SOLAR FILTER - Baader AstroSolar Safety Film ND 5.0

[THE-BIG-MAN-SAYS]

Hi Anyone tried making solar filters with 'Baader AstroSolar Safety Film ND 5.0'. I bought a pack from FLO and hope to maximise it for my SW Skymax 90 scope, 10x50 bins and 80x20 bins. Dont ant to make any mistakes so 'errors' as well as 'good jobs' please... Thanks STEVIER

[Merlin66]

It tends to have a life of its own when you try to cut it!! I found cutting into squares to cover the cell being used then trimming the excess with a razor worked. What are you going to use for the mounting cells? Cardboard rings?? Don't worry about the wrinkles doesn't make any difference.

[astro_dt]

Hi I only made a filter for my camera, by putting a disk between two skylight filters (pictures on my website in the projects section). I also cut a square then trimmed it down.

I would recommend getting a halogen lamp and looking at the bulb through the finished filter. This is a good way to check there are no holes or gaps.

Cheers

Danny

[Helen]

I've just bought some too. I was hoping to do a Megrez 90 and some binos (although seeing as you're doing the skymax makes me think maybe a mask for the ETX125 ) .

Helen

[Pauln]

I made a filter for my ETX90 with this. I followed the instructions that came with the film, using two rings of cereal box card and it seemed to work OK.

[Brinders]

I have a TAL 150P newtonian that has an off axis hole in the centre of one plastic tube cap that I covered over with Baader solar film which I cut oversized then stuck down at the edges on the rear of the cap using duck tape. It has been on some years now and has proved durable.

The 60mm refractor that came with my Celestron SLT mount also had a plastic lens cap with a centre whole, and I have used Baader solar film in a similar way, but in addition to the duck tape, I used superglue to ensure the film was completely secure.

As already stated, don't worry that the film isn't perfectly flat, a few wrinkles won't harm.

Both scopes give good images of the whole of the sun's disc in white light. I used the TAL to view the transit of Venus some years back, which is why I purchased the solar film in the first place: caused much amusement to my neightbours using my scope in daylight, but they all came round to take a look!

[THE-BIG-MAN-SAYS]

THANKS for all the feedback...

They have some instructions in the packet...but thought a quick question to anyone who has tried it gives a realistic answer.

Photos to follow at some stage...I am using my new camera Manfrotto tripod and pistol-grip ball head for a quick grab scope...

STEVIER

[surfindogg]

I used this to make a filter for an ETX 105 + a mini filter for the finder, also for the Venus transit. I managed to take some afocal pics through it and must say it worked very well with loads of wrinkles in it. If you can find a cardboard tube to fit over the end of the scope - great. If not I made one using some heavy duty craft card and laminated three or four pieces to make a rigid tube. Try to keep the film under tension when you fix it to reduce wrinkles, although as noted they don't make any difference to performance. [just looks better without them] If you sandwich the film between two bits of card, try not to use an adhesive that wets the card - sticktion & wrinkle problems occurred with mine.

[Coco]

Hi I only made a filter for my camera, by putting a disk between two skylight filters (pictures on my website in the projects section).

Cheers

Danny

What a great idea cheers mate

Guy