Great video. The huge benefit of your 'warts and all' style, is that it prepares those who are inspired by your videos for what they can expect because they are going into the process already knowing what can go wrong and are aware of potential fixes.
Admittedly, it was incredibly tedious and I probably won't ever do that again. I was able to do a comparison in the final video in that series, and I found that it had no perceivable improvement visually. Rumor has it that it helps most with astrophotography.
This was by far the most tedious upgrade I've done. I think if I would've known how much effort it would've taken, I might not have done it. However, it was a great learning experience. I look forward to using it.
Did this to my Starblast 4.5 and need to do it to my SWQ150P. The next big upgrade is to do a mirror mask. Flocking can make a huge difference when doing AP.
A blackout method I've been using for restoring microscopes is black laser printer/photocopier toner mixed with clear matt lacquer/varnish. When applied with sponge it leaves a textured surface with a very high Jetness, and good adhesion.
This is interesting - I'd not heard of that. I think it's safe to say that there are a few very effective methods out there for blacking out the telescope. Yours is very unique.
That is an excellent question. Unfortunately, Vanta Black isn't a paint, but a "vapor deposition process". Basically some mystery substance gets heated in a chamber, vaporized, and it settles down and sticks to the target object. It's very expensive and only available in the UK (I think you have to even obtain a very special license). They came out with something they called a Vanta Black paint, but it wasn't even as dark as Musou Black (currently the blackest commercially available black paint). I have a small bottle of that stuff and it is insanely dark... but very fragile.
Hi John , greetings from Singapore. Back in 2014 I flocked my entire mak127 due to influence by forum in China and in hindsight the main tube is unnecessary , only the secondary baffle cup need to be flock and sticking flock onto a plastic sheet to slide into the primary baffle. For Newtonian around that year the online trend changed to only flock a square under the secondary that can be seen by focuser tube. I flocked eyepiece and barlow too , years after I need to remove them for sale and the adhesive changed properties to being hard to remove with significant gummy residue , when the flock was new in 2013 the adhesive could roll into itself clean and easy to pull off with fingers. So far 9 years it's holding well in my mak127. For my mak interior I flocked in quarter sections in the tight space without overlap. Factory dark grey paint is to leave the user hungry to upgrade to another scope , market segmentation. I bought a used Skywatcher 8 dob manufactured around 2019 2020 and the paint is sufficiently black.
Hello! I believe you are the first commenter from Singapore. I am fascinated that Skywatcher paints their Dob interiors black! Thank you for watching. Clear skies!
Really interesting! I didn't know that flocking material had a shinny side, that's really good information to have. I plan on flocking my homemade telescope and it does look a bit more involved than I hoped, but having seen this video I can be aware of the challenges ahead of time.
It's more of a shiny "direction" than a side. I can't explain it beyond what I saw. From one direction it was dark, but glossy. From the other direction it was matte black - totally dark. I don't know if all flocking materials are like this though. I still want to do something like this to my 8 inch Dobsonian, but I will likely use the a paint roller and a quart of Rustoleum Camouflage Flat Black paint.
I used laser flocking from a place called THORLABS out of NJ. Installed it about 8 or more years ago. Designed for the interior of laser optical devices. Wide sheets. Just did the upper 2/3 of the tube. No dust or shedding. Still dark as night. Careful measuring and an exacto knife did the trick. Dont remember the cost. Been awhile
Thank you for sharing. I've not heard of that before. So far today I've learned of your method and a method using something called Flockboard. There are many ways to get this job done. Clear skies!
My 250P will be getting this and a mirror clean over the next few weeks. Great video. Not flocking inside the focuser tube? I did a spherical mirror and what an improvement.
Take your time and it'll work great. I ended up painting the inside of the focuser tube with the flat black paint and it turned out really matte, so I figured I would give that a try for a while. I actually have some Musou paint too (the blackest paint ever made), but it is fairly fragile. Thanks for watching. Clear skies!
What a flocking great video! Manufacturers want to save like $.02 to not paint the Focuser tube flocking black. Keep up the flocking great job on the videos 😉
If you have the dark side facing away from the primary, then the secondary mirror won’t pickup any stray light. The light coming off the primary mirror is a cone shape. The semi shiny side facing the primary mirror should not be a problem, because there isn’t any light on that end of the tube. Just what comes off the primary. Does this make sense? I just ordered the 48ft roll. A word of advice, don’t let your scope set out in direct sunlight, or fairly hot temperatures. I’ve had my flocking come off. It was the peel and stick from Proto Star. Thinking about spraying 3M 77 down first. I have a 10” f4.5.
Thank you! I've heard many people say that works well. However, I am personally terrified of messing up the optics. I'm still a bit trigger shy after shattering my Stellarvue primary lens.
I said that a couple videos back, at least he painted the primary mirror this time, he can use hood over the secondary opening to help with stray light. and keep secondary mirror dry from humid nights.
Personally I like to use the self-adhesive Black Velvet because it's a fabric, I've used flocking paper but it will shrink and crack after a few years and fail. Flock on!
Thanks for watching. I think my 8 inch Dob would be too tight to get my arms in, so I might use a roller and flat black paint. Anything has to be better than the shiny grey the manufacturers use.
The scraps left over are also an option for the focuser tube, the visible parts of the outer tube, and inside the tube as well. Dissasemnly and painting is not necessary since most of the tube never enters the light path
Great video. I am under the impression that all things considered, a flat black paint would have been preferred. To be honest, looking down the OTA with light coming from the other end as seen at 24:00, the material does seem to be somewhat reflective, so I'm thinking that the final result/effort ratio would favor painting. ...Liked, subscribed.
That's a tough question. Ideally, I'd use Vanta Black, but that's a material deposition process (not paint), so the next best black paint is Moussou black which itself is very fragile (cold temperatures and dings may cause it to flake off). The Rustoleum Camouflage Matte Black would be the next best paint as it's pretty strong. However, the flocking works really well to block out street lights getting into the entrance area. Other than that benefit, I haven't noticed any visual differences. Astrophotography guys might have a different opinion.
Regarding which way the flocking should face. Since the overwhelming source of light in the telescope comes through the telescope opening, any off-axis light will tend to be either absorbed or be reflected, potentially reducing the contrast. Therefore, for optimal effect, I believe the flocking should face away from the primary mirror and towards the open end of the telescope, in order to maximise the absorption of the off-axis light. Since your result was evidently successful, it would appear that the effect of flocking has a significant effect and the direction of the flocking would seem to be very much less significant.
