Success with filter thread mod for Q5 Binoculars

[Ships and Stars]

Hi all,

Some might have seen my earlier post lamenting the lack of filter threads for my Quantum 5.1 observation binoculars, as the Quantum 5.1 20x and 40x EPs don't have any threaded attachment points top or bottom, and these older style bins don't accept standard 1.25" eyepieces. 

I bought a cheap set of planetary filters, unscrewed the filter retainers, cut the holders down to increase eye relief and used a neat bead of JB Weld to attach filter threads to my 40x eyepieces. These attach now in the same way as the Helios Apollos binoculars to the user side of the eyepiece. I would have attached them to the objective side, but this would not allow the eyepiece to insert fully.

After letting the maximum strength JB Weld cure for 24hours, I now have filter threads!

By the way, JB Weld is an incredibly strong steel-reinforced epoxy with a tensile strength of over 5,000PSI, I've used it for years on various items with great success. You can sand it to shape or even drill and tap it for threads 👍 

The eyecups were missing, but now I think some generic ones will fit will a little trimming. 

Still have the 20x eyepieces to do, these still have the original eyecups, so those will get trimmed to neatly fit around the exterior of the filter holders. 

A little touch of black paint over the JB Weld with a super-fine model brush, and all is good. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Ships and Stars

[MarkAR]

Well done.

[Ciaran Meier]

Well done. Can think of a few jobs for that JB Weld. 

[Ships and Stars]

This is as much a plug for the mighty JB Weld as is the filter hack! JB Weld has helped me get my damage deposit back on more than one flat, haha. Half our 30 year old kitchen cupboard handles have been repaired with it. Can't tell and probably stronger now than before.

Regarding the binoculars, will try for as many nebulae as possible the rest of this observing season.

[PeterW]

Have to get some for the cupboard, having fun with contact cement at the moment. What’s the thickness of the top metal ring of the ep, ie above the 2.5mm high gap. With current movement restrictions I’m not sure when I’ll get time to play with the flexi material, though I have a colleague playing with some stuff at home.

good to see you’ve sorted this!

 

Peter

[Gemineyes]

Nicely done! 

 

I use an on board filter cap adapter for my APM ED-APO binos (all three of mine have the same size caps - 10x50/16x70/25x100). I will post photos here of this as the technique can be used for virtually ANY binocular. I use Kaiser caps, dremmel out a size ot fit the TFA1s from Scopestuff - these are cells which have integrated 1.25" threads on them. 

Adding filters to binos adds a whole new dimension to observing. I use Orion SkyGlows and polarizers a lot in mine. The latter for solar, lnar and dawn/dusk/daytime planetary observing... :)

 

CS, 

Darren

[Ships and Stars]

On 18/03/2020 at 13:44, PeterW said:

Have to get some for the cupboard, having fun with contact cement at the moment. What’s the thickness of the top metal ring of the ep, ie above the 2.5mm high gap. With current movement restrictions I’m not sure when I’ll get time to play with the flexi material, though I have a colleague playing with some stuff at home.

good to see you’ve sorted this!

Peter

Thanks Peter! The additional height is c/3.5mm above the top of the EP, so some loss of eye relief, but actually very little, especially without filters in place. I was using them yesterday for terrestrial and the filter holders actually act as eyecups to block stray light entering. 

21 hours ago, Gemineyes said:

Nicely done! 

I use an on board filter cap adapter for my APM ED-APO binos (all three of mine have the same size caps - 10x50/16x70/25x100). I will post photos here of this as the technique can be used for virtually ANY binocular. I use Kaiser caps, dremmel out a size ot fit the TFA1s from Scopestuff - these are cells which have integrated 1.25" threads on them. 

Adding filters to binos adds a whole new dimension to observing. I use Orion SkyGlows and polarizers a lot in mine. The latter for solar, lnar and dawn/dusk/daytime planetary observing...

 

 

 

Thanks you Gemineyes! That's a very slick solution you have there. I will look into this as well. 

I am a big fan of filters, especially at dark sites. I haven't tried the sky glows, but the Astronomik Hb or UHC and OIII produces some very interesting results under very dark conditions with dark adapted eyes. 

Completely agree, it does add a whole dimension. My DIY task this summer is to cobble together a suitable tripod/fork mount for these, they are around 7.15kg, probably about the same as your APM 25x100s. 

 

Clear skies all!

