16" Dob

[Beulah]

Giving my 16" Dob some TLC tonight - just removed the primary and about about to flock it...wish me luck, I may be some time...

Did you know I am actually small enough to crawl inside the OTA?

Anyone else been brave enough to flock their monster dob?

[Dave_D]

The new measure of the 'correct size' dob is now whether you can fit in the tube or not 

Might have to get rid of this 14" mirror i have under my bed as i'd need a good 20" tube to get inside 

[Beulah]

Very good thinking Dave, very good thinking.    

If you don't fit inside, you shouldn't have it. 

Flocked a few other scopes before but actually getting inside the OTA really helps the process.

[nightfisher]

If i were to own a dob large enough to crawl into...............................it would need to be a 22" f15 

[swamp thing]

Good luck with the flocking. Never bothered with it myself. Be Interested to hear your thoughts.

[Mike73]

I have to flock mine every time I set it up!!!! (but its called a shroud )

Two pics....Flocked and flockedless 

[swamp thing]

Didn't think of that mike, good point

[Ptarmigan]

just removed the primary and about about to flock it...

Errr , , hang on , , ,

dont you mean , , ,

Dave_D  Might have to get rid of this 14" mirror i have under my bed as i'd need a good 20" tube

Bags I the 14, , ,

oh drat,

casts away the tape measure and stamps feet

[astronymonkey]

I flocked my 16 last year using some 900mm wide by 2m long dc -fix I got off the web. I started by stripping the whole tube of everything which made things easier and then I started at the central seam then worked out from there. Make sure you have a shart craft knifr to trim the fabric and only peel the backing off as you go.

by the way, which 16 inch do you have ?

cheers

[faulksy]

Just finished flocking mine last night, also fitted a re reinforcing tube to help the New feathertouch, nightmare to do. I had to lie flat on the floor in the garage and use 1 arm, happy it's done though

sent from my Sony Xperia

[valvenus]

What does flocking mean ??

[Ptarmigan]

What does flocking mean ??

I feel your pain !

One of those things one just knows, but knows not why one knows it !

At first I thought I would give you a google link "to flock" with the certainty that a subsequent wiki disambiguation would result in the holy grail.

How wrong I was !

Eventually I came up with a google on "flock texture"

silly me shudav thort of that first !

Which led to :

"Flocking is the process of depositing many small fiber particles (called flock) onto a surface.

blah

and low reflectivity. etc. "

or even fibre !

Ding !  - - low reflectivity surface

OR

to cut to the chase,

to coat the inner and/or reflective surfaces with an irregular material to reduce internal interference from

etc

extraneous light

etc&etc

[Bart]

Good luck. I have a 16" LB and flocked the upper section. Can't say it was a revelation or anything. Maybe it helps now and then....

Barry

[Daniel-K]

flocking my lower ota has really help with the dew forming on the primary but it was a royal pain in the Bottom to do

[Beulah]

Astronymonkey, I have the 400p Skywatcher Amish version...

Couldn't afford the GOTO...

Bottom half has been flocked - I needed a torch in there even in daylight!

It's a good excuse to give the scope a proper service; Wash mirrors, check fixtures & fittings.

From past experience the flocking paper sheds fibre so get a cleaned brush attachment on that hoover nozzle and give the installed paper a good vacuum before replacing the mirror!

Swamp thing (Steve),

I found that flocking my other dobs had made a difference on making DSOs more 'contrasty' - wouldn't boast of a massive difference but it is noticeable. That extra (approx) 10% improvement in contrast I detect is well worth the effort.

[valvenus]

Think I get what it means now and that it only needs doing if you have a big one