Luminous Labeling

[Charic]

I purchased some "Milkyway Glow in the dark adhesive" shapes today from a Toyshop to apply the the body of my EP's in order to identify the Focal Length in  total darkness. They only glow for a short spell despite the 'Lifetime Glow Guarantee'

I tested by applying a small star shaped sticker to the lens body and writing on it the FL number. I quick flash of light  then into a windowless dark room. Perfect, enough glow to see my writing, but not too bright to interfere with my vision. 

I then re-boxed the EP and went shopping. 1.5Hrs later I took the boxed EP back to the dark room and nothing, no glow? 

I suppose a quick flash of light  when required is better than nothing, but has anyone tried something similar to better effect. I searched for Humbrol / Revell luminous paint, but none in stores locally. I also have a label printer, maybe they have luminous tape?

I know I should try and keep the EP's in some orderly line up, but I have not settled on a suitable case for my collection at present.

I`m trying to adapt to as little light as possible, even red light.

[ronl]

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/telescope/maintenance/glow-lables/ac588.html

this type are quite popular.

[Charic]

Cheers......ronl. Thats the sort of thing. I've seen MIL SPEC labels that are selling for £??s for about 25 mm squared? I`ll still give what I have a better trial sometime, but they need to last for more than a hour or two? looks like the link ones will last a session.

[Langy]

Most glow in the dark items require to be charged with normal light first. I have that type of thing in the way of stars etc. dotted all over my bedroom ceiling and walls (the wife went a bit mad when she put them up).

So you might find that you need to keep them out in some good room light for an hour before use and they will glow for some time.

Lifetime glowing probably means that you can charge and use them all the time, a bit like a rechargeable battery, except they don't last a lifetime.

[ronin]

Life time glow doesn't mean you illuminate them once and they glow forever.

It means in 5 years if you shine a lkight at them then they should still glow after the exposure.

Old watches used to glow forever, trouble was they used Radium and people died.

The women who applied the paint to the hands being the ones.

Not nice.

[Charic]

Cheers guys. I'm aware of recharging. I collect watches and use Ultra violet to charge/display, GMT II and SO/Monsters have great lume when exposed to UV. The effects are awesome, but my kids when  they were younger had the plastic luminous stars on their ceiling and they lasted several hours. I think you get what you pay for, I just expected these stickers,  to have lasted longer than 2 hours for sure. I don't really want to paint the lens barrel either, in-case I sell on my BST's in exchange for TeleVues. lol lol lol........... I'll paint to a sticky label or attach a luminous label. Might not need them, once my lens storage case is sourced?

[jason.p]

My 8mm TMB has a luminous label. I can't actually read it in the dark, but being the only one with a shiny bit on it I know what it is. Very handy. <br />

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[wheresthetorch?]

I painted the feet of my tripod with luminous paint to try and avoid kicking it in the dark. Totally useless, as it only glowed faintly for about 5 mins.

[bingevader]

The benefits of not buying a matching full set of EPs!  I can tell mine apart by touch alone.

Used to have a set of stars on my ceiling when I was a boy.

The Astro Engineering labels look good, but it's a shame you can't fill in your own FLs.

Cheers

[MrFinster]

How about one of those small UV/blacklight torches. I got one for a similar reason. I have a glow in the dark sticker that is

attached to my car keys and phone so if I drop them at night, they will shine up with the blacklight.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrafire-Wf-501b-Ultraviolet-Flashlight-Torch/dp/B008P6VTL0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1392462303&sr=8-4&keywords=uv+torch

[itmo]

I am wondering why no-one makes braille tags for scope stuff. I mean there is a well known way of reading without eyes. 

[zillah]

Anyone know if you can buy glow in the dark tape?

[Charic]

.........ebay seems to offer a little for a lot of money? Its not cheap!

[Mike73]

I think the best thing for EP's is to make sure you wear a coat with enough pockets and then use the same pockets for each EP every time, this really helps keep your EP's just above ambient temp so it also helps against dew. 

This could be a problem for people with loads different focal length EP's though!

Same goes for all my kit when I'm observing, it goes in the same place ever time so I know exactly where everything is without the need to use a red light to find anything.

[AndyWB]

I just put my EPs back in their space in the flight case. They're all in order, so it's "Third from left, 15mm".

[itmo]

never mind , repeating myself. braille. 

[Charic]

The basic shelf on my Skyliner needs replacing. I need to hold a maximum of 9 items at present. Maybe a project there for me. Something very simple with dividers that can hang  where the original rack is at present.  ( 6 EP's, 1x Barlow  & 2 x 2" slots for the Panaview / 2" adaptor).

[Wetsparks]

I am wondering why no-one makes braille tags for scope stuff. I mean there is a well known way of reading without eyes. 

TBH I don't think there's a large demand from blind people for telescope equipment

As has been said, get one of the UV torches. I used to have these glow tips on the sights of a couple of me pistols, a quick flash from the torch would charge them up straight out of the box ready for use.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I was given a sheet of luminous EP size stickers by a fellow member for free and to be honest they dont work. As everything astro-related, its best to get used to just using a red light.