How do you fit a ToUcam IR filter into a 1.25" adapter

[[1ponders]]

I've been reading through David Ratledge's new book "Digital Astrophotography: The State of the Art" and on page 33 it shows the standard 1.25" adapter with the IR filter from the rear of the original ToUcam lense inserted into the bore of the adapter. I am almost fibulating over this discovery and would love to put it into practice. Unfortunately I wouldn't know where to begin; What do I use to hold it in place, how will I grind it down if it is too big, hell, how do I get the damn thing off without breaking it in the first place.

Any ideas greatfully accepted.


PS if you get to have a look at the book in an astronomy store somewhere check out the "Pentax" ToUcam on page 35. :eyepop: What a brilliant idea! I'm even thinking of hacking into an Olympus or two to try the same thing. It would be perfect for modified ToUcams.

[Omaroo]

Excellent Paul!

I'm looking at removing it at the moment. There are three indents which look as though you can get a fine blade or flat blade screwdriver in there and gently lever it out. I'm going to give it a go because I never intend to use the original lens for anything anyway.....

Cheers
Chris

[Omaroo]

Well... that was easy! Now to mount it in the barrel of the adapter.....

[[1ponders]]

Go Chris Go :party: :D

[[1ponders]]

Yeah I saw the indents, but before I popped it out I though I might check ......just to see if it wasn't glued in first...you never know at times :lol: And how to mount it into the adapter. Now if you say "Oh it just pushed in perfectly" I'm going to feel like a real goose. Of course it can't because it's got those three lugs sticking out the side. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:



btw what's a fine bladed screwdriver? is it anything like a shovel or crowbar. D'em I know how to use :lol:

[[1ponders]]

Here's a photo to show how it looked in the book.



The second photo might be a little job you'd like to do in the near future. :D

Both photos are from
"Digital Astrophotography: The State of the Art: by David Ratledge (Ed) from Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series, published by Springer

[Omaroo]

Done! :)

I have a ToUcam adapter with the buffered bore - which is just a threaded surface. I cut a coiled spring to give me two "C" clips that were just larger than the bore. I carefully inserted one end of the "C" and then compressed the clip in to place with the butt of a drill bit which just fit the bore. I got it down about 6mm, cleaned and placed the filter in and then repeated for the top clip.

:D :thumbsup:

Sorry about the fuzzy photo

[[1ponders]]

Mines pretty smooth but it still should work. Did you go for the bottom end like the photos or top end? Guess it really doesn't matter.

[Omaroo]

I'm going to investigate buying another ToUcam, or a ready-to-go Kodak CCD and sacrifice my Nikon D50 to make it a "N50" :D :D :D

Thanks for the motivation Paul!

Cheers
Chris

[[1ponders]]

Looks too easy Chris.....c'mon something must have gone wrong.

[[1ponders]]

Ok, spring selection is crucial :P I've got the right size diameter spring but it is too strong to bend into the bore. Off to the bearing shop tomorrow me thinks :)

[Omaroo]

Paul - try putting the spring on a glass top table and then "rock" the adapter over it while pushing down hard. If you get it just in to the bore then use the butt of a drill bit or something to push it up further.

[[1ponders]]

I'll see if I can get a slightly smaller spring with less strength first. This one is pretty strong.

[Omaroo]

Paul - how did you get on?

[[1ponders]]

No go Chris. I didn't have a glass table but did have a nice piece of stainless. The spring I have is definately too strong. I was starting to think I'd endup stuffing the end of the adapter. I've been trying to track down a "softer" spring or a spring that is slightly smaller.

[mill]

To think of it a rubber 'O' ring should also work.
Just my 2 cents.

[[1ponders]]

I looked at them as well mill. The only ones I've seen that fit are a bit too thick and may cause vignetting. I'll keep looking though.

[mill]

I think i have an idea that will work.
Stainless steel welding wire.
I can send you a metre or so , i use 0.5mm wire to do stainless steel welding.
Pm me if you want me to send some.
Chris if you want some just pm me.
It is very springy and strong.

[Outbackmanyep]

Hammer and pin punch!
dont forget to use excessive force or it wont fit! :P

[ballaratdragons]

OK, Paul has revamped this thread via another thread!

Did the filter work??????

[ballaratdragons]

Also, do you think this filter would work on not bloating stars when imaging DSO's.??

[[1ponders]]

I don't know Ken as I haven't done the job with the filter. Check with Chris (Omaroo)

[ballaratdragons]

Yoo-Hoo Omaroo . . .

any results yet Chris?

[Omaroo]

Hey there Ken - sorry - only just saw this resurrected post. :)

Well, to tell you the truth, I haven't tried any DSO stuff yet for two reasons. First, I haven't set up my 12" on a permanent mount yet so don't have a scope with accurate enough trackong to try DSO photography and secondly haven't modified the ToUcam for long exposure yet. I've got the bits and pieces - but not the time ATM.

