Anybody got any Tips on flocking 130pds

[Craig a]

Bought some flocking from FLO and want to flock my 130pds, with the tube being narrow anybody got any tips and trick to flock this scope? As I Carnt get both arms in the tube like I could with my 10 inch how is it done with one arm😂

Edited September 1, 2020 by Craig a

[discardedastro]

I don't have a 130pds but if it's constructed anything like the 200pds I'd pop the primary and secondary spider (or at least the mirror holder) out entirely to start with. I'd precisely-as-you-can measure and cut sections of material to fit the tube diameter, and work from the middle out to each end (since you can then work on the ends to adjust to length). Cut slots as required for the spider and tidy up as needed. I laid in each piece of material still on its backing, removed one edge and adhered it to the seam running down the tube as a reference, and then progressively removed the material backing while pressing it into place. I just eyeballed alignment - a bit of overlap isn't the end of the world (you don't want any significant protrusions, of course, but so long as it's broadly sitting flush it won't enter the 100% zone).

Of course, while you've got it all in bits, I'd consider what else you might want to do at that point - fitting e.g. dew heaters, painting interior surfaces you can't flock, adding light blockers around/behind the primary, etc. Cleaning and spotting the mirror with a CatsEye hotspot may be worth thinking about if it's due a clean. Good moment to make any holes in the tube you might want to add for e.g. Telrad, etc, too. Worth getting it all in hand before you get it all torn to bits!

[johninderby]

One way that really works is to use some acetate sheet or something silimar to make a liner that can slip inside the tube and then apply the flocking to the acetate sheet while it’s laying flat on a table. 

Here is an axample in flocking a mak but the principle is the same. Also a couple of pics of a dob flocked using the same method. First dob pic is of the liner being test fitted then the finished result.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/316782-flocking-the-skymax-180/

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by johninderby

[DaveL59]

I'd agree with John, I recently did the same on an 80mm TAL-M, even less working room than a 130 and the acetate sheet method worked very nicely.

[Craig a]

Some good info there my material is being delivered tomorrow so I will have ago, I have already painted any shiny bits in there, I may flock the focuser tube also 

[Craig a]

Well I managed to do it although I had to cut it into 4 inch wide strips otherwise I would never have done it! It’s as black as the ace of spades in there now, I also flocked my dew shield as and the outside of the focuser tube, I need some clear sky now to try it out 

[BrendanC]

Hi,

I know this is an old thread but I'm considering doing the same with my 130PDS to possibly cut down on internal reflections.

@Craig a, do you have links please to the flocking paper you used? Also, if you used the acetate sheet method, and it was successful, do you have a link to whatever sheet you used too?

Thanks, Brendan

 

[Craig a]

8 minutes ago, BrendanC said:

Hi,

I know this is an old thread but I'm considering doing the same with my 130PDS to possibly cut down on internal reflections.

@Craig a, do you have links please to the flocking paper you used? Also, if you used the acetate sheet method, and it was successful, do you have a link to whatever sheet you used too?

Thanks, Brendan

 

Sure thing, here you go here is where I got mine 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/black-velour-telescope-flocking-material.html

[johninderby]

You can find the acetate sheet on Amazon or eBay. Get the large sheets.

[PeterStudz]

I flocked the complete inside of an old Skywatcher 8” Dob using flocking material from FLO.  I also flocked the inside of the focuser. Didn’t bother with acetate, just stuck it all to the surface. No problems and actually far easier than I thought it would be. 

Here are before & after snaps. 

[BrendanC]

Thanks, but I'm a bit cack-handed with anything remotely DIY and I like the idea of the acetate sheet method, particularly getting my hands inside such a small area.

Would this be suitable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vesey-Gallery-Acetate-Sheets-420x297mm/dp/B07SSLQ9RB/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=acetate+sheets+a3&qid=1654535861&s=officeproduct&sprefix=acetate+shee%2Coffice-products%2C59&sr=1-18

[PeterStudz]

Fair enough. Although it’s the length that can make it tricky. Eg the inside of the focuser draw tube was really easy. 

[Craig a]

I found cutting the material into 4 or 5 inch strips was better than trying to do the whole area of the 130pds, it is tight getting your hands in there, I wouldn’t worry too much if it’s not  perfectly neat, I over lapped each strip I did 

[johninderby]

22 minutes ago, BrendanC said:

Thanks, but I'm a bit cack-handed with anything remotely DIY and I like the idea of the acetate sheet method, particularly getting my hands inside such a small area.

Would this be suitable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vesey-Gallery-Acetate-Sheets-420x297mm/dp/B07SSLQ9RB/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=acetate+sheets+a3&qid=1654535861&s=officeproduct&sprefix=acetate+shee%2Coffice-products%2C59&sr=1-18

The 400 micron would be thick enough.

Edited June 6, 2022 by johninderby

[Aramcheck]

I used 0.5mm thick Polypropylene sheet from kitronik.co.uk. Worked fine on both the 200dps and 130dps.

Example of the 200dps process in the attached pdf.

Cheers
Ivor

flocking.pdf

[BrendanC]

  

1 hour ago, Aramcheck said:

I used 0.5mm thick Polypropylene sheet from kitronik.co.uk. Worked fine on both the 200dps and 130dps.

 

Could you provide a link please? There are lots of options!

Edited June 6, 2022 by BrendanC

[Aramcheck]

2 hours ago, BrendanC said:

  

Could you provide a link please? There are lots of options!

I don't have the original email/details but it would have been this one:-

https://kitronik.co.uk/products/polypropylene-sheet-05mm-x-1050mm-x-750mm?_pos=1&_sid=81be08b7f&_ss=r

Ideally I would have picked black, but during lockdown they only had white in stock - that worked ok as it was easy to mark on the bits to cut out & black marker pen on the edges worked ok. Once you've cut the polypropylene sheet to the correct OTA length I inserted it into the OTA & then marked the overlap position at either end. That made it easy to get the correct width, so that it fits in the tube of its own accord (i.e. no tape needed)

For the 200 dps the length wasn't quite enough to go to the end of the OTA, but I figured that the nearer the primary it wouldn't make much difference. In another thread on the SGL somebody recommended using hair-spray on the flocking material to help prevent it shedding fibres. I'm sure that helped, but it doesn't eliminate the problem entirely. (I'm about to give the mirrors a rinse & attempt @alacant's suggestion of replacing the primary mirror clips with blobs of neutral silicon sealant).

Cheers
Ivor