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Flocking evidence

jambouk

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leelee970

leelee970

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You have no idea - in a parallel universe I'm a crocodile :D

But seriously, the flocking thought tempting yet scary

I would say just take it easy and one step at a time, try not to force anything apart, but it should come apart in a logical order - and make notes of what parts went where.

I marked the exact position of the parts to their respective housings so reassembly was easy and painless and the scope needed little collimation afterwards.

If you are using a glue – remember to have the room ventilated.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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I would say just take it easy and one step at a time, try not to force anything apart, but it should come apart in a logical order - and make notes of what parts went where.

I marked the exact position of the parts to their respective housings so reassembly was easy and painless and the scope needed little collimation afterwards.

If you are using a glue – remember to have the room ventilated.

Why would I be using a glue?

Sorry about hijacking the thread, but I guess were are still on the same topic.

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TakMan

TakMan

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All good tips!

I know exactly how you feel 'emadmoussa' about taking the scope apart - I was exactly the same... Leelee970 offers good advice; label everything up and take it one step at a time.

It might even be worth checking the collimation with whatever device you use pre-flock and note what it looks like (secondary offset etc), just so you know what it should look like once you do the collimation afterwards...?

Keep the thing horizontal to avoid damaging the primary and don't rush to get it all done. You want to clean the tube and leave it to dry - PRE-FLOCK!.

You will almost certainly loose a few rectangles of flocking as you try and get it square. Once I had peeled the odd strip on and off a few times I decided to use a new bit! So make sure you buy more than you need for the sake of £5 - any unused can be donated to a fellow astronomer, used for another project or taken back.... best to have enough to do the job than having to pop and get more when you're in 'the groove'....

Don't try to overly stretch the fabric too tight, especially over the rolled tube seam (if applicable) as it will start to lift - not that that should be a massive issue, but it will at least give the fabric some 'play' as the tube expands and contracts..

Small bubbles can be sorted with use of a scalpel or needle...

I suppose you could add some strong glue to the ends of each tube to make sure it doesn't lift, but I've not seen that happen - I used some black electrical tape just when I was working to stop it catching on the carpet and lifting.

You'll be pleased with the result once done - from an aesthetic point of view if nothing else(!)  Pity they don't come 'finished/flocked' in the first place if you ask me - it would only add a few more pounds to the cost and yet be FAR easier at the point of manufacture....  but I suppose it give us 'something to fiddle with', as the wife would say!  "Another Project!"

Best of luck!

Damian

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TakMan

TakMan

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You'll be fine... if I could do it - anyone can!

One final thing..

The Wilkinsons link: http://www.wilko.com/dc-fix-fablon/d-c-fix-original-deco-self-adhesive-film-velour-black-348-0005/invt/0309578?VBMST=velour

And to show it IS the FLO stuff - if people are wary of buying 'outside the astro community':

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/124902-great-flocking-material-superb-results/page-3

Damian

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AlexB67

AlexB67

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I am planning to do this also.  For the flexi model I only plan do the top part, a shroud for the middle bit, and as John showed in his pictures an extended shield to prevent light coming in near the secondary. Just a hunch I guess, but the latter mod with the shield extending outwards from the tube for us dealing to with city lights and so on, I suspect that and flocking the top part will make the biggest contribution to any noticeable improvement. 

I don't think I will  bother with the lower half of the flextube at all. Or a least not in my first attempt. Rightly or wrongly my gut tells me doing the lower part of the tube is not worth it for the extra hassle, and I doubt that for visual use I'd see any difference in the eyepiece with the lower part flocked as well.

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leelee970

leelee970

Posted
Posted

And the most important thing - tie my little girl up..otherwise the parts will disappear :D

That is so true. Over the Xmas hols I took apart my scope.

 

My 5 year old girl was so fascinated with her image in the mirror.

 

Needless to say the mirror was moved to a much higher and safer place from those sticky fingers.

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brantuk

brantuk

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"

You flocked top and bottom parts?

Was it easy to remove the secondary and primary?"

Yes I did both top and bottom. The secondary and primary come out dead easy. I kept the secondary on the spider and just undid the screws - so all it needs is centering when it's screwed back in.

The primary comes out by undoing the 6 screws around the tube base and lift the tube up - don't drop the mirror assembly out. I cleaned it at the same time - if you take it off the cradle be careful not to pinch the optics when putting back in - it's too easy to over tighten the mirror clips which only need to hold it in place so it doesn't move. If you can slide a bit of thin paper between mirror and clip then it's fine.

With the Wilco flocking - if you spray the tube surface lightly with atomised water before sticking down - it will allow a little movement to get it in the right place if corrections are needed. Make sure you smooth down without pulling the flock into an arc across the tube. Once in place allow the spray to dry out for 48hrs before re-assembling and it'll be stuck nicely.

Hth :)

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jambouk

jambouk

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When I did my 250mm Newtonian, I did it in three strips, go around the tube. It took a roll per strip. I needed two whole rolls, and about a third of a third roll. Popped bubbles as described above, but it was pretty easy. Used a can of Pledge to smooth it as I lay the stuff down, and my mate rotated the OTA. It's a really niec job. Rolling the can of Pledge repeatidly around the lining also got a load of static going and sucked up the fibres onto the can which I kept wiping off. I hoovered it at the end, but it still sheds a few fibres onto the primary.

It looks professional, but just not sure it doesn anything useful :)

JD

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bingevader

bingevader

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Posted

Hi Jd,

I suppose it would depend on how black the paint was some may look black in the visible spectrum but can be like a mirror at other wavelengths.

Alan

:grin: This is soooooooooo crying out for a Spinal Tap quote, "How much more black could it be? None more."

Cheers

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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we spend hundreds on focusers, scopes and (particularly) eyepieces to get a small incease in detail and contrast or performance compared with standard equipment. I see flocking and dew shields as a very inexpensive way to achieve a similarly small increase in contrast (which might mean detail) so why not? it's easy to do, cheap, looks nice and (I think anyway) works quite well.

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wookie1965

wookie1965

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Since flocking mine by my fellow SGL member Shane i can say it has been totally different i have a lot of light pollution i have a street light outside my back yard to the right and one on the front so observing wasn't that good, now however the contrast looking at Jupiter and other DSO's is loads better.

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brantuk

brantuk

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Yup - like Wookie I observe from the street sometimes with about 3 street lights disrupting the scope (at least the fourth is shielded by a caravan). But the flocking and a dew shield eliminate a lot of light intrusion, and what little get's through can't bounce around in the tube. The views are that much better as a result.

From a proper dark site the difference isn't so profound - as you'd expect. But anywhere with LP your reflection troubles will be halved. :)

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Alien 13

Alien 13

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Posted

we spend hundreds on focusers, scopes and (particularly) eyepieces to get a small incease in detail and contrast or performance compared with standard equipment. I see flocking and dew shields as a very inexpensive way to achieve a similarly small increase in contrast (which might mean detail) so why not? it's easy to do, cheap, looks nice and (I think anyway) works quite well.

 

 

Since flocking mine by my fellow SGL member Shane i can say it has been totally different i have a lot of light pollution i have a street light outside my back yard to the right and one on the front so observing wasn't that good, now however the contrast looking at Jupiter and other DSO's is loads better.

 

I totaly agree its probably more evident if you stick a camera to a scope it can see scattered light etc that your eyes might not detect.

Alan

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John

John

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Posted

As a matter of interest, if you bought a brand new scope and then removed the secondary and primary cells / supports to apply flocking, would that affect the warranty at all ?

It's not an issue for me as all my scopes have been bought used but I just wondered.

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