I was going to say the same thing! I almost typed up the same comment and then realized something else may be happening. Think about it a different way. When you see shiny, you are seeing a reflection coming towards you. Either light coming in from the other end of the tube when it was open, or the light bouncing off the mirror when it was closed up. So at the end of the day, I convinced myself he was correct. The darker side should face the primary as it is an indication that less light was reflected towards the primary.
Great question. Vantablack, despite being quite famous, isn't a paint. It uses a very complicated and expensive "vapor deposition process" that is only available in the UK and even then, is only available to military, research institutions and ONE guy - some artist that has a license to use it. They supposedly did produce a black paint, but it's nowhere near as good as Mousou or Black 4.
@@AstronomyGarage mousou is available on amazon.thanks for the reply,Ive just purchased for my 40th birthday a 130mm telescope second hand and not sure where to start.i want to be able to see the 5 planets alignment on 28aug.(27 being my birthday). hopefully I'll learn how to use it and set it up in time.
Great video John! Keep up the great work, I didn't notice a link to the post video clip you mentioned however. I'd also like to know what the before/after view was like? Did it make a flocking difference? It seemed like a lot of work, so unless it's significant, i'd said flock no, I wouldn't attempt this. I do have a question for you.... What's the best way to improve the left/right axis rotation? It came with a few white, plastic looking pads, perhaps Linoleum or vinyl? Can I add to that, or replace it all together with a material that allows for smoother motion? I don't want to hose up the push-to computer and it's motion calculator rings. My problem is I have too much on the scope, use 2" eyepieces that are heavy and need counter weights, so the stock material doesn't do a good job. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!!! PS: Are you still planning to be a guest speaker at the TAS monthly meeting about the dreaded byrd-scott scopes? Thanks again Jay J Allen, TX
Had I been a smart man, I would've done very special before and after observational testing. I was wrapped up with putting my 14" GoTo through the paces instead. I used the flocked telescope tonight and I will say that the "grayness" that usually accompanies planetary viewing here was greatly reduced (I think it's an artifact of the gazillion street lights here that illuminate the tube). Those white blocks are most assuredly Teflon (hopefully). If they aren't, then you can buy pre-cut bits on the internet and replace them. As for the azimuth axis smoothness, since the old ebony star laminate isn't available anymore in the correct finish, a lot of people are recommending a new material called FRP (www.lowes.com/pd/48-in-x-10-ft-Embossed-White-Wall-Panel/4768265). It only comes in 4x8 sheets, so I can't fit it in my vehicle. On my 8 inch Dob, I used an oversize vinyl album with good results. I'm not sure how that would interact with the PushTo encoder though. Lastly, yes I plan to give a presentation on the dreaded Bird Jones telescopes. Should be fun. I just need to find more time to finish the research/video. The pesky sleep keeps getting in the way, lol.
Way to much work for me John. I will use the paint can . Great video though. You got to have a lot of patience to get in there and get it right to start with. Looks good though. Keep looking up. Rain on the way Thursday - Sunday😢
That's a bit of a complicated issue. True Vantablack is a vapor deposition process that mere mortals like us can't get access to. They did produce a paint named Vanta, but it's not as black as Musou black paint or, apparently, the new Black 4.0 paint. I have a small bottle of Musou black paint and it is TRULY incredibly black. However, it is very fragile once dried.
After watching this, I think if I'll ever tackle this, I'll overlap every strip at least a centimeter with the previous one. Unless the circumference of the inner tube diameter is naturally divisible by the width of the strip, you'll end up overlapping somewhere anyway (as happened here). So it'll be easier to just overlap from the beginning, and not risk small gaps between strips. Furthermore, I'll probably start with the focuser hole, for two reasons. First being that it guarantees your edge never falls over the hole, so it's easier to cut. Although doesn't make much of a difference. Second, it's better to overlap the seam than to butt up against it. Starting over the focuser hole doesn't guarantee you'll overlap the seam, but butting up against the seam guarantees you won't. In the end you achieved the same because your final piece overlaps the seam anyway, but personally I'd have preferred the overlap between strips to be away from it. Although I can't quite express why this seems better to me. Probably a nerd thing, so I'm sure you can relate. Of course, before watching this video, I would have done the exact same thing you did, as I wouldn't have had the benefit of seeing the issues created by this approach. You know the saying: you live, I learn. 😂
I think your plan is an excellent one. If I were to do this over again, I would definitely overlap them. In some of the video, you can see slight gaps. This stuff is so sticky that an overlap would be pretty solid. I'm more than happy to let this video act as a lighthouse, steering viewers away from the rocky shores, hahahaha.
I came back to watch again because I’m getting ready to flock my 8” dob next week. Your video is the only one I’ve seen that really shows what to expect AND how to get around some of the problems. Most others try to make it look easy. I’ll make sure to have an ample supply of bleep words on hand to facilitate the process. Looking forward to the results. Sorry I did not remember your affiliate link before ordering my material. Have you considered adding something like a Buy me a Coffee link so we can pitch in every now and then?
Thank you for watching and I wish you luck on the flocking adventure. No problem with the affiliate link - just happy you found the video useful. I've not heard of the Buy me a Coffee link, but I will check it out! Clear skies.
The flocking job came out GREAT! Your video gave me the confidence to attempt the job and the tips were super helpful, especially the one about there being a right and wrong direction; at first I couldn’t see a difference but when I laid two strips side by side in the tube it was obvious. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Thanks a lot for the video, but, I have a question, about the direction of the flocking, you mentioned about the direction for the mirror, well, how I can to check if I am puting it correct or not. Sorry for my english, I am from Chile, regards. :)
The way I did it was to view the strips of flocking from opposite angles. Whichever one shows the darkest view should be the view *from* the main mirror (back looking forward).
@@AstronomyGarage Ok, so, I need to see on the strips what side is more dark and put it from the side of the primary mirror to the top? Sorry for ask again, but is for to be sure before to apply it on my OTA jeje Thanks
I'm curious to know why you chose to apply the flocking in lengthwise strips. I would think it might be easier to apply shorter strips in the circumferential direction. Of course, reaching into the OTA for the middle sections would be challenging, but you're already reaching in there for the long strips anyway.
Good question. Dealing with the middle portion was a concern. Also, it seemed to make sense to use long strips given that the I bought a relatively "skinny" roll of it. In hindsight, I should've overlapped all the edges by about a quarter of an inch. That would've made life much easier.
@@AstronomyGarage - Part of my thinking was that you could overlap each of the layers over the one closer to the front. That way the "sharp" edges would be facing outward and less likely to contribute stray reflections.
