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james61
newbie
Reged: 11/13/06
Posts: 3
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Can anyone recommend a specific brand of solar filters for these binoculars? The only ones I can find are from Orion and are made for their 100mm brand. Will these filters work with the Oberwerk's? Thanks in advance for any info.
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2551
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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James,
Welcome to the bino forum.
I have been using my friend's Thousand Oaks Type II for a few month. Looks very much like the Orion glass filter. The filter's ID is felt lined and will compress a little to fit.
http://www.thousandoaksoptical.com/solar.html
I have tried it with 2 pairs of 100mm binos and my Meade 2045 4 inch SCT. They all fit. I am only using one filter for mono viewing. Some 100mm binos such as the Miyauchi/Clone have the objective barrels very closer together. They may not have sufficient clearance to accept two filters.
http://www.bigbinoculars.com/m20100.htm
Be VERY careful when you use solar filters. They filter out ~99.99999% of the light so it's nearly opaue till you have the sun in the field of view. It may take you a bit of searching around to locate the sun. Avoid looking directly at the sun!
I was switching the filter between my 25X100 and my SCT a few days ago when a neighbor stopped by to talk. Without thinking I put on the eye piece cap instead of covering the objective first. It took the 25X sun about 30 secs to burn a hole thru the lens cap. No harm done otherwise but I felt pretty foolish. Star gazing is no where near as hazardous......
Erik D
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Tad S.
super member
Reged: 08/28/06
Posts: 140
Loc: SW Virginia
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I have bought Baader solar film from Draco Productions (no affiliation; just a customer) at www.dracoproductions.net They sell different size diameters of the film mounted in heavy paper. They send instructions (also available on website) on how to make sturdy cells from posterboard that will fit your scope or binocs perfectly. I have used them to make filters to cover a dob, a MCT, and a pair of binoculars. Works great and for some 25x100's it would probably cost you less than $30. Requires a little DIY, but not much.
--Tad
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Orion XT8i, Vixen ED80Sf, Oberwerk BT-80/45
20x80 Oberwerk Std., 12x50 Nikon AE,
10x42 Celestron Regal LX, 8x40 Pentax PCF WP
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 14682
Loc: Hurricane Alley
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James, Welcome to CN.
FWIW, I just ordered some Tuthill 90mm solar filters to fit my Garrett 22x85 bino. $35 shipped for the pair! Of course, this was used on AstroMart. But a great deal nonetheless.
Keep an eye on AstroMart - comb through the "garage sale" listings. You never know what oddball/cheap gear people might be unloading. Like these Tuthill filters.
Clear dark skies...
MikeG
BTW - when is the next transit of Mercury - will I be riddled with cataracts and wheelchair-bound by then?
--------------------
Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Buy/Sell/Trade Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, & 35 different falls and types!
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2551
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Roger Tuthill was well known in the NY/NJ/CT Tristate Astro community. He passed away in 2000. Mrs. Tuthill had some left over inventory for sale at a NJ scope show several years ago. I'd guess those Tuthill filters are at least five years old.
http://www.asterism.org/aaipeople/tuthill1.htm
I am a bit nervous about making solar filters out of solar film & cardboard material MYSELF. I don't know how durable the film material is, how well it ages or how easy it is to detect pin holes if they develop. There is VERY little margin of error when you are observing the sun under 20-25X magnification!
I'd feel a little more comfortable with professionally made Baader film solar filter:
http://www.kendrickastro.com/astro/solarfilters.html
Erik D
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 14682
Loc: Hurricane Alley
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Erik,
Is there any way to inspect the filter for flaws? Such as holding a bright light behind it in a dark room?
The seller has a second pair for his own use and he has no problems.
I guess I will have a better idea of what I am working with when they arrive. I figure, $35 for two 90/100mm filters was too good to pass up......if they work. Heck, if only one works, I can use it for my scope.
Clear dark skies...
MikeG
BTW - the first link didn't work. 
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Buy/Sell/Trade Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, & 35 different falls and types!
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10142
Loc: Lancashire UK
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I concur with Erik .
Solar filters are THE one binocular accessory which simply MUST be absolutely PERFECT beyond question .
Regards , Kenny
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Two eyes and a preference to use both
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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