132 replies to this topic

[gelkin]

I like contact cement.

[apfever]

I only use double tape for long term on things kept under pressure. Exposed items like a badge can age and peel off with double tape. 

 

Make the badge a slightly tighter radius than a curved surface it will go on. This will help keep the edges down tight. 

 

I use wood glue (usually Titebond II) for badges on wood. These are usually small "JAPAN" badges. Thin apply with a toothpick and let it get just slightly tacky. Use very little, it spreads. Cover with Saranwrap type stuff then a buffer like a cloth to spread out the pressure, then a block, and clamp it. 

 

Spray adhesive on larger badges. Cut a hole in a piece of paper or plastic that is a hair larger than the label and use that to mask off the landing area. Or tape off the area. I'll make the landing area about 1/16" larger than the badge each direction (gives a 1/32" border all around). I don't like to be short in the contact area with spray adhesive. Lay the badge out face down or in a cupped surface (sling) if the badge is curved. The badge doesn't have to be super sealed around the edges. I haven't had an issue with spray adhesive getting around the front while spraying the back. Make Sure the badge edges are not curved up, better to have them slightly down so the edges seal. A bent up corner of a metal badge will forever want to pop back up sometime.   Make Sure you are well centered and start from one edge and work across.  This is instant down if the edges are tight but I still tend to clamp pressure. I'll use hose clamps if on a pier. 

 

Biggest factor - tight edges, then avoid bubbles by working across the badge. 

 

Super glue trick, Never apply it directly from the bottle. Put a small drop on a piece of plastic. Use a needle to apply small amounts to raised corners or edges. Tap it in along the seam. TAP it in, don't rub, that helps keep the needle from sticking. Add a little fresh glue when the needle gets tacky, get a new needle thing if the needle gets gummy. Push the corner or edge down with a toothpick or stick or whatever covers the distance. You will probably get a bead to squeeze out. Keep holding the edge down while you use another stick or strip of paper to wick off the bead. DON'T use a Qtip type thing to wick off the bead unless you want a fuzzy bunny label edge. A Qtip will activate supe glue. Super glue sets up better without a bead around the edge, this helps activate crystallization.  

Edited by apfever, 08 October 2024 - 10:02 PM.

[deSitter]

I only use double tape for long term on things kept under pressure. Exposed items like a badge can age and peel off with double tape.

Make the badge a slightly tighter radius than a curved surface it will go on. This will help keep the edges down tight.

I use wood glue (usually Titebond II) for badges on wood. These are usually small "JAPAN" badges. Thin apply with a toothpick and let it get just slightly tacky. Use very little, it spreads. Cover with Saranwrap type stuff then a buffer like a cloth to spread out the pressure, then a block, and clamp it.

Spray adhesive on larger badges. Cut a hole in a piece of paper or plastic that is a hair larger than the label and use that to mask off the landing area. Or tape off the area. I'll make the landing area about 1/16" larger than the badge each direction (gives a 1/32" border all around). I don't like to be short in the contact area with spray adhesive. Lay the badge out face down or in a cupped surface (sling) if the badge is curved. The badge doesn't have to be super sealed around the edges. I haven't had an issue with spray adhesive getting around the front while spraying the back. Make Sure the badge edges are not curved up, better to have them slightly down so the edges seal. A bent up corner of a metal badge will forever want to pop back up sometime. Make Sure you are well centered and start from one edge and work across. This is instant down if the edges are tight but I still tend to clamp pressure. I'll use hose clamps if on a pier.

Biggest factor - tight edges, then avoid bubbles by working across the badge.

Super glue trick, Never apply it directly from the bottle. Put a small drop on a piece of plastic. Use a needle to apply small amounts to raised corners or edges. Tap it in along the seam. TAP it in, don't rub, that helps keep the needle from sticking. Add a little fresh glue when the needle gets tacky, get a new needle thing if the needle gets gummy. Push the corner or edge down with a toothpick or stick or whatever covers the distance. You will probably get a bead to squeeze out. Keep holding the edge down while you use another stick or strip of paper to wick off the bead. DON'T use a Qtip type thing to wick off the bead unless you want a fuzzy bunny label edge. A Qtip will activate supe glue. Super glue sets up better without a bead around the edge, this helps activate crystallization.

[deSitter]

This worked great. Tanks

-drl

[deSitter]

Anyone have a suggestion for a aperture cover for a Vixen/Celestron C80? The original version from the 80s. TTA.