Nice video. But there are two "Improvements" that he does not mention, which were promoted by astronomer Ed Turco, creator of a Newtonian that competed in planetary image quality with refractors, that cost 100 times more. 1) A black cardboard mask, which takes 1/4" of the external diameter of the mirror, separated a few millimeters from the front. Ed said (and he confirmed it with examples) that most of the figurative errors were concentrated there. That the tiny part of light that we lose is more than gained due to the improvement of the image quality. 2) A black inside tube, extending the mouth of the telescope two diameters forward. The improvement in contrast is immediate and also protects against condensation. I hope this helps someone.
Also is there a detailed video on how to get the secondary mirror aligned correctly once you had taken it out and reassemble? To ensure is not skewed a bit
I don't have a video on collimation, but there are plenty on TH-cam. I have one in the works, but I can't publish as fast as the big guys (I have a regular job).
@@AstronomyGarageyou’re probably right… it just stood out to me when you looked down the scope. I mean, you took the time to paint the focuser when in use the focal point has the tube well inside the focuser, hidden from the light path…
I've seen both techniques. Some people who only do the upper portion are usually open-truss systems. If you have a solid tube with the interior coated in semi-glossy paint, it may require the entire tube.
I've learned a few things since that video. It's most effective at darkening the front of the telescope where streetlight illumination does the most damage. So I've had people tell me you really only need to flock any area seen by the focuser tube extremes.
Avoid regular blacks. Go for Black 4.0 that absorbs 99.95% of all light. It is an art color but regular blacks look like grays in comparison. Mousou black although even blacker , has the tendency to shed small black particles in the beginning.
I'd heard that lint is sometimes a problem depending on your material. I used a lint roller throughout the installation process and it was never a problem.
Geez, I hope those final 2 steps were not injurious to you. I'm trying to think of some way to express my pleasure with this video but every time I look at that roll of flocking material, I just roll on the floor. Now I know how a "group" of ducks feel. Yesterday's SP at Newark showed at least one of my ES 1.25" lenses appear to have a fungus growing on the inside. Oh dear...
Haha, no amateur astronomers were injured in the making of this video, but I think I might have tennis elbow now. I'm very worried about the fungus on your ES lenses - that's what I use most of the time and I was hoping that the Argon infusion would keep moisture (and thus fungus) away. Speaking of fungus, I think the used wood Astro Systems Dob that I bought has fungus on the mirror.
Seriously technical question - not completely related to the matter. I modified a Newtonian for dslr use (moved the primary mirror inward towards focuser), and I didn't mark the position it was in originally before removing the primary holder. Is there a way to figure get it back to it's original position, and what effect would it have if it's in a different position? Apologies for the off-subject question, the tape markings reminded me of it.
That's a good question. If your telescope is a commercially available telescope, you could ask in the forums on CloudyNights.com. I'm sure one of the folks there would be happy to provide the requested measurement.
I flocked a 6" telescope yrs ago and was that ever an ordeal! If I do another tube I will use Blk 3.0 or the new Blk 4.0 and use a spray gun. It's expensive but the end product looks so much darker than this flock paper.
For the inside, I used the felt flocking material, but for all the metallic bits that stuck into the tube, I used the Rustoleum Camouflage Flat Black spray paint.
I have a beginner question. Is a good idea buy an eight years old telescope in very good condition. I am looking a Orion 130st for $180. Do you think this a good purchase? Thanks
Good question. I am assuming you are looking to buy reflector style telescope. As long as the mirrors are okay, the age of the telescope doesn't matter. Most of my telescopes are 10+ years old. However, if you are a beginner, I would highly recommend avoiding any telescope that comes on an equitorial mount. The alternative is the Altitude-Azimuth ("Alt Az") mount which swings up/down and spins left and right. The perfect starter telescope is an 8 inch Dobsonian. Depending on where you live, those show up on the used markets often. Good luck and clear skies!
@@AstronomyGarage Thanks for the advice. I read about how difficult is for beginners to learn how to use the EQ mount thanks for the warnings. What about the price? $180
Doesn’t the flocking, as material, eventually degrade and shed fibers / dust into the tube? Wouldn’t spray painting with a Vantablack equivalent be less of a hassle? PS. Love your channel. 😊
Thank you for the kind words! And GREAT question. There are fibers that shed during installation. That's why I ran the lint brush (I actually ran it MUCH more than the video shows). As far as what happens over time, I'm not sure. The fibers seem pretty stuck in right now. So far the mirror is still squeaky clean. The blackest paint that you and I can buy is Musou Black. It runs about $80 for a 60ml bottle and it's somewhat fragile - chipping off when bumped. Vanta Black is a whole different ball game. It's not a paint, but instead is a surface treatment that is "grown" via a process called vapor deposition ($$$). And you have to get a special license to use it from the owner in the UK. Now, they did create a Vanta Black paint, but it's not as dark as Musou Black. Clear skies!
For those wanting extra black paint try Culture Hustle/Stuart Semple black paints. They are art materials and a bit pricey but they are BLACK. Meant to be the blackest outside of government research stuff costing $/£ millions. I have a can and will be trying it out in the not to distant future.
Thanks for the tip. I know there's been an "arms race" in recent years for the blackest black paint. I have a little sample of Musou Black - it was the darkest black for several years, but it is fragile. Not an enamel.
The big challenge with the super black paints is their fragility. I have a 100ml bottle of Musou Black. My tests have shown it to be pretty fragile and will flake off - would be a problem on the mirror. I haven't researched Black 4.0 yet, but it's brand new.
Yes, 4.0 is tricky to work with, unfortunately It cannot be sprayed. If you seal it, it will lose its 'darkness' too. Its also mega expensive! If the whole internals were done in 4.0 it would look incredible looking down it !!@@YdnarLah37
Traditional Vanta is applied using a very specialized and expensive vapor deposition procedure. They did make a spray paint, but I don't think it is darker than Moussou paint.
From what I've heard, there is a material called Flockboard that is a flexible underlayment with flocking already attached. So you just fold it into a cylinder and feed it into your telescope tube and it springs out?
I've had some time to test it and I have a unique situation. I have another nearly identical Orion 10" Dob that is non-flocked. With identical eyepieces, I can't really tell the difference. I think where it matters is in the city with lots of streetlights. It really does kill internal reflections from the streetlights. It just gobbles up that stray light.
