Re: [ATM] Dew shield material suggestion request

[Woodchuck <djv@bedford.net>]

On Tue, 6 Sep 2005, Bruce MacDonald wrote:

> I have a 10" newtonian and it was recently pointed out to me that my
> secondary is extremely close to the front opening.
>
> So close, in fact, that from some angles I can see the surface of the
> mirror.  If I can see it, so can stray light.  This also explains why
> this scope dews up so readily.
>
> I've been playing with various stuff.  So far I've tried:
> construction paper:  works, but not really opaque, and can only be
> reused until the first time it encounters dew.
>
> black foam (about 1/2" thick).  not truly opaque either, flimsy.  It
> flops down over itself so that the aperture is now eyeball shaped.
>
> arborite:  Way too stiff to make a circle of 10" diameter.
>
> I wandered around Home Despot for a while and came up w/ no
> inspirations.  I can't be the only person that ever encountered this
> problem.
>
> What do you suggest?
>
> Being Canadian, I'm considering Duct Tape on a chicken wire* frame.

How about a waste basket?  They have bottoms that can be cut out
to fit.  The basket needn't be round, either, you can fit a stop
inside the front end, line with flock, whatever.  $5 at the store.
If it has to be round, there's always joint cement buckets, to be
cadged at construction sites right soon the exterior walls go up.
White outside, whatever you want inside, come with a lid.  Free by
the side of the road.  Inquire also at or behind fast food joints,
their pickles and suchlike ship in these buckets.

For a Canadian, I figure you might be inclined to a bit of moose or elk
hide (fur on and towards the inner side) fastened to a bent pine or wicker
frame ;-)  If you can get one of the rare Ebony Beaver, so much the better.
Otherwise, black hair dye might do the trick. North woods velvet...

Or knit one.

Dave

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