric. The dewshield is camping mat: on my 8" I managed with a cardboard dewshield but the 12" needed something a bit more substantial. The only reason why camping-mat foam is so widely used is that it's cheap, readily available, flexible, and doesn't get soggy when wet.

For a 130mm scope dewshield I think you'd find cardboard does the job well enough, and for a shroud you could use cardboard or fabric.

[Albenn]

Thanks Sion & Naemeth for the advice on the link text.

[AuntyCis]

So I had a play with my £2.99 yoga mat last night and it was quite successful and easier than I expected!

Its not quite as neat as the thread you guys posted but it does the job.

I used the full width of the mat (to make the 'length' of the shroud) and slightly under half the length to go around the scope. The mat is wide enough that the shroud come down just slightly over the solid part of the OTA and extends quite a bit beyond the end of the truss/secondary mirror so I am hoping it will keep the dew off nicely.

I started by measuring up the end of the mat to cut a small notch for the base of the red dot finder, then a hole for the focuser. After that I wrapped the mat around the scope and cut another, deeper, notch for the base of the RDF.

With the notches around the RDF base the mat stays in place without any need for fastening, although I will probably add some velcro or something to be sure.

Took about 10 minutes to do - quite pleased with myself as not really a 'natural' whe it comes to DIY!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I used a camping mat. It acts as both a shroud and a dew shield.

[Albenn]

I had a look at camping mats but the only black ones I could get locally were about 7mm thick and very expensive. I would have thought that living in the Lake District, with all the fantastic camping country that surrounds it, that the choice would be better than it is here in Kendal.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Maybe camping mats are expensive there because of where you live. Last stop shop and all that before heading off into the lakes.

How much are they where you are? I paid about 8 euros for mine which is about a fiver in your pocket.

[Albenn]

8 euro's? A local shop who shall remain nameless were charging close to £16 for a black mat but £6 for any other colour. Even the shop assistant couldn't understand the price difference!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thats just weird and extortionate. Any colour will do really, as they do stop stray light. Mine is kaki green. Ugly as sin but it works.

[Albenn]

I thought it was a bit pricey too - so made my excuses and left - as they say in the newspapers! Going to have another look at the weekend at the cheapies!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I bought mine in B&Q. "Specialist" shops will always be more expensive. I even made a couple of dew shields from the left overs for my 20X90 bins. I still have half a mat left. I need to make a dew shield for my 8SE. I should just have enough left.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Cant see what is wrong with that black weed stopper for your garden tbh. Just 3 or 4fold it and a couple of elastic bands.

Its not as if it can be seen in the dark lol

[Albenn]

Wonder if there would be a market if I made scope shrouds with rabbit ears and such on them or maybe a shark mouth as seen on WW2 Mustangs? "Be the envy of your friends at star parties with the latest designer shroud"

Seriously though, I like the idea of the camping mat as it seems more robust.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Cant see what is wrong with that black weed stopper for your garden tbh. Just 3 or 4fold it and a couple of elastic bands.

Its not as if it can be seen in the dark lol

Who wants to be messing with elastic bands or string outside at night. Its best to have a quick release method...............easy on.....easy off.

IMHO.

Velcro (double sided sticky) is your friend. A tad expensive so maybe normal velcro and a bit of glue to attach it to the camping mat and bobs your uncle.

I found this online> Its my Heritage with my camping mat shroud/dew shield. This was taken before i cut out a notch to fit snugly around the focuser. It can be moved up further to enclose the whole of the open truss section.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Who wants to be messing with elastic bands or string outside at night. Its best to have a quick release method...............easy on.....easy off.

IMHO.

Velcro is your friend.

Messing about ?..... my 130p was a flextube which goes up and down, hence elastic bands and a flexible material that goes with the flow of opening and closing WITHOUT the aid of putting camping mats on and off all the time you use it.

Now ask yourself the same question regarding camping mats lol

Sorry but it worked fine for me when i owned that scope

IMO

[Albenn]

Messing about ?..... my 130p was a flextube which goes up and down, hence elastic bands and a flexible material that goes with the flow of opening and closing WITHOUT the aid of putting camping mats on and off all the time you use it.

Now ask yourself the same question regarding camping mats lol

Sorry but it worked fine for me when i owned that scope

IMO

How did you affix the sheet around the frame that holds the secondary?

[LukeSkywatcher]

hence elastic bands and a flexible material that goes with the flow of opening and closing WITHOUT the aid of putting camping mats on and off all the time you use it.

Sorry. I understand you now. Yes something you can leave on that will move with the scope truss tube opening and closing is an ideal solution.

Why didnt i think of that.

I may just adopt that system.

Which material do you use? Silk,Cotton,Vinyl..........

This method would give you the "shroud" for the scope, would it also act as a "dew shield"? I suppose it depends on the absorbencey/insulating properties of the material used.

I'm thinking Vinyl (the stuff tents are made off) would work pretty well.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

How did you affix the sheet around the frame that holds the secondary?

I just used the uncut edge of the weed killer material to give a straight line, and believe it or not, so many twists or turns on a elastic band tightens the grip, and levelled the front, slicing a hole for the focuser and finder and banging another lakky band down below on the tube part.

TA-DA Simples

[ObscuredbyClouds]

hence elastic bands and a flexible material that goes with the flow of opening and closing WITHOUT the aid of putting camping mats on and off all the time you use it.

Sorry. I understand you now. Yes something you can leave on that will move with the scope truss tube opening and closing is an ideal solution.

Why didnt i think of that.

I may just adopt that system.

Which material do you use? Silk,Cotton,Vinyl..........

This method would give you the "shroud" for the scope, would it also act as a "dew shield"? I suppose it depends on the absorbencey/insulating properties of the material used.

LOL i cant think for the life of me what its called atm (something like goldfish its that simple) but ya get it in a roll, its black and it stops the weeds coming up lol.

I have half a roll, tell ya what ill send it one of you and then pass it along the line, i have no need for it.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I think its called Pond Liner. Its very tough (and no light gets through it) but very flexible. When i built my pond, i lined the base with the same stuff to stop weeds growing up. I think it comes in diferent forms: plastic,rubber,viynl and some kind of tight mesh.

I'll have to google.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

I think its called Pond Liner. Its very tough (and no light gets through it) but very flexible.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TOUGH-WEED-CONTROL-PREVENTION-FABRIC/dp/B003L6X6CO

No not pond liner, you wouldnt have much water in your pond if you used this lol

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ahhhhhhhhh ok it the mesh kind of material i was thinking of.

If you want to send it to anyone, send it to Alan. Its his thread and i am in no real need for it.

Nice offer BTW.

Sorry Alan i didnt mean to hijack your thread. I'm just trying to be helpful.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Or maybe two 4" tumble dryer ventilation pipes cut in half to circumnavigate the scope?

Cant get more flexible than that, giving a neat and tidy concertina effect in the opening and closing

Better still a FREE BIN LINER