That did not look like a lot of flocking fun. I might suggest measuring the paper and doing some quick math to see how much rough overlap room you have from the start, instead of trying to match up each strip perfectly with the next. Also as somebody that has used utility knives a lot over the years, please cut away from your body parts while trimming the excess. 😰 Those blades can be super sharp! It only takes one slight mishap to cut yourself pretty badly. As far as using the caliper to mark... 😂 That's what a box of scrap wood is good for. Just make your own tool out of scraps and junk screws.
You are very correct. In hindsight, I should've overlapped every joint instead of trying to get perfect seams. That would've been so much easier and less time consuming. With regards to knife safety, my Dad has a scar on his hand from when he had an X-Acto accident when he was a kid - I need to follow the knife safety rules more strictly. Clear skies!
I spent many years as a brake press operator, forming sheet metal. I had a $300 pair of calipers. I have seen then used, and called, much worse than what you did.
I decided to investigate flocking materials, because I felt inspired to give it a go. Reading the comments, I saw mentioned ‘Protostar FlockBoard’. So I opted to search for generic flocking board. Then I saw this: ‘WARNING: Flocking materials NOT stable over time!!!! Nightmare stuff!’ There are horror stories with photos, with the fibres shedding and going everywhere. but the Protostar FlockBoard sounds OK after ten years. I pass this information on in good faith and hope your flocking ages well. I'm now left wondering whether it's a good idea, although the Newtonian design is probably the best telescope to flock.
You really don't need to flock the whole tube. Just about a foot above the mirror around the whole tube, and the area opposite the focuser about half of the tube diameter, also about a foot of the tube length
In hindsight... absolutely. I've not been able to see much of an improvement. Supposedly it makes a difference for the long-exposure astrophotographers.
What I've noticed is that the area around the planets is very deep black instead of slightly off-black. I have a lot of streetlights here that light up the tube walls.
@@AstronomyGarage Yep, I have that too. Use a black hood to block light out of the eyepiece & a big plastic bowl. Cut a hole in the bottom of the bowl (off-center), paint it flat black, & put it over the eyepiece. It helps block 'ambient' light.
The green font is hard to ignore, right? I went to an estate sale last week and they had three of them for a price I could not ignore. I've been testing them against my Explore Scientific eyepieces and so far... I can't see any advantage of the Tele Vue eyepieces. I will probably sell them all to finance the next restoration series.
Very true. I wanted to show that even if somebody didn't have access to help, they could accomplish this goal. Thank you for your comment. Clear skies!
I was not aware of this f**cking (what the hell?) material on Amazon. That's enough to f**ck (DAMMIT TH-cam) both of my dobsonians. Just perfect. I'll be ordering some come payday for sure.
I'm going to adhere it to a piece of thin posterboard first that conforms to the interior of the tube. That way it's all smooth and even and easily glues into the inside of the tube as a single piece. Essentially create my own version of Protostar Flockboard.
Will there be any serious comparison regarding the real advantages of taking the risk of disassembling the telescope to apply the Flock, thinking about Observation and astrophotography? Lest it is just fashion or an illusion such an improvement.
In the final video in that series, I did a side-by-side comparison with a non-flocked Orion 10" Dob and found... no perceivable improvement. Rumor has it that it really makes a difference for astrophotographers.
Buddy, having had to do this, I know how difficult it can be....."CAN BE" It makes it so much easier if you buy the 250mm strip, and have two people to stick it down. You really did give a new meaning to " amature." I don't mean to be rude, but I found this very easy once the first piece was placed against the join. Also you only needed to puncture the bolt hols with a blade. I did however like the painting of the focuser, and will follow your lead on that idea. Bht once again, for a tube of this size, it's a two person job, and will save so many BEEPS, even if you arn't videoing. Lol. Take care.
That is definitely an option and I have a quart of the camouflage matte black paint. The flocking, however, is even darker. In the end, I found out that it didn't have much of an impact on visual observing.
Perhaps, although the flocking was pretty dark. I have some fantastic dark spray paint, but I couldn't figure out a practical way to apply it properly to the inside of the tube.
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Great video. The huge benefit of your 'warts and all' style, is that it prepares those who are inspired by your videos for what they can expect because they are going into the process already knowing what can go wrong and are aware of potential fixes.
Admittedly, it was incredibly tedious and I probably won't ever do that again. I was able to do a comparison in the final video in that series, and I found that it had no perceivable improvement visually. Rumor has it that it helps most with astrophotography.
It looks like one of those jobs where you figure out exactly how to do it correctly at the moment you finish!
This was by far the most tedious upgrade I've done. I think if I would've known how much effort it would've taken, I might not have done it. However, it was a great learning experience. I look forward to using it.
Like us regular folks do. spot on.
I’d recommend using Protostar Flockboard. It springs into place in the tube - no adhesive needed!
That is a VERY clever idea! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for that tip. I'm building a 10" f5. I would be concerned about this flocking peeling off.
Did this to my Starblast 4.5 and need to do it to my SWQ150P. The next big upgrade is to do a mirror mask.
Flocking can make a huge difference when doing AP.
Thank you for the comment. For me, it also helps with the super bright streetlights and neighbors lights. Clear skies!
A blackout method I've been using for restoring microscopes is black laser printer/photocopier toner mixed with clear matt lacquer/varnish. When applied with sponge it leaves a textured surface with a very high Jetness, and good adhesion.
This is interesting - I'd not heard of that. I think it's safe to say that there are a few very effective methods out there for blacking out the telescope. Yours is very unique.
Has anyone considered vanta black before? Seems it should be the best for non reflective coating
That is an excellent question. Unfortunately, Vanta Black isn't a paint, but a "vapor deposition process". Basically some mystery substance gets heated in a chamber, vaporized, and it settles down and sticks to the target object. It's very expensive and only available in the UK (I think you have to even obtain a very special license). They came out with something they called a Vanta Black paint, but it wasn't even as dark as Musou Black (currently the blackest commercially available black paint). I have a small bottle of that stuff and it is insanely dark... but very fragile.
Hi John , greetings from Singapore. Back in 2014 I flocked my entire mak127 due to influence by forum in China and in hindsight the main tube is unnecessary , only the secondary baffle cup need to be flock and sticking flock onto a plastic sheet to slide into the primary baffle. For Newtonian around that year the online trend changed to only flock a square under the secondary that can be seen by focuser tube. I flocked eyepiece and barlow too , years after I need to remove them for sale and the adhesive changed properties to being hard to remove with significant gummy residue , when the flock was new in 2013 the adhesive could roll into itself clean and easy to pull off with fingers. So far 9 years it's holding well in my mak127. For my mak interior I flocked in quarter sections in the tight space without overlap. Factory dark grey paint is to leave the user hungry to upgrade to another scope , market segmentation. I bought a used Skywatcher 8 dob manufactured around 2019 2020 and the paint is sufficiently black.