Will get back when done though! :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

OK, thanks Chris.

Ya never know, I might have my Toucam Lens filter in my adaptor by then. :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

Done!!!

I have fitted the little IR filter from the standard lens into my Adaptor to test it on DSO's.

It is sitting outside in the Toucam waiting for the clouds to part so I can test it.

I even aligned the mount on Acrux which is behind cloud :P just so it will be ready to go as soon as a sucker hole comes along :lol:

It probably isn't aligned, but who cares, I won't have time to align when a hole comes :lol:

I'll report when I see something.

[ballaratdragons]

It's raining :sadeyes:

Always another night just around the bend :)

[Omaroo]

:whistle:

[netwolf]

On the offside how difficult is this long exposure modification to do? I was quiet impressed with the image you took Ken, I am thinking about geting a second toucam to try the mod. Does the mod stop you from using it for normal Planetary imaging?

Regards
Fahim

[Omaroo]

Not the one I'm doing Fahim. There's a switch to select either long or normal exposure settings.

http://astro.ai-software.com/index.php?page=articles/cheap-o_astrocam_III/toucam2.html

Cheers
Chris

[ballaratdragons]

Too hard for me to do, coz I can't do electronics.

Yep, you can do both . A switch changes it from Long Exp to normal Avi mode.

[ballaratdragons]

Well, I had about 20 mins of clear sky and got to finally try the IR filter in the Toucam.

I am amazed at the difference with Stars!!! The stars are not as bloated as usual :cool:

But Galaxies look worse :sadeyes:

Another thing I noticed with stars is that they are now showing up in their natural colours, not all white!!! :)

I am going to see if the sky clears again and get some more samples done. If it doesn't clear, I'll process what I've already got and show you the difference :thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

I'm not surprised the stars look better Ken. The ol' toucam is fairly sensitive to IR.

How do the galaxies look worse? Not as bright?

[ballaratdragons]

Yep Paul, Galaxies are very washed out. Also won't focus whereas the stars around them are crisp and bright. I tried NGC4945 and M83 and both came out worse than I've ever imaged them.

I'll give it a little while longer but the sky isn't looking promising, the cloud is getting thicker!

[[1ponders]]

I'd hazard a guess at they are not looking bright simply because they are not getting all that IR. Looks like a new learning curve for you Ken ;)

[ballaratdragons]

I'd say so too Paul (new learning curve).

Now I have to figure out how to get those nice Galaxies AND crisp IR filtered stars . . . hmmmm . .

[erick]

.....a job for HDR-stack?? (if I understood the other thread correctly :D)

[ballaratdragons]

I'm thinking that too Eric :thumbsup: (if I can get the filter out easily :doh: )

[[1ponders]]

Might be less of a hassle to get a second adapter.

[netwolf]

Ken did you do the Long exposure mod yourself, I am confused.

[ballaratdragons]

Nope, mine was done in Adelaide by 'Telescopes and Astronomy'. :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

I have posted my first images with the IR Filter in place in the Toucam Adaptor.

They are HERE (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=20918)

So far so good :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Looks much better Ken.

How did you end up mounting your filter - much like I did, or differently?

Is it possible to see what the original images looked like pre-spiked?

Good work!

[ballaratdragons]

Yep Chris, I mounted it the way you suggested thanks.

I didn't have a spring handy so I found a spare small plastic cotton reel, sliced it into rings and cut a section out so it closed up enough to fit inside the adaptor. The Filter is almost a perfect fit in the adaptor.

Here are the 2 images without the sparkly razzle-dazzle :lol:
Absolute raw images, nothing done to them.

Carina is a stack of 4 x 180 second images, Jewel Box is a single 120 second image.

[Omaroo]

Thanks Ken - these two look fantastic - considering that all you are able to play with is VGA resolution :)

I'm currently in the middle of removing the CCD array from my ToUcam's circuit board so that I can remotely cool it by the peltier device I bought this arvo. Eeek!!

Image - two pins lifted, 12 to go!

[[1ponders]]

Coool :P

Are you going to do the amp off mod at the same time Chris?

[Omaroo]

hehe... I'd be mad not to Paul :)

I've created a new thread for this: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=225860#post225860

Cheers
Chris

[erick]

Gentlemen, for my future reference, where is the IR filter - on the CCD side, I guess with the lens on the "open air" side?

I have the lens holder out of my Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 and it looks like this is the arrangement. However, if it is the filter on the CCD side, it looks well glued into place!

I've some distance to go before I graduate to worrying about the IR filter - my webcam adapter is still in the mail (well I'm waiting for the second one - the first never arrived :sadeyes: )

[ballaratdragons]

Yes Eric, the IR filter is the piece of glass in the screw off lens, closest to the CCD chip :thumbsup: