149 replies to this topic

[shredder1656]

Happy birthday to me!  Been keeping my eyes open for a proper cap for my C80, but coming up dry.  Started going through the pantry and medicine cabinet last night.  After I was well-medicated and my belly was quite full, I started looking for a cap too.     Anyway, made a nice discovery on this mostly consumed canister of raisins.  Not sure I could have found a more perfect fit. 

 

Cobbled together a cap for the finder too, but it isn't as pretty.  Now I just need to get all of the paint chips and nicks fixed.  How careless are people to get these so scuffed and scraped? 

 

[2696]

Just came across this thread, pretty interesting. I've checked a lot of different container lids but one that really works for me is a Pringles can lid. It fits real well on my SCOPE model 2553. It has a little wiggle room but it does the job. 

 

[jurdea]

Broken 1956 Unitron 142 dew cap replaced with Daisy sour cream lid from their 16 oz container.  Perfect fit.

 

Note that the expiry date indicates that I need to buy another telescope by mid-June.  Wonder how I will break that news to my wife?

 

Late breaking news:  a tech saavy friend has offered to 'print' me a new cap to match the old right down to the Unitron lettering.  Pays to have friends.

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Edited by jurdea, 02 April 2020 - 04:46 PM.

[clamchip]

These Pyrex bowl lids are perfect for a 7 inch aluminum tube, your typical 6 inch 

Newtonian, in particular the Edmund white tube reflectors.

Unfortunately though the new ones don't fit as well, too big by about a porcupine

whisker. 

The old one is on the right and the new is on the left. The old one snaps on real

nice, the new one you will need to add a little piece of self-adhesive cork or rubber

to the inside of the rim.

Or check stores or ebay for the old style label.

Robert

 

[ryanr256]

I discovered that the cap that holds the applicator for a can of Turtle Wax paste wax fits perfectly on an Edmund 4 inch f/15 (red tube) refractor:

 

 

 

-Bob

[clamchip]

Celestron GP-C102 and as I type this I just thought Lloyd's BBQ sauce might be just the thing to keep

the mosquitoes busy so I can observe in peace !

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 04 August 2022 - 11:21 PM.

[barbie]

I usually print out star charts or Marvin The Martian character from the internet and then have them laminated and flock the inside. I'm going to do a "Marvin" one for my newly acquired AT80ED refractor whose been named "Marvin"!!

[clamchip]

If your local grocery store turns up nothing you can make a dust cap.

I'm really happy with this cardboard one I made for my Jaegers 6 inch Mak.

Thick cardboard from last years desk calendar, I cut it to fit the Jaegers cell with precision to keep out

even the smallest insect. I glued it together with Carpenter's Glue over waxed paper pinned to

my model building bench to hold it's shape until dry. 

Robert

 

[Kasmos]

I've been meaning to post this one for a long time

 

They fit 60mm Towas

I have one on the Towa Cutdown Mayflower 813 and the Penncrest 60/1000mm.

 

Like Robert I've made a few from cardboard and once did a thread on making them from cardboard tubes coated with Titebond.

https://www.cloudyni...mple-materials/

 

I've done the same technique using the cardboard center from a used up masking tape a few times.

 

 

 

[deSitter]

Sliding dew shield made from two sheets of Foamie.

 

Dennis

Was thinking about a new dew shield for my ETX and this is it! Thanks!

 

-drl

[deSitter]

I've been meaning to post this one for a long time

 

Bread-Crumbs.jpg

They fit 60mm Towas

Bread-Crumb-Cap.jpg

I have one on the Towa Cutdown Mayflower 813 and the Penncrest 60/1000mm.

 

Like Robert I've made a few from cardboard and once did a thread on making them from cardboard tubes coated with Titebond.

https://www.cloudyni...mple-materials/

 

I've done the same technique using the cardboard center from a used up masking tape a few times.

TRDS.jpg

Check-Fit.jpg

TRDS2.jpg

Check-Fit2.jpg

TRDS-Done.jpg

That's excellent information!

 

-drl

[Werckmeister]

Thick yogamat
 

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[clamchip]

These are surgery room shoe covers.

They are made from lint free material.

So far I think I like them.

Robert

 

[deSitter]

Thick yogamat
 

I did this for a finder! Stuck a bolt through the center as a handle.

