Most effective dew shield material...

[ChrisHallett]

Hi there,

So I’m looking at retail dew shields and thinking they’re expensive for what they are and probably quite easy to make, so that’s what I’m gonna do.

Seen a few great videos on the subject but people use different materials for the tube, is there an optimum, specific type to use or would a thin ‘yoga’ matt type foam be acceptable and as effective as anything else?

thanks in advance👍 

[StuartT]

To be honest, cardboard works great! I made this one last night out of an old box (I had no neoprene to hand!) and it worked perfectly. No dew at all in three and a half hours of imaging!

 

 

[ChrisHallett]

Haha thats brilliant, I don’t really think I need to worry to much about the materials then😆

[John]

I've used cardboard and also made one from an old camping mat and they have both worked fine.

 

[adyj1]

I got some of this from wickes;

Proplex black protection sheet

It's a 2mm thick matt black sheet, like cardboard but made out of plastic (one side has no printing) . Bit more robust than cardboard and a big sheet... 

Cheap and cheerful ☺ 

Edited June 6, 2021 by adyj1
Typo

[Kimboman]

Hi adyj1 this looks like a good material for diy  dew shields  I have made  two for my 6se and2 for my etc 90 and one for my 9x50 raci finder from black  foam mat from Ikea .

they have been in use for a fair while now and are still good all for £2.50 plus a tube of glue £1.00

[StuartT]

24 minutes ago, adyj1 said:

I got some of this from wickes;

Proplex black protection sheet

It's a 2mm thick matt black sheet, like cardboard but made out of plastic (one side has no printing) . Bit more robust than cardboard and a big sheet... 

Cheap and cheerful ☺ 

thanks. Good tip! Probably forms a rather nicer cylinder than my cardboard too. I'll give that a try

[adyj1]

47 minutes ago, StuartT said:

thanks. Good tip! Probably forms a rather nicer cylinder than my cardboard too. I'll give that a try

I wouldn't say it forms iit that much better, as it is still like corrugated cardboard... It is durable, though. 

[Alan64]

I made one of Reflectix®, Velcro®, and lined it with thick felt, dense foam for gripping, and for my relation's C90 Maksutov...

The metallic bubble-wrap is also used for wrapping the tube itself.  You can research that.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I don't think it matters what you use so long as it stays in place.  I have two cardboard dew shields and one commercial one.

[StuartT]

8 hours ago, Alan64 said:

I made one of Reflectix®, Velcro®, and lined it with thick felt, dense foam for gripping, and for my relation's C90 Maksutov...

The metallic bubble-wrap is also used for wrapping the tube itself.  You can research that.

Nice tip! I've ordered some reflectix and some neoprene sheet, so I shall get creative!

[Alan64]

2 minutes ago, StuartT said:

Nice tip! I've ordered some reflectix and some neoprene sheet, so I shall get creative!

Oh, the felt, and the dense foam-sheet, should be the self-adhesive type.

Edited June 7, 2021 by Alan64

[Gfamily]

18 hours ago, adyj1 said:

I got some of this from wickes;

Proplex black protection sheet

It's a 2mm thick matt black sheet, like cardboard but made out of plastic (one side has no printing) . Bit more robust than cardboard and a big sheet... 

Cheap and cheerful ☺ 

Plus one for this suggestion.

Velcro stickypads work well to keep it circular.

2.4m x1.2 m for a fiver wiil supply half your club members too!