Hello! I believe you are the first commenter from Singapore. I am fascinated that Skywatcher paints their Dob interiors black! Thank you for watching. Clear skies!
Really interesting! I didn't know that flocking material had a shinny side, that's really good information to have. I plan on flocking my homemade telescope and it does look a bit more involved than I hoped, but having seen this video I can be aware of the challenges ahead of time.
It's more of a shiny "direction" than a side. I can't explain it beyond what I saw. From one direction it was dark, but glossy. From the other direction it was matte black - totally dark. I don't know if all flocking materials are like this though. I still want to do something like this to my 8 inch Dobsonian, but I will likely use the a paint roller and a quart of Rustoleum Camouflage Flat Black paint.
I used laser flocking from a place called THORLABS out of NJ. Installed it about 8 or more years ago. Designed for the interior of laser optical devices. Wide sheets. Just did the upper 2/3 of the tube. No dust or shedding. Still dark as night. Careful measuring and an exacto knife did the trick. Dont remember the cost. Been awhile
Thank you for sharing. I've not heard of that before. So far today I've learned of your method and a method using something called Flockboard. There are many ways to get this job done. Clear skies!
My 250P will be getting this and a mirror clean over the next few weeks. Great video. Not flocking inside the focuser tube? I did a spherical mirror and what an improvement.
Take your time and it'll work great. I ended up painting the inside of the focuser tube with the flat black paint and it turned out really matte, so I figured I would give that a try for a while. I actually have some Musou paint too (the blackest paint ever made), but it is fairly fragile. Thanks for watching. Clear skies!
What a flocking great video! Manufacturers want to save like $.02 to not paint the Focuser tube flocking black. Keep up the flocking great job on the videos 😉
It's like they got a great deal on Not-Black paint, lol. I don't understand their logic. Thanks for watching!
After watching this walk-through, I flocked my 8"dob. Thank you for the tip about wiping down the inside with alcohol, and lint rolling afterward.
If you have the dark side facing away from the primary, then the secondary mirror won’t pickup any stray light. The light coming off the primary mirror is a cone shape. The semi shiny side facing the primary mirror should not be a problem, because there isn’t any light on that end of the tube. Just what comes off the primary. Does this make sense? I just ordered the 48ft roll. A word of advice, don’t let your scope set out in direct sunlight, or fairly hot temperatures. I’ve had my flocking come off. It was the peel and stick from Proto Star. Thinking about spraying 3M 77 down first. I have a 10” f4.5.
Suggestion, next time you take out the secondary mirror, paint the edges black as well.
Other than that keep up the good work.
Thank you! I've heard many people say that works well. However, I am personally terrified of messing up the optics. I'm still a bit trigger shy after shattering my Stellarvue primary lens.
I said that a couple videos back, at least he painted the primary mirror this time, he can use hood over the secondary opening to help with stray light. and keep secondary mirror dry from humid nights.
You have the Patience of Job !!
Haha, thanks. Only once. I will probably never flock again.
Wow! After watching this video I know exactly how I am going to do my telescope! PAINT IT! Flock that flocking tape crap. No flocking way!
The job may even be easier than that. I've had several people say that you only need to flock the area of the tube visible from the focuser tube.
Personally I like to use the self-adhesive Black Velvet because it's a fabric, I've used flocking paper but it will shrink and crack after a few years and fail.
Flock on!
The material that I used was a bit like black velvet. That's how I would describe it. Not quite as thick as velvet.
great video John i have yet to do that since iam too lazy to do all that LOL
Thanks for watching. I think my 8 inch Dob would be too tight to get my arms in, so I might use a roller and flat black paint. Anything has to be better than the shiny grey the manufacturers use.
@@AstronomyGarage true it does help
Just did mine last week! Got a cheap jewlerry box lining off Amazon!
That's exactly what the stuff I bought is supposedly for. Works great! Clear skies.
Great video. I was hoping for a follow up on how to collimate the secondary mirror after reinstalling it. In particular squaring and centering it.
I've been planning a collimation video for quite some time. There's already a lot of good ones, so when I make one, I want it to be super useful.
The scraps left over are also an option for the focuser tube, the visible parts of the outer tube, and inside the tube as well. Dissasemnly and painting is not necessary since most of the tube never enters the light path
im not sure this is better then painting but you do get a degree of sound deadening, i'll bet it made it seem like a higher quality scope
Great video.
I am under the impression that all things considered, a flat black paint would have been preferred. To be honest, looking down the OTA with light coming from the other end as seen at 24:00, the material does seem to be somewhat reflective, so I'm thinking that the final result/effort ratio would favor painting.
...Liked, subscribed.
That's a tough question. Ideally, I'd use Vanta Black, but that's a material deposition process (not paint), so the next best black paint is Moussou black which itself is very fragile (cold temperatures and dings may cause it to flake off). The Rustoleum Camouflage Matte Black would be the next best paint as it's pretty strong. However, the flocking works really well to block out street lights getting into the entrance area. Other than that benefit, I haven't noticed any visual differences. Astrophotography guys might have a different opinion.
It looks like a lot of work but i bet it was worth it, great video
It was. Jupiter looked very sharp last night without the off-black grayness.
Absolutely love this video. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for watching! Hope it proves helpful. Clear skies!
A few months ago i flock my C8-A-XLT too.Contrast is better from the original paint.Great video like always.Of course like and subscribe🔭
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it'll help. At a minimum, I will paint them all flat black inside. Clear skies!
Regarding which way the flocking should face. Since the overwhelming source of light in the telescope comes through the telescope opening, any off-axis light will tend to be either absorbed or be reflected, potentially reducing the contrast. Therefore, for optimal effect, I believe the flocking should face away from the primary mirror and towards the open end of the telescope, in order to maximise the absorption of the off-axis light. Since your result was evidently successful, it would appear that the effect of flocking has a significant effect and the direction of the flocking would seem to be very much less significant.
I was going to say the same thing! I almost typed up the same comment and then realized something else may be happening. Think about it a different way. When you see shiny, you are seeing a reflection coming towards you. Either light coming in from the other end of the tube when it was open, or the light bouncing off the mirror when it was closed up. So at the end of the day, I convinced myself he was correct. The darker side should face the primary as it is an indication that less light was reflected towards the primary.
I'm a machinist, I scribe with my calipers all the time.
Okay, thank you. I was worried it would be like fingernails on a chalkboard to machinists.
