Paint or Flock???

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Hi all,
I'm at a junction here with the internet clouding my mind more than the Luna eclipse was clouded!!!
Im in the middle of fixing my 150 mm Skywatcher Newtonian from a major accident on Wednesday.
I came home to image the eclipse and found my rig on its side with Canon snapped off and a large dent in the tube. A mini tornado!!!!
I fixed the camera and stripped the tube and got the dent out.
Now the repaint thing!!! What's best?? Flock or paint and where do you get the supplies in Australia?
Any info would be great..
Thanks
Andy

[xelasnave]

Things sent to build ones character...you can only be grateful...you could consider paint and saw dust...paint and while it is wet sprinkle saw dust all over, let it dry and do it again..I have had good results but given action has been thrust upon you perhaps consider baffling as well.
Alex

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Thanks Alex..
Im looking at some sort of blackboard paint?? Ill do a few test for IR problems i have read about. My Modded 450D and a Ha filter should be a test for the paint and how reflective it is in that frequency.
Yes a testing time!!! I was so looking forward to image the eclipse and stream live on Wednesday. My rig stays outside for most of the year and in gale force winds so it must have been a big one........or a out of control kangaroo??
Its got me started on a permanent pier so this will never happen again!!!
So lucky the camera still works and the mirrors didn't break
Thanks
Andy

[xelasnave]

Look at Hubble and note the baffling and how it extends past the secondary...on most of my scopes I have a long baffled dew tube which I believe is useful in improving contrast by reducing stay light. Testing the paint would be a very good idea after all it is not what we see but what the camera sees.
Accidents and set backs will most likely always happen the key is not to add to any loss by letting it upset you and ruin your day...my standard responce is, as I hinted at...and I say this out loud... "wonderful another thing to build my character." Just those words settle me down.
A pier will be a major step forwards.
Alex

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Thanks Alex,
I have zero light pollution here but ill extend the tube a bit just to safe.
Also how much character does one need??.....LOL
Seriously, that's a good mantra to keep your cool!!!

Andy

[xelasnave]

Well I was in a very low light pollution spot when I first thought of the baffled tube ... It was the light from stars I was seeking to minimise... like we only think of them as points of light but that point appears say on every point on a sphere surrounding any star which to me means that the light from any star will fall on the whole exposed surface of the tube..think how much light Sirius lays down... I thought my idea was novel and it was much later that I noticed Hubble employed the same approach...which I took as support for my approach ...after all one could think they would adopt the best approach possible...I have never done tests but I am rather confident the baffled tube does what I expect however whether the benefit is worth the effort I dont know but, and I think this is from my racing days, you just do everything the very best you can, . I think being in a non polluted area is great and baffling should be more noticeable.
Alex

[Gary47 (Gary)]

TIMBECON SELL FLOCKING, i DON'T KNOW IF ITS SUITABLE BUT ITS CERTAINLY FLUFFY STUFF. AND IN A CHOICE OF COLORS, RED TUBE ANYONE?

https://www.timbecon.com.au/flocking-black

GARY

[Pepper (Steve)]

Spotlight sell sticky a4 sheets of black fuzzy stuff.
Be warned, it’s sticky. You only get one shot.
I put it in the tube of my newt and it hasn’t budged with temp fluctuations.

[mura_gadi (Steve)]

Hello,

Sorry to see the sad state of affairs.

Blackboard or similar textured paint is great, the naysayers will point out paint flake further on. Textured paint helps dampen and deflect a bit more over a smooth paint. Not sure if your remote, but I'd go against paint if you are.

Sticky flocking is going to be hard, gl if you go down that path.

I'd be temped to make up a flocked and mirror/focuser baffled sleeve if the tube allows it. Be a lot easier to work on/with for both materials and design. Get the whole thing ridge enough to slide in and fix to the tube.



Steve
5mm flexible plywood might be a good start if you can lose 10mm ID from the tube. I have been looking at making one for 230mm ID tubes though and I can't remember the curve rate off hand.

The idea is that the flexable pine will spring out to fit to the tube. As long as I have a snug fit, I should be able to insert the rolled up flexable pine wood for measurements, marking out the focuser ect and remove to work on it laid out flat. The angles of the cut will need a little reworking, but I can paint/flock a flat panel and use the door frame quietening strips as to workout my baffles either side of the focuser and at the top of the mirror easily. It could also be added to later if you wanted to take it to the nth degree with baffle suggestions from newts for eth web etc.

If the ID of the tube is tight, you could do similar with a suitable stiff black plastic sheet.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

If you go down the self adhesive path and want something really black:
http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_flok.htm

Here's a comparison of that material to the spotlight black felt:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...e.php?a=182664

[Stonius (Markus)]

Originally Posted by Pepper

Spotlight sell sticky a4 sheets of black fuzzy stuff.
Be warned, it’s sticky. You only get one shot.
I put it in the tube of my newt and it hasn’t budged with temp fluctuations.

I've tried that stuff for minimising reflections in beam splitter rigs. It's worth noting that it can shed a a little when cut.


Cheers, Markus

[Stonius (Markus)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I have never done tests but I am rather confident the baffled tube does what I expect
Alex

Curious about this. How did you construct and attach the baffles?


My RC10 is baffled, but it's a little hard for my truss dob!

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Stonius

Curious about this. How did you construct and attach the baffles?


My RC10 is baffled, but it's a little hard for my truss dob!

Use a strip of cardboard twice width of baffle use wish to create, fold down centre, on one side cut at 90 degrees from edge to centre line, do this all the way around say every centimetre or less, stick the un cut section to tube wall and allow the "tabs" to ride under and over so they fit, glue all in place and cut "tabs" to a circular shape....


Or cut sections of circles with tabs to glue to the tube wall

Someone earlier suggested foam rubber strips..

My next one I plan to have the things printed and hang the expense.

Alex

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Thanks Gary, Steve, Steve, Peter, Markus and Alex for all you input!!
I'm going down the self adhesive flock route I think. I've given it a quick flat matt spray and I can see a slight reflection.
Anyway I think the scope will be fine after a rebuild but now a major problem with the Camera!!
Where the USB connects is broken!!. Its all loose so its either snapped off the board or the board itself has snapped.
The camera still works but no PC conect any more. Well there goes my live telescope streams!!!!
Does anyone know of a Camera repair place in AU or is it time to retire my modded camera and buy an astro cam!!!
Very sad again!!!
Andy