Eyepiece case?

[Second Time Around]

On 25/01/2024 at 15:33, RJC said:

@Second Time Around This case looks great, what brand is it? Where did you get it from?
Thanks!

It's a B&W International type (i.e size) 3000.  They're available in different colours but orange shows up well with a red headtorch.  You can buy them empty, with plucked foam, or with dividers like mine. 

There are also various accessories like lid pockets that I use to hold a heated microwaveable bag to keep eyepieces from dewing up.

The dividers may not look as pretty as many of those on this topic but are far more flexible.  In case you're worried above contents moving around, don't be - otherwise photographers wouldn't have been using them for decades.

I can't remember where I bought mine now, but they're freely available online.

Edited January 28 by Second Time Around

[Mr_Cat]

21 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

like @bosun21 i use the Baader Hyperion case : I like the precut foam option.

It fits my new (old) Vixen LVWs and a couple of others very nicely

 

I went for the Baader case too.
 

Edited January 26 by Mr_Cat
photo had disappeared..

[Mr Spock]

My main case has changed a bit since last year.

[Naughty Neal]

My main case is now a pluck foam hardcase , the EP's have changed.  As is the one containing a near compete range of Meade 3000/4000 under 32mm, only missing a 20mm.  

Maybe a pic tomorrow but nothing quite as uniform or exotic as TOE' s or LVW's.

Edited January 25 by Naughty Neal

[LondonNeil]

This and the linked thread have some great examples of neat cases!

As a newbie I'm trying to get my head around what will work best for me before improving my storage and I'm a little surprised I don't see more integrated solutions where you're storing EPs with your scope for grab and go.

My situation is my street and all around is bortle 8-9 South London. My back garden is darker but very wet and muddy over the winter (think swamp!) And with houses and large trees also limiting the view the best place for me is some green space at the end of the street,  not so muddy (apart from some spots) and darker,  bortle 7.  

The recently acquired st120 sits in a large Stanley fatmax tool box, just,  and in the garage nice and cool.  What I want is to grab the Toolbox and tripod and have all I need so I can walk the 2 minutes to the end of the street and set up.  

The Toolbox has plenty of width and height so I can currently do a little tetris and place the 5 or so EPs around the tube and go. 

Question 1. Would the EPs be better stored inside the house?  Is that better for them long term?  In which case I need either a bit of storage that slips in a rucksack,  or if I could find/make a tray for the EPs I could probably carry those to the garage,  slip them into the tool box and go. 

Next problem.  If the EPs are safe long term in the garage/ Toolbox I'd probably want the EPs in foam at the bottom,  tube on top.  As it's the sensible order for setting up/ tear down for a session.  If the EPs are better in the warm house then I'll probably want the tray on top of the tube rather than faffing on the garage to get the EPs beneath the tube.   Not ideal as that then means tray out and on the grass for a session. 

However,  tbh, if the tray is EPs were beneath the scope it writing still come out as the tool box is my seat/my kids step up to reach the ep when viewing. 

Hmm. I think in addition to easily grabbed storage that slips on top of the tube I need good EP storage integrated into the tripod..... if I don't I can see one of the kids or me tripping over their tray on the grass!

Hmm so I really really want something that stores them,  fits around the tube in the Toolbox,  lifts out and clips to the tripod some how.....OK.... that's not easy but at least writing it out has helped me see my needs clearly!

[PeterStudz]

If I don’t keep my eyepieces slightly above outside temperature they can (especially on some nights) dew up. This can just be from the heat around your eye as you look into the eyepiece.

For me the solution has been to keep the ones I’m using for the night in the long straight-through pocket of my observing hoodie. It’s simple and it works. For me an “integrated solution” just wouldn’t work. Although you could argue that my big pocket is integrated.

[Naughty Neal]

 My EP's live in the side board/ dresser unit, the cases also  have the little reusable decassent packets in them to reduce moisture and  a simple battery cell hydrometer which tells me the temp and humidty.

My  case's  now has a few duplicates with the added sv215 zoom.

Eclectic mix of ep's. 25mm XCel lx, 18mm uff, 14.5 Alien LER, 7mm xcel lx, 13mm Nirvana, Sv215,  8.5mm XF, 18mm BCO & 10mm BCO.

 

Secondary case.

Meade 4k SP 32mm, 26mm, 15mm, 12.4mm, 9.7mm, Meade 3k 6.7mm & 5mm.

Also  SvBony 7.2mm - 21.6mm zoom, 18mm & 9mm xcel lx, 20mm (GSO) superview.

 

 

Edited January 28 by Naughty Neal

[LondonNeil]

31 minutes ago, PeterStudz said:

If I don’t keep my eyepieces slightly above outside temperature they can (especially on some nights) dew up. This can just be from the heat around your eye as you look into the eyepiece.

For me the solution has been to keep the ones I’m using for the night in the long straight-through pocket of my observing hoodie. It’s simple and it works. For me an “integrated solution” just wouldn’t work. Although you could argue that my big pocket is integrated.

Sometimes simple is best

[Naughty Neal]

A part form the XF being my only purchase over £100 the rest are all < £90 buys.

The Nirvana being £85 and the Sv215 a bargain £75.

Four of the Meades are  Japan marked but tbh I can see little difference in seeing to the China made  ones, nearly all the Meades were £20/£25 buys and the 26mm Japan one was a £10.49 buy.

At some stage the superview and Xcel lx 18mm/ 9mm may go. 

 I have still have some comparisons to make with the Sv215 and  xcel 7mm( fl 6.5 mm) and also the LER vs the Nirvana though both could go if I find a 12mm XF.

If I was to be logical/realistic I could quite easily whittle down to havng just 3 - 5 ep's and sell off all the others but as they are fairly inexpensive individually they  can mostly stay.

When I have others wanting a peek thru the lens , I use the secondary set. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28 by Naughty Neal