DIY upgrades

[NotSoSuperNova]

Hi guys,

I'm a bit bored so I'm looking at modding something to keep me entertained for an hour or so one evening. Is there anything that is generally considered a good starting place with an obvious benefit i.e. Focuser or Losmandy upgrade? I'm pretty handy so I don't mind anything a little fiddly but I've stayed away from messing around with so far so I'm after something fairly simple. 

[Tinker1947]

Flock it,,,

[NGC 1502]

Depending on what scope it's for, a dewshield is a very worthwhile DIY project that will be more necessary when the colder and more dewy nights arrive.

Camping mat foam is a popular material to use, have a look in camping / outdoor shops or online for a dark colour.

Regards, Ed.

[miguel87]

Do I need s dew shield for a newt, I can't ever see if the secondary gets fogged up but I worry sometimes?

[Tinker1947]

A dew shield on a newt will put the secondary dewing back several hours, when it does dew up give it squirt of warm air with a hair-dryer, keep the hair-dryer in a safe dry place when not it use......

Home made dew shield.....

[NGC 1502]

Do I need s dew shield for a newt, I can't ever see if the secondary gets fogged up but I worry sometimes?

On very cold dewy nights I've had the secondary mirror on my Newtonians dew up.   Not nearly such a problem as SCTs Maks and refractors, but still an issue when dewing gets really bad.

HTH, Ed.

[triton1]

Yes I,ve also had my secondary dew up,as said before camping mat works well also helps with any light scatter.

[Owmuchonomy]

Hi guys,

I'm a bit bored so I'm looking at modding something to keep me entertained for an hour or so one evening. Is there anything that is generally considered a good starting place with an obvious benefit i.e. Focuser or Losmandy upgrade? I'm pretty handy so I don't mind anything a little fiddly but I've stayed away from messing around with so far so I'm after something fairly simple.

Homemade solar filter. I used a Screwfix drain plug and solar film.

[miguel87]

Thanks for the info, might sort one out before proper winter.

[russ.will]

Do I need s dew shield for a newt, I can't ever see if the secondary gets fogged up but I worry sometimes?

As above, but also most Newt OTAs are way to short to effectively shield the focuser and the eyepiece in it from stray light. Look through your focuser without an EP in it and if you can see anything other than the secondary and the inside of the OTA, then light can hit the EP. Likewise, flock any area you can see through the EP or reflected in the secondary (no need to do the whole tube) and blacken anything that isn't black - the plain glass edge of the secondary springs to mind.

That's a couple of nights in sorted...

Russell

[NotSoSuperNova]

Great suggestions all round. Cheers guys