DIY 1.25 inch Eyepieces / Barlows - any tubing recommendations?

[doublevodka]

Hi all,

 

To cut a long story short, due to lockdown boredom and internet rabbit holes I've cobbled together a DIY barlow and eyepiece out of various camera lens bits.

 

However I'm struggling to find a suitable (and cheap) place to get tubing of the right size and with current lockdown restrictions in Wales I can't really go and physically look at stuff.

 

Has anyone done something similar and know of a decent cheap source? Ideally looking for something for the barrel to go into the focuser and the top section to slot an eyepiece into.

 

Thanks in advance

[markse68]

Hi DV, I don't have any suggestions for suppliers but there is a FB group called A Second Look: Reusing Old Lenses for Astronomy 

They probably do have some suggestions and I'm sure would be interested in your projects

Mark

[doublevodka]

3 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Hi DV, I don't have any suggestions for suppliers but there is a FB group called A Second Look: Reusing Old Lenses for Astronomy 

They probably do have some suggestions and I'm sure would be interested in your projects

Mark

That's exactly where I got the ideas from 👍 I'll ask there too but they're mostly US based unfortunately

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, doublevodka said:

Hi all,

 

To cut a long story short, due to lockdown boredom and internet rabbit holes I've cobbled together a DIY barlow and eyepiece out of various camera lens bits.

 

However I'm struggling to find a suitable (and cheap) place to get tubing of the right size and with current lockdown restrictions in Wales I can't really go and physically look at stuff.

 

Has anyone done something similar and know of a decent cheap source? Ideally looking for something for the barrel to go into the focuser and the top section to slot an eyepiece into.

 

Thanks in advance

Would one of the extremely cheap (and horrid) far eastern barlows do the job, or at least, part of the job ?

Maybe put an ad. in the 'wanted 'section to see if anyone would part with an embarrassing starter barlow , or one where the lens was damaged/lost.

[Louis D]

Try contacting Martin Pond on CN (need to be logged in to link).  He's been retasking lenses for DIY eyepieces for years, documenting his efforts there, and could probably give you some good ideas.

[AlexK]

An alternative suggestion: get a 3D printer instead. A single 1kg spool of PLA filament would allow you to make hundreds of nice looking ready to use eyepieces of infinite complexity to play with just off the top of your head (after you master a suitable CAD app). A used printer could be found for $100 (as a small printer like 15x15cm is easy to find cheap when people eventually upgrading to a larger volume). Or you could make one, as parts are dirt cheap on eBay/Ali. A spool of filament is $15.

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by AlexK

[Robindonne]

Somewhere in my “not ever going to use” assortment is an eyepiece projection camera adapter from TS.  It always remind me of a barlow.   Has threads and a 1,25 nose piece. It might come in all kinds of models and not that expensive

[Merlin66]

Surplus Shed always has various eyepiece components available.

[doublevodka]

3 hours ago, AlexK said:

An alternative suggestion: get a 3D printer instead. A single 1kg spool of PLA filament would allow you to make hundreds of nice looking ready to use eyepieces of infinite complexity to play with just off the top of your head (after you master a suitable CAD app). A used printer could be found for $100 (as a small printer like 15x15cm is easy to find cheap when people eventually upgrading to a larger volume). Or you could make one, as parts are dirt cheap on eBay/Ali. A spool of filament is $15.

 

I'd thought about it but trying to do things as cheap as possible, plus being an IT guy the wife rolls her eyes any time I mention buying tech 😅

[doublevodka]

9 minutes ago, Robindonne said:

Somewhere in my “not ever going to use” assortment is an eyepiece projection camera adapter from TS.  It always remind me of a barlow.   Has threads and a 1,25 nose piece. It might come in all kinds of models and not that expensive

So this is another thing that I've been looking at, but I wasn't sure a standard 1.25 inch eyepiece would fit in the wider end properly? All the ones I saw looked a little wide...

 

5 minutes ago, Merlin66 said:

Surplus Shed always has various eyepiece components available.

I had looked at them too, can you tell it's been cloudy 🤣 

[Merlin66]

Yeah, all the eyepiece projection units I’ve seen are really for use with the “traditional “ smaller body eyepieces, like the TV plossls.

 

[doublevodka]

13 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Yeah, all the eyepiece projection units I’ve seen are really for use with the “traditional “ smaller body eyepieces, like the TV plossls.

 

I've never used one but from this I assume the whole eyepiece slots inside, then the camera attaches above to the t ring?

[Robindonne]

2 hours ago, doublevodka said:

I've never used one but from this I assume the whole eyepiece slots inside, then the camera attaches above to the t ring?

Coincidentally someone is selling multiple pieces today in Nl.  Maybe he has also some info for you.  

Te-les-koop.nl

Edited January 28, 2021 by Robindonne

[doublevodka]

30 minutes ago, Robindonne said:

Coincidentally someone is selling multiple pieces today in Nl.  Maybe he has also some info for you.  

Te-les-koop.nl

Sadly those are for the old .965 eyepieces