Just curious wouldn't have been cheaper and easier to use a vantablack paint? Youve put a lot of love in to this telescope.
Great question. Vantablack, despite being quite famous, isn't a paint. It uses a very complicated and expensive "vapor deposition process" that is only available in the UK and even then, is only available to military, research institutions and ONE guy - some artist that has a license to use it. They supposedly did produce a black paint, but it's nowhere near as good as Mousou or Black 4.
@@AstronomyGarage mousou is available on amazon.thanks for the reply,Ive just purchased for my 40th birthday a 130mm telescope second hand and not sure where to start.i want to be able to see the 5 planets alignment on 28aug.(27 being my birthday). hopefully I'll learn how to use it and set it up in time.
You are funny guy.I like watch Your videos👍Greetings from Poland.
Thank you for watching. You are the first comment that I have received from Poland! Greetings.
Great video John! Keep up the great work, I didn't notice a link to the post video clip you mentioned however. I'd also like to know what the before/after view was like? Did it make a flocking difference? It seemed like a lot of work, so unless it's significant, i'd said flock no, I wouldn't attempt this. I do have a question for you.... What's the best way to improve the left/right axis rotation? It came with a few white, plastic looking pads, perhaps Linoleum or vinyl? Can I add to that, or replace it all together with a material that allows for smoother motion? I don't want to hose up the push-to computer and it's motion calculator rings. My problem is I have too much on the scope, use 2" eyepieces that are heavy and need counter weights, so the stock material doesn't do a good job. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!!! PS: Are you still planning to be a guest speaker at the TAS monthly meeting about the dreaded byrd-scott scopes?
Thanks again
Jay J
Allen, TX
Had I been a smart man, I would've done very special before and after observational testing. I was wrapped up with putting my 14" GoTo through the paces instead. I used the flocked telescope tonight and I will say that the "grayness" that usually accompanies planetary viewing here was greatly reduced (I think it's an artifact of the gazillion street lights here that illuminate the tube).
Those white blocks are most assuredly Teflon (hopefully). If they aren't, then you can buy pre-cut bits on the internet and replace them. As for the azimuth axis smoothness, since the old ebony star laminate isn't available anymore in the correct finish, a lot of people are recommending a new material called FRP (www.lowes.com/pd/48-in-x-10-ft-Embossed-White-Wall-Panel/4768265). It only comes in 4x8 sheets, so I can't fit it in my vehicle. On my 8 inch Dob, I used an oversize vinyl album with good results. I'm not sure how that would interact with the PushTo encoder though.
Lastly, yes I plan to give a presentation on the dreaded Bird Jones telescopes. Should be fun. I just need to find more time to finish the research/video. The pesky sleep keeps getting in the way, lol.
Way to much work for me John. I will use the paint can . Great video though. You got to have a lot of patience to get in there and get it right to start with. Looks good though. Keep looking up. Rain on the way Thursday - Sunday😢
It was way too much work for me too, lol. As far as upgrades go, it was by far the most tedious I've ever done.
Trial and error makes perfect.
Great Mod. alot of Work.. this is still on my List 😁👍
Theres a Paint called Vantablack, this could be even darker ...MAYBE
but this looks sufficient ❤
That's a bit of a complicated issue. True Vantablack is a vapor deposition process that mere mortals like us can't get access to. They did produce a paint named Vanta, but it's not as black as Musou black paint or, apparently, the new Black 4.0 paint. I have a small bottle of Musou black paint and it is TRULY incredibly black. However, it is very fragile once dried.
@@AstronomyGarage good to know.
and the foil is cheaper and quicker i guess
After watching this, I think if I'll ever tackle this, I'll overlap every strip at least a centimeter with the previous one. Unless the circumference of the inner tube diameter is naturally divisible by the width of the strip, you'll end up overlapping somewhere anyway (as happened here). So it'll be easier to just overlap from the beginning, and not risk small gaps between strips.
Furthermore, I'll probably start with the focuser hole, for two reasons. First being that it guarantees your edge never falls over the hole, so it's easier to cut. Although doesn't make much of a difference. Second, it's better to overlap the seam than to butt up against it. Starting over the focuser hole doesn't guarantee you'll overlap the seam, but butting up against the seam guarantees you won't. In the end you achieved the same because your final piece overlaps the seam anyway, but personally I'd have preferred the overlap between strips to be away from it. Although I can't quite express why this seems better to me. Probably a nerd thing, so I'm sure you can relate.
Of course, before watching this video, I would have done the exact same thing you did, as I wouldn't have had the benefit of seeing the issues created by this approach. You know the saying: you live, I learn. 😂
I think your plan is an excellent one. If I were to do this over again, I would definitely overlap them. In some of the video, you can see slight gaps. This stuff is so sticky that an overlap would be pretty solid. I'm more than happy to let this video act as a lighthouse, steering viewers away from the rocky shores, hahahaha.
After seeing this, I will just use flat black paint. The flocking is probably better but a lot more work.
About halfway through, I started to question my sanity. I think if you use a small roller and the Camo black paint, this would be a 20 minute job.
I came back to watch again because I’m getting ready to flock my 8” dob next week. Your video is the only one I’ve seen that really shows what to expect AND how to get around some of the problems. Most others try to make it look easy. I’ll make sure to have an ample supply of bleep words on hand to facilitate the process. Looking forward to the results. Sorry I did not remember your affiliate link before ordering my material. Have you considered adding something like a Buy me a Coffee link so we can pitch in every now and then?
Thank you for watching and I wish you luck on the flocking adventure. No problem with the affiliate link - just happy you found the video useful. I've not heard of the Buy me a Coffee link, but I will check it out! Clear skies.
The flocking job came out GREAT! Your video gave me the confidence to attempt the job and the tips were super helpful, especially the one about there being a right and wrong direction; at first I couldn’t see a difference but when I laid two strips side by side in the tube it was obvious. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
I'm glad to hear that it worked out for you. Have fun with the new addition to the telescope!
There is also no need too flock all the way to the tube end, or even more than say 1/2" below the primary mirror surface.
Thanks a lot for the video, but, I have a question, about the direction of the flocking, you mentioned about the direction for the mirror, well, how I can to check if I am puting it correct or not. Sorry for my english, I am from Chile, regards. :)
The way I did it was to view the strips of flocking from opposite angles. Whichever one shows the darkest view should be the view *from* the main mirror (back looking forward).
@@AstronomyGarage
Ok, so, I need to see on the strips what side is more dark and put it from the side of the primary mirror to the top?
