Just an interesting vid - Link Below - but the 'Black 2.0' paint should be rather useful inside scope's & other places within light-path etc,,,
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Where to source it from : http://stuartsemple.com/project/blac...-art-material/
I just wonder when expose to outside conditions dew etc, if there is outgassing from this paint.
"WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS OF BLACK 2.0?
Black 2.0 is designed to be used indoors, it isn’t
very durable so it doesn’t like to be handled too
much. Protective varnishes may be used however
they will change the matte effect."
For real world use in open tubes i'm not sure how well it will be, who is going to be the first to test it here?
In my 12" dob I painted around the outside of my secondary mirror with chalk board paint. I think Ill try it out on that. I also have a ring of hard board back flocking material fashioned into a cylinder to darken the draw tube in the focuser. I also have flocking material in the baffles of my Mak. Ill replace those with this paint. See if its close. Ill put some up pictures later. It recommends 24 hours drying between coats. Might do 2 coats.
Apply the paint to some other prime/painted surface, be it an old paint tin lid or whatever (lightly sand surface before applying the black paint). Let the paint cure indoors for a few days - best to let this happen slowly. Then, take the painted surface outside one fine dewy night and poke and prod it to see how tough it is. It should at least be able to deal with having fingers handle it.
Adrian, careful. At least two of the flocking material I’ve research recently quote reflectivity half that of this paint.
There’s another issue as well - reflectivity varies significant with the angle of incidence. At very shallow angles typical of a scope the reflectivity of paint can be quite high ahead for flocking it is very low.
I haven’t seen any data on the reflectivity vs angle of incidence for these materials so frankly it would have to be up to you to do empirical tests but my bet is on the flocking.
Then there’s black rouge. Messy stuff but really seriously black and I’m wondering how it would fare if say sprayed with VO5 to hold it in place.
Simon Semple, who developed this Black 2.0, has a video on using the stuff.
He makes a point of the longer drying time that it has, due to its chemistry, but that the stuff gets darker/more matt the long it is given to dry.
The paint seems to stick really well as you look at how he handles the test sheet that compares different black paints applied to aluminium foil. But it is not intended for being kept outdoors where it would be subjected to weather and direct and prolonged sunlight. How it would stand up to our use, being nocturnal and with occasional dew wetting, that needs to be seen.
With regard to flocking, has anyone had their flocking peel away before? It happened to me on a scope once. I applied it fairly meticulously too. One evening I went out to set up and part of it was hanging JUST above a 14" mirror :/
How about letting us know what you used - so we can avoid it in future ?
I’m currently collecting parts and materials to mod my scope later this year and flocking and a dew cap are definitely on the agenda after reading this
Although the photos near the bottom are of a very dark object against bright sky it remains relevant astronomically in the context of situations with extreme glare such as the lunar limb, or spotting a faint object near a very bright one such as Sirius’ Pup, or a 10th mag DSO near a bright star - and there are plenty of examples.
Flocked the inside of my home made dew shield using felt from the local craft shop.
Used kwik grip gel for vertical surfaces, hasn't let go even after bending it around in position. 130C temp rating
How about letting us know what you used - so we can avoid it in future ?
I’m currently collecting parts and materials to mod my scope later this year and flocking and a dew cap are definitely on the agenda after reading this
Although the photos near the bottom are of a very dark object against bright sky it remains relevant astronomically in the context of situations with extreme glare such as the lunar limb, or spotting a faint object near a very bright one such as Sirius’ Pup, or a 10th mag DSO near a bright star - and there are plenty of examples.
Get your flocking material from scopestuff and sleep easy. I know I do. I flocked my 12" dob, my 4" refractor and the 6" Mak as you have seen. Consider flocking board for your mak. You get the measurements right and it will snap lock in tight. The friction will stop it from moving entirely. No glue needed.
If you are into light reduction try my light tube idea.
It is an extension to the scope like a dew tube but baffled...flock if you like but I use black paint and saw dust..put on paint sprinkle saw dust let it dry and paint again...
I have not done tests but by the eye I think it imptoved things.
If you look st Hubble Space Telescope they pinched my idea...well not really but I was doing this before I noticed they do it...
Alex
I think it helps not only with close light sources such as street lights but to minimise star light that predumably tries to get down the tube...given the success of dragon fly has to do with less reflection of the canon 400 mm lens I expect eliminating light must help.
Alex
