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Brooklyn
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/24/08
Posts: 870
Loc: Central New Jersey
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Hey guys, Im going to embark on a few projects in order to improve my capability in the amateur astronomy hobby.
I need some kind of dew shield (non heated) for the winter and fall months that are coming up. I live in the north east USA and humidity here is high all year round.
Since most dew shields cost outrageous amounts of money for what they actually are (pieces of aluminum or plastic/velcro), i have decided to build my own.
This is the type of dew shield i want to make:
http://www.dewshield.com/flexible.html
"The interior is felt-lined to help absorb moisture and
to prevent extraneous light from reaching the optics. Sewn Velcro strips facilitate quick wrap-around placement onto the corrector plate rim. A two-inch rubber trim also wraps around the OTA to prevent any slippage."
Anyone have any guides or ideas as to how to make a dew shield of this type or of any type?
On the other side of the accessories department, I want to get a few light blocking panels that i can set up around my telescope. This will serve as a portable observatory as it can be taken anywhere.
Here is the principle of the idea, Portable observatory: http://www.darkskypanels.com/default.htm
As you can see...just ONE of these little panels cost 65-85 dollars, which is about the same price as a dew shield. This price is more reasonable for these panels than the dew shields, but i think i can get similar light blocking panels far far cheaper, maybe 10 dollars a panel.
Perhaps i can use those folding room dividers, the ones that do not have slits in them.
Any suggestions, opinions, or information is highly appreciated.
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Meade 8.25"(209.55mm) LX-90 EMC (SCT)
Albert Einstein =>
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”
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Don W
Postmaster
Reged: 05/19/03
Posts: 13166
Loc: Wisconsin, USA
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I've made a number of them using a flexible insulation:
http://www.pbase.com/nighthawke/astro_odds_and_ends
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Don Wyman
Obsession 18" f/4.5 #1166
W/Argo Navis DSC and Torus Primary
William Optics Megrez 90
Coronado PST
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Achernar
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3676
Loc: Alabama, USA
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I've made my own version of this portable observatory from 3/4-inch PVC water pipe, fittings and black Rip Stop Nylon. Tent stakes and 1/4-inch rope stabilize it from the effects of wind and the whole thing goes into a bag I made from left over Rip Stop. The total cost of this came to about 170 dollars, about the price of a high quality eyepiece or two. It allowed me to locate deep sky objects from the front yard that would be impossible to see otherwise, even with nebula filters.
Taras
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10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
Edited by Achernar (08/15/08 11:55 AM)
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Larry Geary
sage
Reged: 09/24/06
Posts: 456
Loc: NJ, USA
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There are some extensive discussions of making your own light-block panels here on CN, possibly in the Equipment forum.
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