 

-drl

[deSitter]

Countersinking experience -

 

My tabletop drill press has a tiny amount of runout, as you'd expect in a $60 item. Not enough to make it hard to get accurate drill holes, but enough to make a countersink chatter when milling aluminum. It is far more effective to use a hand drill and let the bit orbit about vertical to even out the sink. The hand and arm act as a great shock absorber to inhibit chattering. Learn to run the drill at low speed and increase SLOWLY until there is good action. That speed is not very high.

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 22 October 2024 - 01:25 PM.

[Ken Launie]

Countersinking experience -

 

My tabletop drill press has a tiny amount of runout, as you'd expect in a $60 item. Not enough to make it hard to get accurate drill holes, but enough to make a countersink chatter when milling aluminum. It is far more effective to use a hand drill and let the bit orbit about vertical to even out the sink. The hand and arm act as a great shock absorber to inhibit chattering. Learn to run the drill at low speed and increase SLOWLY until there is good action. That speed is not very high.

 

-drl

This technique works, but I'll add that it is easiest to get a clean, chatter-free finish by using single flute countersinks like the ones made by Weldon, M.A. Ford or Keo (as well as any of the numerous imported alternatives you'll find on Amazon or eBay if they're still sharp). They essentially carve the material away. Avoid the 3 or 6-flute hardware store ones. There are also "through hole" ones that are sometimes called zero-flute that are best of all for minimizing vibration. They both come in various included angles, with 82 degrees the most commonly used for screws. For metal, either works, but for wood, I get my best results with the latter.

 

--Ken

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[deSitter]

I bought a 4x0.75mm tap to make the obsolete screws - and realize I don't know where to get blanks for threading. Where to get aluminum screw blanks? I need to make cheesehead screws for a AO lens cell. TIA.

 

-drl

[ErnH2O]

I bought a 4x0.75mm tap to make the obsolete screws - and realize I don't know where to get blanks for threading. Where to get aluminum screw blanks? I need to make cheesehead screws for a AO lens cell. TIA.

 

-drl

Get longer screws with unthreaded shoulder, cut them shorter and then use your die to cut the threads.

Cheers,

Ern

Edited by ErnH2O, 01 November 2024 - 09:10 AM.

[deSitter]

Get longer screws with unthreaded shoulder, cut them shorter and then use your die to cut the threads.

Cheers,

Ern

Yes that occurred to me Seems like cheating!

 

-drl

[apfever]

Clamp thin board to drill press table, masonite or the like. 

Drill hole size the end of bolt.

Drop bolt in hole then clamp head in drill press. (3 jaw and hex head)

Bolt should now be held in place on both ends.

 

I've done this to grind down bolts to size, usually taking off threads for the core size. I use my drill press as a vertical lathe/mill a lot. 

Edited by apfever, 01 November 2024 - 10:47 AM.

[deSitter]

Anyone try to nickel-plate brass? Such a finish is attractive and durable and a nice alternative to hopelessly pitted chromed brass, such as is often found on classics.

 

Seems simple enough.

 

https://www.reddit.c...nd_its_so_easy/

 

-drl

[ErnH2O]

Anyone try to nickel-plate brass? Such a finish is attractive and durable and a nice alternative to hopelessly pitted chromed brass, such as is often found on classics.

 

Seems simple enough.

 

https://www.reddit.c...nd_its_so_easy/

 

-drl

Now I want to try it on a telescope of less than great quality. Might make a nice display piece.

E.

[oldmanastro]

Has anyone been able to match the gray color of 1960s Sears telescopes. Someone mentioned Winter Gray sometime ago but it's not a good match. There must be others that have tried this and I would appreciate recommendations.

 

Clear Skies!

[clamchip]

Amazing! look at this, aluminum tube rings made with a router:

https://www.cloudyni...= router rings

 

Robert

[apfever]

Make sure you use carbide tipped blades for aluminum, especially circular saw blades.  Fine tooth blades like metal cutting bandsaw blades can plug up with aluminum. Clean these by occasionally cutting some mild steel. 

[deSitter]

Need suggestions for sticky-backed hard rubber sheet for the jaws of my bench vise. Cardboard cutting is getting annoying.

 

TIA

 

edit: Scope gods rescued me again I had some hard rubber tubing that I slit down the side. Perfect!

