Heritage 130p shroud

[BeerMe]

Does any of our resident Heritage owners have a shroud for their scope?  I'm going to get round to making one of my own in the next week or two, and was hoping for some inspiration :-)

I seen one on youtube that slipped in to the tube when it was closed, meaning it could be kept there permanently.  There were no details with the video though and for the life of me, I have no idea how it is practicable.  With that in mind, my thoughts have chiefly been on using black card on self-adhesive black felt around the outside of the tube (felt on the inside obviously, to help absorb any stray light).

So, any others out there or thoughts on what other cheap materials that could be used?

[DRT]

I made a shroud for my Heritige 130P using a foam camping/exercise mat. You can pick them up on eBay or Amazon for about £5. If you can find a black one you won't need to flock the inside

I also made an internal version for my Skywatcher Flextube 300P - the principle would be the same for your scope, just a slightly different scale

 

[BeerMe]

Thanks Derek :-)

What did you use to attach the shroud in your 300p?  There doesn't seem to be anywhere to glue it on to so it stays in place at all times on the 130p, but it must be possible as others have done it..

I'm working on the assumption that it has to be attached to the part of the tube that holds the spider veins?

[Stub Mandrel]

I made one for my 130P-DS using a campmat, duck tape and lining it with self-adhesive black flock. I keep it back-to front on the back of the scope to make sure the front is always nice and round

[Nyctimene]

There is a huge thread  (85 pages!) about the Skywatcher Heritage 130P Flextube in the CloudyNights forum (found in: Articles and Forums-General Astronomy-Beginners Forum-One Sky Newtonian/Astronomers without borders). The One Sky Newtonian is identical with the 130P. This thread shows on the first pages a DIY shroud made of thin foam material or Kydex. Hope you'll find a solution there.

Stephan

 

 

[DRT]

2 hours ago, BeerMe said:

Thanks Derek :-)

What did you use to attach the shroud in your 300p?  There doesn't seem to be anywhere to glue it on to so it stays in place at all times on the 130p, but it must be possible as others have done it..

I'm working on the assumption that it has to be attached to the part of the tube that holds the spider veins?

I used Velcro. You can buy it in self-adhesive rolls. I just stuck one long strip around the inside of the upper part of the tube and the other strip of Velcro to the outside of the foam tube. Given the smaller scale I think you would get away with some sort of heavy paper or card with flocking marterial stuck to the inside and black sticky-back plastic on the outside.

You get a Blue Peter Badge when you've made it

[happy-kat]

This was my shroud

link here

The black kite matrial double thick (it is very thin) does cut light out very well) and what I had to hand seeing as I was making a black out blind for the window.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Here was my 1st attempt. I'd forgotten to cut out around the focuser/cut too short etc. Quickly modified. I used the camping mat/double sided sticky velcro method:

It wouldnt win any prizes in a beauty contest, but it works (after the modifications). I havent used the scope in a couple of yrs. I must get it out again soon. Its a joy to use and gives really pleasing views.

 

[BeerMe]

10 hours ago, happy-kat said:

This was my shroud

link here

The black kite matrial double thick (it is very thin) does cut light out very well) and what I had to hand seeing as I was making a black out blind for the window.

Excellent work kat, and you seemed really pleased with the results :-)

I've got a free day tomorrow so I'm going to get to the hobby shop and start picking up the materials.

10 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Here was my 1st attempt. I'd forgotten to cut out around the focuser/cut too short etc. Quickly modified. I used the camping mat/double sided sticky velcro method:

It wouldnt win any prizes in a beauty contest, but it works (after the modifications). I havent used the scope in a couple of yrs. I must get it out again soon. Its a joy to use and gives really pleasing views.

 

Thanks for posting your pic Paul, I'll probably need a few attempts at it lol.

Did you notice much difference in the contrast when you were using it?

[happy-kat]

If I did this again because of my very close Street lights I think the quickest fix would be a large black hood for my head, I get stay light into my eyes from it bouncing off the eyepiece. I really need a two prong attack to my stray light. I will be flocking my tube too just I haven't got around to it yet.

