[SOLD] Super cheap Bahtinov mask cut for you. Choose from MDF or Acrylic

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Hi guys,

I am offering these fantastic Bahtinov's focusing masks for sale. If you don't know much about these masks please read about them here.

They are cut to your size and requirements using precise computer controlled 50W laser.

I also promise that they will be affordable to anybody. At this point I can cut them from either 3mm MDF or from 2 or 3mm black colour acrylic panel(non transparent). See attached images.

A mask from MDF will be cheapest you have ever seen and acrylic one will be still cheaper than from anybody else.

Once your MDF mask is cut I give it good sanding in case you want to paint it.

They don't come with any mounting solution to keep the price as low as possible. However you can order the exact size as your tube internal diameter so the mask will sit tight. Otherwise you can use Velcro for mounting.

I have contacted Pavel Bahtinov and we have agreed that he will get a commission from me for each mask I will sell. I guess he deserves it as he has invented this fantastic masks.

Below are special prices for registered members of the following astro communities

www.iceinspace.com.au
www.cloudynights.com
and the following
yahoo groups
EQMOD
VC200L
Stark Labs Astronomy Software

Prices

MDF Mask prices are based on your scope aperture and it is $1.5 per each full inch for registered members of the websites listed above and $1.80 for everybody else.


Acrylic mask prices are also based on your scope aperture and it is $2.20(2mm) and 2.80(3mm) per full each inch for registered members of the websites listed above and $2.40(2mm) and $3(3mm) for everybody else.

Black acrylic is a bit reflective but it doesn't create any problems for focusing. If it does for you sanding will remove this problem completely. Moreover masks come with one side covered with protective paper that can be peeled off if you don't need it.

Generally 2-3mm acrylic can be broken by hand if you bend it hard or throw it many times on concrete flooring. However even when it's broken it usually doesn't fall apart and can be used over and over again.

2mm acrylic mask will be more than ok and strong enough for scopes from 3"-6" and sometimes even for lager ones up to 8". I cut one for my Vixen 8" VC200L and it's still quite strong. However if you need stronger one I would recommend a mask made from 3mm acrylic.



Discounts

If you need more than two masks I can give you a discount and I will combine shipping to keep shipping cost as low as possible

Shipping

Shipping cost to any address in Australia via regular post will vary from $1.10 to $5.60 and depends only on your mask size and its weight. Registered, express and insurance are optional.


Payment

I accept both PayPal or bank deposit to my account in ANZ

How to order

If you want to order a Bahtinov mask please PM me the following details
- your scope clear aperture.
- your scope focal length
- outer diameter that you need.

If your scope has a secondary mirror at the front I would recommend to leave a solid centre on your mask. It doesn't affect focusing while it makes a mask much stronger. If you want to have it you will need to measure your scope secondary mirror holder diameter and let me know the result along with all other details. The solid centre diameter shouldn't be exactly the same as the holder one. You can even make it less 3-5mm. You can check the last picture to see an example how it's done on my VC200L OTA and what the mask looks like with and without the centre.

If you are not a registered member send me an email to ozstockman at gmail dot com


* 11" is a maximum I can cut in one piece as it's close to the maximum working area of my laser machine wich is 12"x24". External diameter of your 11" mask should not exceed 11.8".
However if you happy with a mask made from more than one piece that can be connected and glued together there is no limit.

I also can cut any other complex shapes. Please PM me.

Added:
-Price is based on an aperture of a scope not on an actual size of your mask which is always be wider. So don't try to pay me more than it costs :-)
- For scopes that have an aperture which isn't a represented by a whole number in inches it's rounded up to the closest one. I.e. a price for ED80 which is 3.15" will be 4x$2.20=$8.80 for 2mm acrylic and 4x1.50=$6 for MDF. I guess it's fair as the actual mask size is much over 3.15" and even over 4" considering that there is some border added to the mask based on your requirements. This only affects price calculation for your mask. Don't forget to mention the actual aperture of your scope and focal length as it's all required for generating correct cut pattern for your scope.