[mark81]

On 16/03/2020 at 16:59, Ships and Stars said:

Hi all,

Some might have seen my earlier post lamenting the lack of filter threads for my Quantum 5.1 observation binoculars, as the Quantum 5.1 20x and 40x EPs don't have any threaded attachment points top or bottom, and these older style bins don't accept standard 1.25" eyepieces. 

I bought a cheap set of planetary filters, unscrewed the filter retainers, cut the holders down to increase eye relief and used a neat bead of JB Weld to attach filter threads to my 40x eyepieces. These attach now in the same way as the Helios Apollos binoculars to the user side of the eyepiece. I would have attached them to the objective side, but this would not allow the eyepiece to insert fully.

After letting the maximum strength JB Weld cure for 24hours, I now have filter threads!

By the way, JB Weld is an incredibly strong steel-reinforced epoxy with a tensile strength of over 5,000PSI, I've used it for years on various items with great success. You can sand it to shape or even drill and tap it for threads 👍 

The eyecups were missing, but now I think some generic ones will fit will a little trimming. 

Still have the 20x eyepieces to do, these still have the original eyecups, so those will get trimmed to neatly fit around the exterior of the filter holders. 

A little touch of black paint over the JB Weld with a super-fine model brush, and all is good. 

Brilliant work! Really looking to hearing how you get on with these...

[Ships and Stars]

42 minutes ago, mark81 said:

Brilliant work! Really looking to hearing how you get on with these...

Thanks Mark, my biggest problem now is mounting. I'm kicking myself for selling my AZ4 mount/tripod when I sold my 130PDS and 25x100 bins. I have a camera tripod, but it's risky using it for astro, terrestrial is fine. I need to whip something up in a hurry before we lose astro darkness, though I could still do lunar of course. 

California nebula is on my list before BST!

[Gemineyes]

On 24/03/2020 at 07:50, Ships and Stars said:

Thanks Peter! The additional height is c/3.5mm above the top of the EP, so some loss of eye relief, but actually very little, especially without filters in place. I was using them yesterday for terrestrial and the filter holders actually act as eyecups to block stray light entering. 

Thanks you Gemineyes! That's a very slick solution you have there. I will look into this as well. 

I am a big fan of filters, especially at dark sites. I haven't tried the sky glows, but the Astronomik Hb or UHC and OIII produces some very interesting results under very dark conditions with dark adapted eyes. 

Completely agree, it does add a whole dimension. My DIY task this summer is to cobble together a suitable tripod/fork mount for these, they are around 7.15kg, probably about the same as your APM 25x100s. 

 

Clear skies all!

Thanks Ships!

 

One of the nice things with this type of solution is in my case, I can use them for all my APM Binos, since these all have the same size eyecups. I too see a slight reduction in FOV, but very little, and certainly a worthy tradeoff when considering the added observational dimensions the filters provide when hunting aloft for those tenuous critters...

I also leaves the binoculars "AS IS" in the fact that these being removed puts the binoculars back to normal without mods per se. I also highly recommend the Kaiser caps for those with binoculars. I retrofitted ALL my binocular kit with them, including my Canon IS models. The caps are tougher and more stiff than the often provided soft plastic or rubberized end caps, and provide extra ocular protection. 

 

FYI, my 25x100 APM ED-Apo binoculars are around 4.7kg. Right around the 10lb. mark. I use a Technosky eLLe single Fork mount for my binos, including my new APM 82-45ED pair I got last week! The eLLe single fork is nice and apparently can handle 16lb. Max. I figure 10 is a safer bet. Their dual fork might be an option. These are pricey, but VERY well made, and include encoder stalks for use with an external astro-computer, should that be optional for a user... 

 

I also recently got (yes - had a nice windfall this spring on tax return!) an Oberwerk PM1 mount - fantastic bino mount for instruments between 2 to 5.5kg or so... 

Clear Skies! 

Darren

AKA - GeminEyes...

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Gemineyes

[Ships and Stars]

That's a great solution with the Kaiser caps, I'd never heard of them before. 

Coming up with a suitable mount will be another story! I'm self-employed and thus unemployed, so on a total spending freeze at the moment, but when I do have a little bit coming in, I will make up for it no doubt 🤣.

I do some light metalwork and welding as a hobby of sorts when something needs fixing and do my own MOT repairs, so would like to fabricate a 'presentable' DIY fork mount with some scrap I have and only order in any bits like star knobs or stainless fasteners. 

I had an AZ4 which was ok with some 4.5kg 25x100s, but doubt it would hold still at high angles with the Quantums, but I'll cobble some monstrosity together... 

Thanks Darren!