[billyharris72]

I made one using thin black plastic foam from Hobbycraft (it's great stuff, also made a dew shield for my Mak and Finder). Don't have it anymore so can' attach a picture, but it basically consisted of a sheet of the material with a hole in it (for the focuser to poke through) and some velcro tabs (better and more secure would be elastic straps and velcro though) at each end and in the middle. Then just pop the hole over the focuser and wrap the sheet around the frame, securing it with the velcro. Advantage of this approach is that it goes right to the end of the scope, so may provide slightly more protection to the secondary.

http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/black-fab-foam-sheet-a4/565432-1000

[moriniboy]

My go, thick card with flocking internally and black self adhesive vinyl on outside. Used double sided tape to stick it to the top ring.

Needed to remove the original bit of plastic which is opposite the focuser.

[Astro Imp]

41 minutes ago, moriniboy said:

My go, thick cardboard with flocking internally and black self adhesive vinyl on outside. Used double sided tape to stick it to the top ring.

Needed to remove the original bit of plastic which is opposite the focuser.

That looks to be a very neat solution, well done.

[happy-kat]

If you have the first version of the heritage 130p it does not have that plastic bit you removed. I like the idea of flocking your light shroud.

[BeerMe]

9 hours ago, moriniboy said:

My go, thick cardboard with flocking internally and black self adhesive vinyl on outside. Used double sided tape to stick it to the top ring.

Needed to remove the original bit of plastic which is opposite the focuser.

Since you're so good at this malarkey, I'm thinking that we just do a straight swap?!  Seriously, that is a nice bit of work you've done there.  Only double sided sticky tape to secure it to the top ring?

Also, what did you use to join the 2 ends together once it was rolled in to a tube?  I really want to make something like this, but I just know mine will look crappy lol

[moriniboy]

As it was card I just used Bostik held in place with clear tape until it dried, the external  joint in the vinyl was formed 180 degrees opposite so it made it really secure.

Don't forget to cut the hole in the tube under the focuser before finally fitting in place otherwise it will be a really difficult job.

Here are a few photos of the work in progress.

[BeerMe]

Thanks moriniboy those pics are great!

Worth the effort do you think?

[robbymain]

Thanks to everyone for this thread! Just picked up black card and double sided tape from Hobbycraft but hadn't considered flocking... Any recommendations for what material to use?!

[Stargazer McCabe]

15 minutes ago, robbymain said:

Thanks to everyone for this thread! Just picked up black card and double sided tape from Hobbycraft but hadn't considered flocking... Any recommendations for what material to use?!

You can get flocking material from FLO (First Light Optics). Works a treat...

[Stu]

I found an improvement in two ways from making a shroud. The first was cutting out of stray light coming from nearby houses and streetlights, improving contrast.

The second was that it blocks my breath from causing tube currents when observing! This made quite a difference to high power observing.

[Ricochet]

21 minutes ago, Stargazer McCabe said:

You can get flocking material from FLO (First Light Optics). Works a treat...

You can also get it from Wilko, I think it's called DC fix black velour. I recommend using sellotape or some other method of cleaning off any loose fibres and dust before fitting it. 

[RobertI]

My quick and temporary solution was thin black card from Hobbycraft and sellotape. My ‘temporary’ solution has been in place for at least six months now! It definitely reduces stray reflections from nearby windows. However I can still get stray light ingress from the front of the tube at some angles so I am also planning a dew shield at some point. 

[happy-kat]

I tend not to fit my shroud now but I have flocked the plastic shield opposite the focuser.

[robbymain]

On 10/01/2017 at 22:13, moriniboy said:

As it was card I just used Bostik held in place with clear tape until it dried, the external  joint in the vinyl was formed 180 degrees opposite so it made it really secure.

Don't forget to cut the hole in the tube under the focuser before finally fitting in place otherwise it will be a really difficult job.

Here are a few photos of the work in progress.

Great pictures, thanks! Do you have any tips for dismantling the secondary? Haven't had mine to bits yet...

[LukeSkywatcher]

You get a Blue Peter Badge when you've made it 

I never got my BP badge. I'll make enquiries.