I have sold out all previous stock of 3mm black acrylic and new stock of 3mm black acrylic panels comes with plastic protection which is transparent. I still have old 2mm thick black acrylic panels which have non-transparent protection as shown on the pictures.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by ozstockman

Hi guys,
I have contacted Pavel Bahtinov and we have agreed that he will get a commission from me for each mask I will sell. I guess he deserves it as he has invented this fantastic masks.

That is a very decent gesture Mike and I applaud you for your personal integrity and business ethics in acknowledging the “inventor” in this manner.

Cheers

Dennis

[TheDecepticon]

I'll take one for my 200mm Bintel reflector. I'll pm you tomorrow with the tube size and the secondary hole size. MDF would last longer possibly, but the acrylic would be more water/moisture proof. Is a direct bank deposit ok? Thanks.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Mike,

Fantastic! I'll put an order in for 3 masks soon.

Regards,
Humayun

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Thanks Dennis. I guess it jus a way it should be. I know that some guys from USA offered comission as well but I have no idea whether Pavel has accepted it or not.

For me it wasn't hard to convince him because we speak the same language :-)

[ozstockman (Mike)]

yes, direct bank deposit is even better as there is no fees for me.

Just a small note on providing complete details for ordering. When you order please send me the following details

your scope aperture
your scope focal length
outer diameter of your mask.

Some of the guys who has already PMed me are mentioning model numbers like ED66. Yes, being in that area I can guess that 66 stands for aperture but it's better if you confirm it along with a focal length.

Regarding outer diameter of your mask, it is really up to you and I guess only depends on how you want to mount this mask. If you want to keep it inside your tube by just placing it in there it should be as close to your tube inner diameter as possible.

If you want to mount your mask using Velcro I guess it should the outer diameter of your tube.

If you don't know yet there is a online generator for Bahtinov's masks at http://astrojargon.net/MaskGenerator.aspx

If you feel comfortable you can generate your own mask yourself and just email me svg file(s). In this case I need to know only your scope aperture for correct quote. I will cut then exactly what's in the file you send to me. No need to convert svg to anything. It's a perfect file format for cutting using Corel Draw.

Please be patient once you sent me a PM with your order or questions. I will reply to everybody as fast as I can.

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Regarding the colour of acrylic

I have found a supplier today for black acrylic panels and these guys are close to me. However they are asking for them at least 8 times more than I can get a peach one for.
If I started cutting masks from black acrylic the price per inch would jump to $3. Do you think black colour masks are worth extra 80c?

[troypiggo (Troy)]

I would have thought 80c more is a pretty minuscule premium in the astro gear world.

I'm curious about these and their 3mm thickness. I assume the acrylic is shiny and/or buffed, but don't know about the cut surface finish. Any issues with reflections from light at an angle off the 3mm cut surfaces?

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

I would have thought 80c more is a pretty minuscule premium in the astro gear world.

I'm curious about these and their 3mm thickness. I assume the acrylic is shiny and/or buffed, but don't know about the cut surface finish. Any issues with reflections from light at an angle off the 3mm cut surfaces?

It's 80c per inch so for a 10" scope there will be $8 difference in price.

Yes, it's a bit reflective and not 100% non transparent. However it doesn't affect focusing. I have tried to focus on a pole with a very bright bulb 5 kms away from me and there is no difference between a MDF mask and an acrylic one. Both masks work very well.

In terms of transparency, I could get light through with a 8 bright LED torch. But it was placed 70mm from the back of a panel. Once it's moved away further I couldn't see light from the torch at all.

I think I can get 2mm black acylic panels for just a bit more than I am getting peach pannels. In this case it won't affect pricing at all.

Do you think 2mm black would be better?

[ozstockman (Mike)]

I have just modifed my original post by removing a peach colour mask and adding black ones. Also there are new pictures attached showing a black mask.

Everybody who has already ordered and paid for peach colour acrylic masks can get them as I reserved what's left for these orders. If you ordered and paid but haven't recieved a message from me that your mask are ready you can switch from 3mm peach to 2mm black as they are both sold for the same price.

cheers,

Mike

[g__day (Matthew)]

Can you also do Carey masks? If you're going to offer advanced masks, maybe the Carey mask is a step up from a Bhatinov mask?