Sorry for ask again, but is for to be sure before to apply it on my OTA jeje
Thanks
@@cristian-zg8sh Yes. Imagine you are the primary mirror and make sure the view of your flocking is the darkest.
I think every machinist has a set of sacrificial guessometers.
Hahaha, well I won't show the scene where I use it as an adjustable wrench. Thanks for watching!
@@AstronomyGarage You're a diabolical barbarian.
Lmao
@@AstronomyGarage Dear god, nooo! haahaah
Thank you so mutch for this video, G R E A T !! 😛😍😍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Happy to help. Good luck with your next project!
I'm curious to know why you chose to apply the flocking in lengthwise strips. I would think it might be easier to apply shorter strips in the circumferential direction. Of course, reaching into the OTA for the middle sections would be challenging, but you're already reaching in there for the long strips anyway.
Good question. Dealing with the middle portion was a concern. Also, it seemed to make sense to use long strips given that the I bought a relatively "skinny" roll of it. In hindsight, I should've overlapped all the edges by about a quarter of an inch. That would've made life much easier.
@@AstronomyGarage - Part of my thinking was that you could overlap each of the layers over the one closer to the front. That way the "sharp" edges would be facing outward and less likely to contribute stray reflections.
Nice video. But there are two "Improvements" that he does not mention, which were promoted by astronomer Ed Turco, creator of a Newtonian that competed in planetary image quality with refractors, that cost 100 times more.
1) A black cardboard mask, which takes 1/4" of the external diameter of the mirror, separated a few millimeters from the front. Ed said (and he confirmed it with examples) that most of the figurative errors were concentrated there. That the tiny part of light that we lose is more than gained due to the improvement of the image quality.
2) A black inside tube, extending the mouth of the telescope two diameters forward. The improvement in contrast is immediate and also protects against condensation.
I hope this helps someone.
Thank you for posting this information. I wasn't familiar with Ed Turco's work, but I'm excited to give the mirror mask a try.
Also is there a detailed video on how to get the secondary mirror aligned correctly once you had taken it out and reassemble? To ensure is not skewed a bit
I don't have a video on collimation, but there are plenty on TH-cam. I have one in the works, but I can't publish as fast as the big guys (I have a regular job).
Looks good, how about painting the back side of the secondary….
Do you mean the edges? Some people do that. I don't think that makes much of a difference in this case though.
@@AstronomyGarageyou’re probably right… it just stood out to me when you looked down the scope. I mean, you took the time to paint the focuser when in use the focal point has the tube well inside the focuser, hidden from the light path…
When flocking, is it necessary to flock the entire tube, or does just doing across from the focuser and about a foot around the main mirror?
I've seen both techniques. Some people who only do the upper portion are usually open-truss systems. If you have a solid tube with the interior coated in semi-glossy paint, it may require the entire tube.
@@AstronomyGarage thank you for the response, I appreciate it.
good flocking video mate! ;)
Thank you for the kind words. That means a flocking lot to me. :)
Ok you got to used to me by now in the comments. Flacking in a Aperture 8"dob really needed? Contrast?
I've learned a few things since that video. It's most effective at darkening the front of the telescope where streetlight illumination does the most damage. So I've had people tell me you really only need to flock any area seen by the focuser tube extremes.
Avoid regular blacks. Go for Black 4.0 that absorbs 99.95% of all light. It is an art color but regular blacks look like grays in comparison. Mousou black although even blacker , has the tendency to shed small black particles in the beginning.
Thanks! I've tinkered with Mousou black paint before, but only on very small applications (because as you say it is somewhat fragile).
What about lint is that a problem to consider?
I'd heard that lint is sometimes a problem depending on your material. I used a lint roller throughout the installation process and it was never a problem.
Geez, I hope those final 2 steps were not injurious to you. I'm trying to think of some way to express my pleasure with this video but every time I look at that roll of flocking material, I just roll on the floor. Now I know how a "group" of ducks feel. Yesterday's SP at Newark showed at least one of my ES 1.25" lenses appear to have a fungus growing on the inside. Oh dear...
Haha, no amateur astronomers were injured in the making of this video, but I think I might have tennis elbow now. I'm very worried about the fungus on your ES lenses - that's what I use most of the time and I was hoping that the Argon infusion would keep moisture (and thus fungus) away. Speaking of fungus, I think the used wood Astro Systems Dob that I bought has fungus on the mirror.
Seriously technical question - not completely related to the matter. I modified a Newtonian for dslr use (moved the primary mirror inward towards focuser), and I didn't mark the position it was in originally before removing the primary holder. Is there a way to figure get it back to it's original position, and what effect would it have if it's in a different position? Apologies for the off-subject question, the tape markings reminded me of it.
That's a good question. If your telescope is a commercially available telescope, you could ask in the forums on CloudyNights.com. I'm sure one of the folks there would be happy to provide the requested measurement.
I still recommend musou black paint.
I flocked a 6" telescope yrs ago and was that ever an ordeal! If I do another tube I will use Blk 3.0 or the new Blk 4.0 and use a spray gun. It's expensive but the end product looks so much darker than this flock paper.
The tradeoff is that the super black paints are often fragile and can flake off as the tube expands and contracts. Let me know how it goes for you.
@@AstronomyGarage Did not know this. Will have to investigate it further if I am going to do another tube.
Just to add to that. It can not be sprayed either, just lightly brushed. It would look incredible though if it could be aced !@@tubedude54
What paint did you end up using?
For the inside, I used the felt flocking material, but for all the metallic bits that stuck into the tube, I used the Rustoleum Camouflage Flat Black spray paint.
may be a good idea to take the primary mirror out first next time bro that way you dont chance messing it up by dropping something
Do you mean remove the primary before removing the secondary? That's probably a smart idea. Clear skies!
@@AstronomyGarage yes remove the primary first that way you dont accidentally drop anything on it
I have a beginner question. Is a good idea buy an eight years old telescope in very good condition. I am looking a Orion 130st for $180. Do you think this a good purchase? Thanks
Good question. I am assuming you are looking to buy reflector style telescope. As long as the mirrors are okay, the age of the telescope doesn't matter. Most of my telescopes are 10+ years old. However, if you are a beginner, I would highly recommend avoiding any telescope that comes on an equitorial mount. The alternative is the Altitude-Azimuth ("Alt Az") mount which swings up/down and spins left and right. The perfect starter telescope is an 8 inch Dobsonian. Depending on where you live, those show up on the used markets often. Good luck and clear skies!
@@AstronomyGarage Thanks for the advice. I read about how difficult is for beginners to learn how to use the EQ mount thanks for the warnings. What about the price? $180
If the telescope is in good shape, that's not a bad price. Also check out a new Orion Starblast Dobsonian.
