Fully flocked

[gert0070_0]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I'm new to this.

I've been reading bits about fine tuning your telescope and keep coming across the term "fully flocked" any idea what it means.

[Robny]

My understanding from my limited experience, I'm sure someone will come in with more detail or a correction. But flocking means lining the inside of your scope with a none reflective material to stop light bouncing around the inside of your scope creating unwanted reflections/glares and or artifacts.

But I'm sure someone with more experience will be along shortly with more detail.

Rob

[Carbon Brush]

Usually the scope manufacturer paints the inside of the tube matt black. Actually the paint isn't all that good and reflects a fair bit of light. This allows supposedly out of view bright lights to scatter down the tube and interfere with the image. A sky background becoming grey rather than black.

Flocking is applying a better matt black coating to the tube. It is a textured finsh, like flock wallpaper. it has a synthetic backing to remain stable in moisture. For a few pounds and a few hours of work, you can considerably improve a lot of cost scopes.

Obviously applying sticky back plastic to the inside of a 10" reflector is much easier than a 3" refractor.

Hope this helps, David.

[E621Keith]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I'm new to this.

I've been reading bits about fine tuning your telescope and keep coming across the term "fully flocked" any idea what it means.

Flocking is the process of sticking some black felt like material inside the telescope tube to help absorbing stray light. Flocking materials generally have a lower reflectivity than the matt black paint used to blacken telescope

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-flocking-material/black-velour-telescope-flocking-material.html

[gert0070_0]

Thanks for that, It sort of makes sense really.

[tingting44]

why do the makers not all ready flock them tho?

[E621Keith]

why do the makers not all ready flock them tho?

Cost and time. Painting the tube is a lot cheaper and quicker.

[tingting44]

Cost and time. Painting the tube is a lot cheaper and quicker.

that sucks, they should at least do an added extra option for more money if you liked to pay more for a flocked tube

[E621Keith]

that sucks, they should at least do an added extra option for more money if you liked to pay more for a flocked tube

They do, premium priced scopes have it as an option or come with them default. However, it's a bit much to expect a budget manufacturer to do the same. Furthermore, flocking can come off in hot and humid environment.

Many scope uses baffles to achieve the same results.

[gert0070_0]

O.K. so, what are baffles in a telescope?

[Robny]

O.K. so, what are baffles in a telescope?

baffles are rings down the inner scope tube that protudes somewhat into the light path which essentially does a similar thing to flocking. Stops light from bouncing around the inside.