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Hi Mattew,

No problems. I can do them as well if there is any interest n these masks.
However there may be some issues with 3mm thickness of material I'm using. According to http://www.btinternet.com/~gfcarey/careymask.htm 3mm isn't good and it's recommended to use 1.9mm

Also there is a question about copyright. is this design legal to produce? I am not so good at this stuff. At least with Bahtinov's mask I had an idea and I could contact Pavel to arrange all these things.

Anyway I can try 3mm thickness with Carey's mask design and compare it with the same made from something thinner. If 3mm thickness works and somebody wants it I can just cut it. In this case I won't offer a mask itself to avoid any legal issues. I will offer cutting service for any cut pattern that customers want.

Also if anyone has ideas on new mask design but it's required to be tested I can do it. We can find some cheap material like A3 heavyweight paper to keep the cost down and I will cut as many combination of new design as needed for lower fees.

I can cut foam, MDF, pine(tried up to 15mm and it works) and acrylic if it can be cut from panels no bigger than 24"x12". I can even create some complex shapes from thicker foam, wood or acrylic if stacking thinner parts together isn't a problem.

[Sharnbrook (Mike)]

Hi Mike,

The Bahtinov mask for my C 9.25 arrived today. It was well packed, the turnaround was very quick, it is well made, and the cost was very reasonable. All in all, a first class job, and thank you.

Highly Recommended.

Now I have to try it out.

[GeorgeC]

Originally Posted by ozstockman

Hi Mattew,
However there may be some issues with 3mm thickness of material I'm using. According to http://www.btinternet.com/~gfcarey/careymask.htm 3mm isn't good and it's recommended to use 1.9mm

Also there is a question about copyright. is this design legal to produce? I am not so good at this stuff.

Try cutting the Carey mask from 1.5mm ABS plastic.

Feel free to make as many masks as you like. Patenting the design would have cost me at least £20000, and I doubt if anyone will make enough of them to get that back.

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Originally Posted by GeorgeC

Try cutting the Carey mask from 1.5mm ABS plastic.

Feel free to make as many masks as you like. Patenting the design would have cost me at least £20000, and I doubt if anyone will make enough of them to get that back.

Hi George,

It's just a problem to find 1.5mm plastic here in Melbourne. I have found frosted one for a reasonable price and tried to paint it black but it doesn't work at all.

But anyway if I find something to cut your mask design from and people are interested in it you can still get commission from me. Doesn't matter for me if you haven't patented it :-)


cheers,

Mike

[citivolus (Ric)]

Question for you Mike: What is the thickness of the cut area from the laser, assuming 3mm acrylic? My aperture is large enough that I need to do a design in two interlocking pieces, so I need to know what tolerance to build in to compensate for lost material in areas where there may be a complex join.

Also, I am assuming that the cut will be asymmetric, with the area further from the laser losing slightly more material. I can work around this by having the second piece mirrored, so that it is assembled by flipping the piece over so that the edges meet up.

Regards,
Eric

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Hi Mike,

My masks for the C8 and ST80 arrived Tuesday. All neatly packed and safe.
I like the idea of having the design specs engraved on them.
Another happy customer.

My way of attaching? I put a couple of holes in the outer ring separated 90 degrees and 3mm outside the tube/dew mask diameter. 6g/25mm s/s screws and 6mm star plugs give me a non-scratch weather proof finish.

Regards
Andrew

[TheDecepticon]

Another happy customer here as well. Focused in about 2 minutes including a few test shots to verify. Best 14 astro bucks I've ever spent.
Thanks heaps!!

[Tandum (Robin)]

Thanks Mike, that little WO70ED mask works a treat.

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Thanks guys for your feedback.

[deleted]
I have found a supplier of cheap thin(0.9mm) plastic and I think I can offer it as an alternative to cheap MDF masks. It should be the same price as MDF. It is a cutting board sold in ALDI. They come in a pack of 4(red,yellow, green and blue) and I will be able to cut masks from them as long as ALDI sells them.

They are flexible and won't break even if you bent them. However they are slightly transparent. I will check how they work this week.

Since they are thin I can also cut Carey masks from them.
[/deleted]


Sorry guys these boards don't work for my laser at all. They are catching fire and starting to melt when cut with the laser. I will keep looking for something thin that will work for carey masks.