 

-drl

[jragsdale]

I used to raid the pantry for nice fitting caps, but since getting a 3D printer, it's so easy to print out a perfect fitting custom cap in about an hour. Best investment I made in astronomy in a long time!

[Kasmos]

I used to raid the pantry for nice fitting caps, but since getting a 3D printer, it's so easy to print out a perfect fitting custom cap in about an hour. Best investment I made in astronomy in a long time!

I'm not going to pay $1000 just to make a gosh darn dewcap!

 

 In my day, if we wanted to make one, we took a whole day off work, made it from scratch, and usually cut a finger or two off when doing it....and that's the way it was and we liked it!

 

https://www.google.c...t3jqRlElOM,st:0

 

When I saw that the last post was coming from you, somehow I knew what was coming next. 

Edited by Kasmos, 08 October 2024 - 01:45 AM.

[Orion68]

I don't throw away any jar lids and keep them for dust covers. A tennis ball can lid works well for classic 60mm scopes.

 

[deSitter]

Suggestions for a Vixen 80m?

 

-drl

[jragsdale]

I'm not going to pay $1000 just to make a gosh darn dewcap!

 

 In my day, if we wanted to make one, we took a whole day off work, made it from scratch, and usually cut a finger or two off when doing it....and that's the way it was and we liked it!

 

https://www.google.c...t3jqRlElOM,st:0

 

When I saw that the last post was coming from you, somehow I knew what was coming next. 

$1000?! You only need about a $200 printer if you just want to make basic astro stuff (Bambu A1 Mini).

[clamchip]

Out of the blue today I thought wouldn't it be grand to have Tupperware host a party specifically for dust caps and dew shields for telescopes.

 

Edited by clamchip, 08 December 2024 - 03:33 PM.

[Chuck2]

These are surgery room shoe covers.

They are made from lint free material.

So far I think I like them.

Robert

 

IMG_2738.jpg

Similar to the hotel disposable shower caps I used on my 10” Newt back on 1972.

[Chuck2]

Dew Shield:

1. Quaker Oats cardboard container
2. Cut off the top and bottom for nice clean edges
3. Spray 4 coats of exterior gloss paint for a smooth, cleanable, ridged surface
4. Line inside with self adhesive black felt for a non-reflective, easy to slide ‘dew’ shield

Why a ‘dew’ shield for a Lunt Ha solar scope? During the daytime, dust, tree sap and ‘honeydew’ rains down on the front objective!  

 

What is honeydew?

 

“Aphids on tree foliage feed by sucking fluid from the tree through a slender mouthpart called a proboscis. As they feed, they secrete a sticky fluid called honeydew. When trees are infested with aphids, the sticky honeydew will begin dripping and misting down from the leaves. The sticky mist can be carried great distances from the tree canopy with light wind”

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[deSitter]

Happy birthday to me!  Been keeping my eyes open for a proper cap for my C80, but coming up dry.  Started going through the pantry and medicine cabinet last night.  After I was well-medicated and my belly was quite full, I started looking for a cap too.     Anyway, made a nice discovery on this mostly consumed canister of raisins.  Not sure I could have found a more perfect fit. 

 

Cobbled together a cap for the finder too, but it isn't as pretty.  Now I just need to get all of the paint chips and nicks fixed.  How careless are people to get these so scuffed and scraped? 

 

20180413_200326.jpg 20180413_200641.jpg

No chance in hades I'm buying raisins, but if you have a surprlus, send one this way for MY Vixen C80!

 

-drl

[apfever]

I like red and raisins. It would look good on the early O.T. C80. I think.

[clamchip]

I often wonder what the original application was for the Edmund 3 and 4 inch refractor dew shields.

Knowing Edmund pretty well I'll bet they were from war surplus. I suppose it could have been made

specifically for this purpose but I wonder because it has the look of it came from something else.

If anyone recognizes it let's hear about it because to find one loose in the wild I'm sure your chances

of finding a Wonka's Golden Ticket are better.   

That's Glowy, he likes riding up there. 

The Edmund dew shield is lightweight putting the tube mounting rings at the center of the telescope

for a balanced very pleasing to the eye instrument and best of all it works great.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 14 December 2024 - 02:09 AM.