Cardboard and Duct Tape

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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Cardboard and Duct Tape

#1

Post by Graeme1858 »


Last October I bought a sheet of solar film to attempt to capture an image of the Mercury transit. In use I just stuck it onto the OTA with tape. Afterwards I thought this was inadequate so I put together a cardboard and duct tape, Heath Robinson type thing to hold the solar filter in place. I haven't used it yet but I think it will do the job.


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Ever since then it's sat in the garage under the protection of a bit of cardboard. So this week whilst I've been off work, I added cardboard to hold the layer on the front and made a hat to cover the rear end.


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Then the success of that project went to my head and with the help of my wife in cutting lengths of duct tape, I made another hat for a Dark Frame capturing cover, this time lined with two layers of the black teram weed suppressant I use over the end of the dew shield when capturing Dark Frames.


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Then I thought I would have a go at something I've been pondering for a while, a light box for Flat Frames. So there's a collar to hold the whole thing onto the OTA, same as the solar filter holder and the dark frame cover.


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The light comes from a 6' strip of 12V LEDs glued to the inside of the lid. I soldered a length of flex onto the strip that has an RCA plug on the other end to fit the socket on the end of the dew heater supply cable.


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Then I cut a sheet of A3 to cover the aperture and to provide diffusion of the LED lighting.


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A man's got to do something while he's sitting around! My efforts are as rough as you like but they're functional! The 6' of LED strip didn't seem to go as far as I thought, I might add some more of a slightly different hue to increase the illumination level and widen the frequency of the light. I might spray the finishes to neaten them up and reduce any risk of dust contamination but I might not spray the outsides to retain the cardboard and duct tape style! I've tested the light box in APT, at short exposures the vignetting and dust motes are clearly evident. At auto exposures in an APT Flat Frame Plan the exposure came out at 15 seconds, the histogram levels were all at or about 50% but the vignetting only showed slightly and the dust spots were no longer visible.

I'll add some more LEDs and play some more but the real testing will require my SCT back from the doctor and for a few clear nights!

Regards

Graeme
Last edited by Graeme1858 on Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:05 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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bladekeeper
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

#2

Post by bladekeeper »


Looks like some fine Kent ingenuity to me, Graeme! Nice work! :)
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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

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Post by Graeme1858 »


bladekeeper wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:02 pm Looks like some fine Kent ingenuity to me, Graeme! Nice work! :)

I'm afraid I can't confirm that until the bits have been used in anger!

But thanks anyway.

Regards

Graeme
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Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
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ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

#4

Post by Thefatkitty »


Nicely done Graeme! I did the same with my Baader solar filter about 3 years ago, and it's been fine since. I put mine on after taking the dew shield off, and it's a good fit. You shouldn't have any problems :D
02.JPG
I don't do AP (yet :lol:), but I like your idea for the flats and dark, well done!

Yeah, these cloudy days get you to thinking... ;)
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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

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Post by Graeme1858 »


Thefatkitty wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:19 pm Nicely done Graeme! I did the same with my Baader solar filter about 3 years ago, and it's been fine since. I put mine on after taking the dew shield off, and it's a good fit. You shouldn't have any problems :D

02.JPG

I don't do AP (yet :lol:), but I like your idea for the flats and dark, well done!

Yeah, these cloudy days get you to thinking... ;)

Looks good Mark. Amazing what you can do with duct tape! Good luck with the flats and darks models!

Regards

Graeme
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Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

#6

Post by Tillibobs »


bladekeeper wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:02 pm Looks like some fine Kent ingenuity to me, Graeme! Nice work! :)
They're noted for that these suverners . :animals-dogrun:
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Re: Cardboard and Duct Tape

#7

Post by Graeme1858 »


Tillibobs wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:51 am
bladekeeper wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:02 pm Looks like some fine Kent ingenuity to me, Graeme! Nice work! :)
They're noted for that these suverners . :animals-dogrun:

Wivouta doubt Geezer!
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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