2 Flocking questions...

[emadmoussa]

Having received all the needed materials, I'm now measuring things and taking notes of little details on the OTA.

Two things pop to mind...

Do I need to remove the top metallic ring and flock the space it occupies, or shall I just flock the space between the two rings?

Can I flock around the focuser, or it'll be more effective removing it first?

Thanks!

[leelee970]

Myself I removed everything. But then again I wasn't worried about reassembly.

 

You could cut around things, but if I were you I'd put a little piece over any screw etc., just because they could reflect a little light.

 

Myself I coloured any silver screw/nut black - but then again I'm obsessive, lol

 

I have to say I've always wondered why the edge ring on the Skywatcher tubes were white, I would have thought black would be preferable?

Lee

[sbooder]

I found it easier to remove the top end ring and the mirror cell ring when I flocked but do not flock where they go or you will not get the rings on without making a mess. What I did was to get a pencil draw around the rings on the inside paint so when I took the rings off I knew where to stop the flock.

And it is best to remove all from the OTA and just flock the whole thing and cut the holes after with a Stanley knife it ends up as a neater job that way and don't forget to flock the finder bracket plate.

[emadmoussa]

As a matter of fact in the inside of these rings is non-reflective black and it doesn't seem to require flocking.

[leelee970]

As a matter of fact in the inside of these rings is non-reflective black and it doesn't seem to require flocking.

Thats good. I learn something new everyday.

Good luck on the flocking.

[TractionMan]

Interesting thread. Please feel free to write a little report once you're done. I'm keen on doing the flocking mod on my 300P as well. Just a bit scared to do it.

[emadmoussa]

Interesting thread. Please feel free to write a little report once you're done. I'm keen on doing the flocking mod on my 300P as well. Just a bit scared to do it.

Join the club of scared people

I will surely do.

[Pig]

It all sounds a bit tricky

[emadmoussa]

It all sounds a bit tricky

I tested taking out the spider and everything else as I noticed it wasn't aligned perfectly. And frankly it was easy enough and my collimation is even better now.

[sbooder]

Collimating from scratch is something every Newt owner should really get used to and by flocking your scope it is a good opportunity to start.  You will find that the only scary thing about it is, once you get flocking...you can't stop, you will flock everything from focuser tube to inside your finder scope (and yes, I have flocked my finder scope...sad I know).

[leelee970]

I tested taking out the spider and everything else as I noticed it wasn't aligned perfectly. And frankly it was easy enough and my collimation is even better now.

You see Emad, not too bad after all.

If you proceed in a logical way, making notes/photos etc and not try and force things apart then it should be simple.

Lee

[emadmoussa]

Last night I noticed that I stuck the Quickfinder base on top of one of the white ring screws...I'm such a genius So now if I want to remove the ring I must remove the RDF base as well.

I was also contemplating just precision flocking without removing any rings.

[sbooder]

You see Emad, not too bad after all.

If you proceed in a logical way, making notes/photos etc and not try and force things apart then it should be simple.

Lee

And you always have Dion (hello agin) astronomyshed's vids on youtube to fall back on.

[emadmoussa]

And you always have Dion (hello agin) astronomyshed's vids on youtube to fall back on.

Yep, I talked to him at Astrofest. I remarked that his videos were very useful and I'm planning on coming after him if anything went wrong while flocking

[sbooder]

Last night I noticed that I stuck the Quickfinder base on top of one of the white ring screws...I'm such a genius So now if I want to remove the ring I must remove the RDF base as well.

I was also contemplating just precision flocking without removing any rings.

It makes it harder to flock to the correct place if you are trying to butt up the flocking material to the end rings, it far better to remove leaving the pencil line. Another tip is not to try to lay each length of flocking next to each other, you have plenty of space between the inside wall of the OTA and the edge of the mirror, so overlap the sheets of flock, this makes it fast to do and will look neater in the end without any unsightly gaps.

[emadmoussa]

It makes it harder to flock to the correct place if you are trying to butt up the flocking material to the end rings, it far better to remove leaving the pencil line. Another tip is not to try to lay each length of flocking next to each other, you have plenty of space between the inside wall of the OTA and the edge of the mirror, so overlap the sheets of flock, this makes it fast to do and will look neater in the end without any unsightly gaps.

But sticky bit on fluffy bit won't stick forever, will it?

[leelee970]

But sticky bit on fluffy bit won't stick forever, will it?

It will stick quite well.

[emadmoussa]

That's good to know as I was originally planning on overlapping the end bits, but got a bit concerned having read the Protostar instructions manual.

[sbooder]

But sticky bit on fluffy bit won't stick forever, will it?

My flocking has been on for nearly five years now and showing no signs of coming off.  And I clean mine with a sticky clothes roller to get off any cat or dog (or wife) hairs and it is fine.

[leelee970]

My flocking has been on for nearly five years now and showing no signs of coming off.  And I clean mine with a sticky clothes roller to get off any cat or dog (or wife) hairs and it is fine.

I could understand a small cat or dog getting into your OTA but you WIFE - she must be very small, lol

[emadmoussa]

I could understand a small cat or dog getting into your OTA but you WIFE - she must be very small, lol

LOL...I was thinking the same!!

[sbooder]

I could understand a small cat or dog getting into your OTA but you WIFE - she must be very small, lol

I can't keep her out of the bally thing!

[SW130p]

Does the flocking come off easily? like if you brush it with your fingers  does bits fall out or the wind blows down the tube causing bits to settle on the mirror if you get what i mean.

[sbooder]

Does the flocking come off easily? like if you brush it with your fingers  does bits fall out or the wind blows down the tube causing bits to settle on the mirror if you get what i mean.

Not on the flocking I use, it is more like a velvet than a baize type flock, as I said before I use a sticky clothes roller on my and it is as good as new.

[SW130p]

Great I want to do mine but I'm one of the scared ones as I don't know how to collimate yet.

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