· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 skysurfer member Reged: 10/05/09 Posts: 19 Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos       #3427674 - 11/03/09 03:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Most binos are not equipped with eyecups the rubber shells on the eyepieces preventing glare coming between your eyes and the eyepieces which are detrimental for the vision of faint objects. I used an old inner rubber tube for bike tyres and cut it into pieces and glued it together with so-called 'contact-glue' and wrapped them over the eyepieces. The pieces should have a length of pi * the outer diameter of the EP + 2cm overlap. The width can be 1-1.5 cm with a bulge of 3 cm wide and ca 5cm long. When wrapped over the EPs the bulges should be on the outer ends of the EPs as there normally the glare comes in. It works great ! Even in more lighted environments you can observe the stars without glare. The only thing is when you focus-adjust the right EP individually, re-rotate the eyecup so that the bulge is on the right. -------------------- Two eyes (5-7mm in full darkness) TS 15x70mm binos TeleVue Genesis 100mm f=500mm Orion XT-10i 250mm f=1200mm Canon EOS 40 w/85mm f/1.8, 50mm macro f/2,5 Post Extras:       eklf professor emeritus Reged: 05/12/07 Posts: 721 Loc: Carrboro, NC Re: Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos [Re: skysurfer]       #3428376 - 11/03/09 10:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Similar items are commercially available - called winged eyeguards. Scopestuff sells for $3.50 a piece. They can be a tight fit on some oculars but they work. -------------------- Clear Skies/Kumar Post Extras:       Mike Lynch member Reged: 04/07/06 Posts: 52 Re: Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos [Re: skysurfer]       #3428381 - 11/03/09 10:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Good idea! While I've not resorted to this creative DIY approach, I HAVE added a pair of the "winged" eyecups to my 20 x 80's. As you indicated, these glare shields can make a big difference if there is ground-level lighting in your observing area. Mike Lynch Frankfort KY USA Post Extras:       pcad Carpal Tunnel Reged: 01/17/05 Posts: 1768 Loc: Connecticut Re: Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos [Re: Mike Lynch]       #3429234 - 11/04/09 01:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Old bicycle tubes! I love it, thanks! -------------------- Peter Telescopes 25 - 318 mm Binoculars 15 - 88 mm Microscope 50x - 1000x Post Extras:       Joe Lalumia Post Laureate Reged: 01/24/07 Posts: 3616 Loc: Rockwall, Texas, USA Re: Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos [Re: pcad]       #3429730 - 11/04/09 07:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Are those RECYCLED tubes? -------------------- LX90 8" LNT, SV Nighthawk & TelePOD, SV 80/9D & M4 mount, ETX 90, Orion XT10i, 20x80 binoculars, SV-BV3s-- www.texasastro.org "Great minds discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people." Unknown Post Extras:       Gordon Rayner scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 03/24/07 Posts: 971 Re: Homemade eyecups improve performance of binos [Re: Joe Lalumia]       #3429810 - 11/04/09 08:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have made winged cups (shown in a previous post) from the foamed polyethylene pipe insulation sold at home repair warehouse stores. A sharp knife and/or scissors and a few minutes of experimentation should achieve a correct wing angle and front to back thickness. The insulation comes with an axial split line. The pipe can expand ( or contract, if you widen the width of the split) to fit a range of eyepiece diameters. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 6 registered and 10 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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