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 21 November 2024 - 05:02 PM.

[ErnH2O]

HDPE angles that set over the jaws. Easy removal when needed.

[clamchip]

Every once in a while you run across an Edmund or Jaegers focuser with a little surprise waiting

for you, the focuser tube can roll right out of the focuser along with your eyepiece and star diagonal.

The rack gear is soldered to the focuser tube and the assembler will also fill the last couple of rack

teeth on both ends of the rack with solder too, this will stop the focuser tube so it can't slip out. 

You can fill the last couple teeth on both ends of the rack with epoxy, or I've made a simple tether

that does the job. It is one of the ugliest things I've ever done to a telescope and if this was 200 years

ago the Queen would have me beheaded but it does work.

Robert

 

[Garyth64]

Or if you can, just put in a small bolt or screw in the other end.

 

 

I've seen this in some older classic scopes.

 

 

[Senex Bibax]

Or if you can, just put in a small bolt or screw in the other end.

 

draw tube end.jpg

 

I've seen this in some older classic scopes.

There is usually a small hole already present in the end of the tube for just such a purpose. I like to use a short 2.5mm headless grub screw like the ones used to adjust the prisms in some older binoculars.

[clamchip]

The Edmund and Jaegers focuser tube can slip out of the focuser both ways, to the outside

and also to the inside destroying the objective if in the vertical dew shield down position if

the projectile manages to slip thru all the baffles.

It's rare to find one without soldered teeth though, so its really nothing to worry too much about.

I have owned a lot of Edmund/Jaegers focusers in my lifetime and is why I've seen a few

without soldered teeth.

 

Robert

[clamchip]

If you ever get the itch to fine tune your Edmund or Jaegers focuser here are a few of the things you can do.

The green arrows are pointing at rubber faucet washers from your neighborhood hardware store, probably

the same place Edmund and Jaegers bought them!

What you do is pinch the knobs together with one hand and with your other hand loosen a knob set

screw. Squeeze more and lock the set screw for a 'stiffer action' or, less squeeze for 'light action.'

I prefer dry, no lube at the washer/knob, but you can certainly try it for a "Total Comfort Focuser" made just

for you like a tailor made suit.

Make sure the focuser tube slides without much effort when pushed thru the focuser body. If it resists more

than you think it should check for roundness and make it round with gentle squeezes in a vise.

Flock the focuser tube by making a tube out of flock paper and slide it in. If you cut it just right it will stay

put by itself, if it wants to slide out put a dab of double-stick tape under the edge.

Robert 

 

  

Edited by clamchip, 01 December 2024 - 04:49 PM.

[deSitter]

I was watching a video about Selectric typewriter repair, and a key moment was re-creation of a Teflon bearing that fits into a metal gear and snugs it up against the shaft the gear rides on.

 

It dawned on me that this is the same problem as inserting a cylinder of flock paper into a tube.

 

BUT..

 

There was an innovation - instead of cutting a just-perfect rectangle, which when rolled up should have its opposite ends just touch along the whole length of the tube, you cut a parallelogram, so the ends are slanted! Then, when inserted, a simple twist of a few degrees will bring the slanted ends together perfectly, and force the flock tube to occupy the entire wall space without insinuating itself into the light path. Why didn't we think of that, Robert?

 

First application will be to redo the baffle tube on my ETX105. Will report.

 

-drl

[clamchip]

I was watching a video about Selectric typewriter repair, and a key moment was re-creation of a Teflon bearing that fits into a metal gear and snugs it up against the shaft the gear rides on.

 

It dawned on me that this is the same problem as inserting a cylinder of flock paper into a tube.

 

BUT..

 

There was an innovation - instead of cutting a just-perfect rectangle, which when rolled up should have its opposite ends just touch along the whole length of the tube, you cut a parallelogram, so the ends are slanted! Then, when inserted, a simple twist of a few degrees will bring the slanted ends together perfectly, and force the flock tube to occupy the entire wall space without insinuating itself into the light path. Why didn't we think of that, Robert?

 

First application will be to redo the baffle tube on my ETX105. Will report.

 

-drl

Sounds like an interesting idea but will a person be able to twist a long tube of flock paper.

If it works great! because the hardest part is cutting the flock paper length for a snug fit in the tube

interior. I always start with a sacrificial piece of paper to get the stretch-out. 

 

Robert