A question on ToUcam adapters.

[[1ponders]]

I've notice that there is an anodised 1.25" adapter available now. Rather than buy a new one, can anyone suggest what sort of paint and surface preparation would be needed to baffle the old shiny aluminium variety?

Also I have the adapter for EEP. Is anyone else using this and if so do you find the thread of the adapter is very sharp and tends to cross thread easily? Even when it is screwed in correctly it seems to "shave" fine particles of plastic off the ToUcam's plastic thread. This means everytime I swap adapters I have to clean the chip surface.

Is anyone aware of anything that can be done about the cross threading or the "shaving"?

[iceman]

Why do you need more than 1 adapter?

Why does it need to be baffled? Surely the light is coming in through the tiny hole onto the tiny CCD chip and there's zero chance of "stray light" bouncing off the edges of the adapter?

[[1ponders]]

I use the EEP adapter for those rare nights when I can push the limits Mike, especially on Luna shots.

The way I see it Mike is if my OTA is even slightly miscollimated then any light coming out of the back hits the barlow and is then misaligned even more through reflective scattering. That stray light then hits the highly reflective surface of the adapter and reflects all over the place reducing contrast. That's the idea as I understand it. I have a number of "different" adapters for different imaging situations (not just ToUcam) and those that are darkly flat anodized seem to my eyes to give better contrast on a given night. Maybe I need to do some comparative testing.

Just what I need .....another project :lol:

[asimov]

Yep, the webcams only bad point, damn plastic thread on the body! I think maybe wire brushing the aluminium thread on the adapter may take off the sharp edges. Ordinarily, if you wanted a nice smooth thread, it would be 'lapped in' Can't do this aluminium against plastic though. My thread is nearly kapoot also from screwing the adapter in & out, changing from the lens to the adapter so I can use it as a webcam or astro stuff.

My alternative was to stop using it as a webcam. I'm not going to take the adapter out again under any circumstances..

[asimov]

Oh, & I've only got the shiny adapter, never got around to blackening it, but it makes total sense to do so...everything else is black on the inside, so this may as well be! :)

[[1ponders]]

I haven't had much luck painting aluminium in the past, I wonder how multiple coats of black texta would go :P

[asimov]

For paint to stick, you'll have to etch prime it first. Not cheap either.. Roll up a little cylinder of thin flat black cardboard or something similar & glue it in perhaps? Flocking paper would be ideal obviously..

[asimov]

Lol, all my .965's EP's are 'texta blackened'... Unfortunately, it dries to a nice gloss finish..

[ving]

well black gloss has gotta be better than silver gloss.. :)

[acropolite]

You could try black anodising, it's not a difficult process and by varying the technique you can vary the smoothness of the finish. Here are a couple of sites with info on anodising. http://www.sca.unimelb.edu.au/va/metal/tech/anodfr.html
http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html

Apparently Dylon Ebony black Multi Purpose dye (MP8) (not cold water) will work for anodising.

[ronnierigel]

I used to get ghosting during imaging sessions using the "silver variety" tocam adaptor

A coat of dull black enamel spray paint has done the trick!

ron

[[1ponders]]

That sounds like something I could achieve Ron, thanks. It hasn't ever flaked or peeled?

[ronnierigel]

No it hasn't.

However try to avoid getting the paint on friction areas like the thread and the external surface where I think you will run into problems.

regards

ron