Bahitnov mask

[simon84]

I came across a website that allows you to generate a mask specific to your scopes stats and print it off.

What I'd like to know is would thick card be an ok material to make this mask from?

Cheers.

[steppenwolf]

Yes. thick card is fine although it would make sense to cover it in 'sticky backed plastic' to increase its life especially if it gets damp.

[simon84]

Thanks for the quick response Steve, I have something to do today now.

The sticky back plastic is an excellent idea.

[simon84]

One more question, does the overall thickness of the card matter?

[themos]

I made mine out of the plastic material that big art portfolios are made of.

[Dave Smith]

I've made one from mounting card which is about 1.5 mm thick, which I have then painted with a dull black paint to make it weather proof. It works fine. A small plastic commercial made one I have is about 3 mm thick.

Dave

[davew]

Hi Simon,

I made a Bahtinov mask from thin card. As I thought it would sag very quickly if damp, I only cut three upper slots and three each on the offset slots as an experiment to see if it worked. It does.

This mask is fairly tolerant to DIY abuse.

Dave.

[adamsp123]

If you make one using paper/card paint it with a cheap acrylic paint (modellers paint) once dry it is waterproof

[acharris77]

When I made my bahitnov mask, I laminated it so that it is quite weather resistant and it works well.

[simon84]

Thanks for the tips chaps.

Didnt make mine today as I couldnt find anything suitable to make it from but as soon as I have something and I've tried it out I'll let you know how it goes.

[simon84]

Well I've made two now, one from mounting card which with the slots at 1.7mm was a total pain.

I also tried printing the mask out on photo paper which I then laminated and cut everything out. I then covered both sides with sticky backed black velor which shouldnt reflect any light and has stiffened it up lovely.

I'm going to stick this onto a cardboard tube that I made and covered with the black velor aswell to keep it all looking nice, its slides over the dew shield of my Equinox perfectly.

Now I just need a bit of clear sky to try it out.

[Glider]

The first mask I made I printed the pattern on A4 black card, cut the slots out and then laminated the whole A4 sheets. Then I cut the disc out.

I thought the 'clear laminated' slots would be OK but they seemed to introduce distortion and lost light. There seemed to be a trapped air bubble in each slot between the laminate layers.

The next mask I made was much better, I printed the pattern on A4 black card, then laminated the whole A4 sheet. Then I cut the slots and the disc out.

I've made then for my Explorer 200P, Startravel 80 and also my 9x50 finderguider!

Having said all of that, the one I bought from Stay Focused is the best.

[MG1]

I managed to take the file created from the interweb and give it to a teacher friend who then used the school laser cutter to make me one.

I made a donation to the school fund and Robert's your fathers brother.

Statistically I think we all know at least one teacher....who probably knows the Technology teacher. Always worth asking, I was amazed at what they have in schools these days. And if you have teenage kids, well, I'm sure if they explained the science of it they could do it as a gcse project.

[Tim]

I have home made masks made from laminated card, thin steel ones made by Psychobilly, and an acryilc one from Stayfocussed. They all work very well, however the thin steel ones produce the best results, sharper clearer spikes, I think because the material is thinner than the acrylic, and stiffer then the card.

[MG1]

Interesting TJ. Mine is 2mm Perspex, lasercut. But I wonder if thinner plastic glued to a thicker material that is fractionally small than the thin stuf would provide a good compromise?

[TopHouse]

You can get what i can only describe as 'plastic card' in black and in white from a lot of model shops, it would be ideal for making these. it comes in varying thicknesses.

[MG1]

Ahyes, I remember the stuff. I used to scratch build models with that stuff.