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NotThePainter
super member
Reged: 06/02/07
Posts: 133
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I'm hoping to build my light block screens this weekend. I've read the other threads and I still have a few questions.
I don't see the need for building rectangular frames to hold the screens, you see, I'll be observing from my front yard and I can put permanent stuff in the ground.
The plan is to pound some 2" PVC into the ground and then put the uprights in that. (And before you say I'm crazy, I live on a sandbar, all windblown over the centuries, I don't think we know what a rock is....)
I also have very limited storage space, so a big frame is not attractive me.
So I'm thinking I can just insert something into the uprights and have the material attached to the uprights. The questions are:
1) Should I use wooden dowels or 1" PVC? The dowels are very rigid but quite heavy. If I had 4 eight foot ones with the material attached, it could be a chore to carry it out to the front yard. The PVC is flexible, but only a little. I can staple the material to the dowels, I have no idea how to attach the material to the PVC
2) What material should I use? Black tarps seem like a good choice. There is also all sorts of ground cover at Home Depot in the garden center, but they won't let me open it to check it out. (And the Home Depot is about an hour away, one way.)
3) Should I make one BIG structure, with many panels or make several smaller panels so they are easier to carry? If I make several smaller ones, then I'll have to put more 2" PVC in the ground.
I look forward to your comments and I'll certainly take pictures and report back as I go along.
OH, I live in North Truro, MA, USA, about 500 feet or so from National Park land. As long as it isn't humid I have pretty dark skies. If it is humid, well, I can see the nearest lighthouse beacon talk about light pollution!)
Paul
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60mm Swift Refractor
5 inch Burgess 1278 Refractor
6 inch Edmund Scientific Reflector
8 inch Celestron SCT
Celestron ASGT mount
Canon 15x50is
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Cape Cod Astronomy Society
New Hampshire Astronomy Society
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nodaknewbie
super member
Reged: 03/31/05
Posts: 197
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Hi Paul,
A couple of questions if you will. First, how high will you have to make the panels to block out the offending lights? Will you be using a dob (ie low scope mounting) or a gem (higher scope mounting)? Do you need to block light pollution from only only direction or are you planning on building a complete surrounding enclosure?
I built my 6 panels using 1 1/2 inch pvc piping and wrapped the ends of the 8 mil thick black poly around the pipes and used (what else?) duct tape to hold it on.
Each horizontal pipe has a hole drilled 1 inch in from the end through which I insert a 1/4 inch bolt through the eye of an eyebolt which has been inserted into the end of the pipe on each end. The shaft of the eyebolt goes through a hole drilled in the upright pipe and is drawn tight with a nut. A strap ties the tops and bottoms of the pipes together.
Hopes this helps
Gary
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10x50,16x50, & 25x100 binos
C102GT refractor
Orion StarMax 127mm Mak
C8N reflector on Home made dob
C6-R on CG-5 goto mount/concrete pier
New Orion 4 1/2" Starblaster
7x7 Suncast Observatory "Quest"
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NotThePainter
super member
Reged: 06/02/07
Posts: 133
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I have a GEM but I must admit I found your comment about dobs being low mounting scopes, most of the guys in my clubs with dobs have ladders!
I think the PVC comes in 8 foot lengths, so I could put 1 1/2 feet in the ground and then have 6 1/2 foot high screen. I'm just a hair under 6 feet tall so that should account for any sag, I hope
Where did you get the black poly? The main "build it" thread here had all sorts of materails, from tarps to blankets to weed block material. The later is cheap and locally available, which is good, but it seems you have to double it up.
I wasn't planning on using any horizontal pipes, but it seems that almost everybody does. Bad idea? I guess I may have to use tension bungee cords from my fence to the property fence, which is close.
I wasn't planning on fully enclosing it, but that might not be a bad idea, not much light comes from the northwest but there is a neighbors driveway, if they start their car I could be screwed.
Thanks!
--------------------
60mm Swift Refractor
5 inch Burgess 1278 Refractor
6 inch Edmund Scientific Reflector
8 inch Celestron SCT
Celestron ASGT mount
Canon 15x50is
-
Cape Cod Astronomy Society
New Hampshire Astronomy Society
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1610
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Just one small suggestion: make some plugs to fill the pipes that stay in the ground to keep debris out when the screens aren't up. Also, just a thought, if you used tarps that have grommets you might could use velcro cable ties to attach to the pipes with--??? 
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--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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NotThePainter
super member
Reged: 06/02/07
Posts: 133
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oh yes, plugs in the ground for sure! I also need to cap the ends that I'm pounding into the ground so they don't fill with sand as I pound them in. I think a covering of strapping tape might do the trick.
--------------------
60mm Swift Refractor
5 inch Burgess 1278 Refractor
6 inch Edmund Scientific Reflector
8 inch Celestron SCT
Celestron ASGT mount
Canon 15x50is
-
Cape Cod Astronomy Society
New Hampshire Astronomy Society
|
RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1610
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Quote:
oh yes, plugs in the ground for sure!
That's what I meant, keep the ones in the ground plugged when not in use. I'm always having to dig dirt out of the pipe that secures my gate. 
--------------------
--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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