Every scope should've been done that way from the beggining,to avoid light flickering and making planet and moons faded.
Agreed. Also, I have no clue why some of them use a dark gray instead of black.
Doesn’t the flocking, as material, eventually degrade and shed fibers / dust into the tube? Wouldn’t spray painting with a Vantablack equivalent be less of a hassle?
PS. Love your channel. 😊
Thank you for the kind words! And GREAT question. There are fibers that shed during installation. That's why I ran the lint brush (I actually ran it MUCH more than the video shows). As far as what happens over time, I'm not sure. The fibers seem pretty stuck in right now. So far the mirror is still squeaky clean. The blackest paint that you and I can buy is Musou Black. It runs about $80 for a 60ml bottle and it's somewhat fragile - chipping off when bumped. Vanta Black is a whole different ball game. It's not a paint, but instead is a surface treatment that is "grown" via a process called vapor deposition ($$$). And you have to get a special license to use it from the owner in the UK. Now, they did create a Vanta Black paint, but it's not as dark as Musou Black. Clear skies!
I was looking at something called Black 4.0. Need to do more research on it to see how sensitive it is to chipping.
For those wanting extra black paint try Culture Hustle/Stuart Semple black paints. They are art materials and a bit pricey but they are BLACK. Meant to be the blackest outside of government research stuff costing $/£ millions. I have a can and will be trying it out in the not to distant future.
Thanks for the tip. I know there's been an "arms race" in recent years for the blackest black paint. I have a little sample of Musou Black - it was the darkest black for several years, but it is fragile. Not an enamel.
Maybe try Black 4.0 paint. If you can get it. It's supposed to be the blackest black paint ever.
The big challenge with the super black paints is their fragility. I have a 100ml bottle of Musou Black. My tests have shown it to be pretty fragile and will flake off - would be a problem on the mirror. I haven't researched Black 4.0 yet, but it's brand new.
I wondered about that. Maybe sealing with a flat coat? I don't know if that would change it's reflectance value much.@@AstronomyGarage
Yes, 4.0 is tricky to work with, unfortunately It cannot be sprayed. If you seal it, it will lose its 'darkness' too. Its also mega expensive! If the whole internals were done in 4.0 it would look incredible looking down it !!@@YdnarLah37
I was gonna say a nice lime green
As long as it's a flocked green.
Neon pink works as well
Would Vantablack spray work better?
Traditional Vanta is applied using a very specialized and expensive vapor deposition procedure. They did make a spray paint, but I don't think it is darker than Moussou paint.
Someone says using poster board. I disagree. Dew n moisture from humidity would break it down like particle board.
From what I've heard, there is a material called Flockboard that is a flexible underlayment with flocking already attached. So you just fold it into a cylinder and feed it into your telescope tube and it springs out?
That's good to hear. I may do that to my 6 inch reflectors. Thanks for the info.
I'm curious if there's actually any data that actually shows the benefits of flocking versus non flocking measurable data and not just hearsay.
I've had some time to test it and I have a unique situation. I have another nearly identical Orion 10" Dob that is non-flocked. With identical eyepieces, I can't really tell the difference. I think where it matters is in the city with lots of streetlights. It really does kill internal reflections from the streetlights. It just gobbles up that stray light.
Loại vật liệu màu đen đó tên là gì, và mua nó ở đâu?? 😊😊
Flocking material: amzn.to/3RiyM8J
@@AstronomyGarage thank you so much 😊😊
That did not look like a lot of flocking fun. I might suggest measuring the paper and doing some quick math to see how much rough overlap room you have from the start, instead of trying to match up each strip perfectly with the next.
Also as somebody that has used utility knives a lot over the years, please cut away from your body parts while trimming the excess. 😰 Those blades can be super sharp! It only takes one slight mishap to cut yourself pretty badly.
As far as using the caliper to mark... 😂 That's what a box of scrap wood is good for. Just make your own tool out of scraps and junk screws.
You are very correct. In hindsight, I should've overlapped every joint instead of trying to get perfect seams. That would've been so much easier and less time consuming. With regards to knife safety, my Dad has a scar on his hand from when he had an X-Acto accident when he was a kid - I need to follow the knife safety rules more strictly. Clear skies!
This is literally insane. If I value my time at $50 per hour I could buy a brand new $5000 telescope
Admittedly, it was a lot of work.
Sorry, very disrespectful of me. I actually found it very interesting, but well beyond my capability!
I spent many years as a brake press operator, forming sheet metal. I had a $300 pair of calipers. I have seen then used, and called, much worse than what you did.
Hahaha, well thank you. That makes me feel a little bit better. :)
I decided to investigate flocking materials, because I felt inspired to give it a go. Reading the comments, I saw mentioned ‘Protostar FlockBoard’. So I opted to search for generic flocking board.
Then I saw this: ‘WARNING: Flocking materials NOT stable over time!!!! Nightmare stuff!’
There are horror stories with photos, with the fibres shedding and going everywhere.
but the Protostar FlockBoard sounds OK after ten years.
I pass this information on in good faith and hope your flocking ages well.
I'm now left wondering whether it's a good idea, although the Newtonian design is probably the best telescope to flock.
You really don't need to flock the whole tube. Just about a foot above the mirror around the whole tube, and the area opposite the focuser about half of the tube diameter, also about a foot of the tube length
That's good to know and would certainly make it much simpler!
A video aka 'Flocking Hell'....
In hindsight... absolutely. I've not been able to see much of an improvement. Supposedly it makes a difference for the long-exposure astrophotographers.
So, any noticeable difference?
What I've noticed is that the area around the planets is very deep black instead of slightly off-black. I have a lot of streetlights here that light up the tube walls.
@@AstronomyGarage
Yep, I have that too.
Use a black hood to block light out of the eyepiece & a big plastic bowl.
Cut a hole in the bottom of the bowl (off-center), paint it flat black, & put it over the eyepiece.
It helps block 'ambient' light.
28:40 Are those televue eyepieces on your desk?
The green font is hard to ignore, right? I went to an estate sale last week and they had three of them for a price I could not ignore. I've been testing them against my Explore Scientific eyepieces and so far... I can't see any advantage of the Tele Vue eyepieces. I will probably sell them all to finance the next restoration series.
The only thing of televue I own is an oiii filter, and it wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it
You know, it's not a crime to ask for help.
Very true. I wanted to show that even if somebody didn't have access to help, they could accomplish this goal. Thank you for your comment. Clear skies!
I was not aware of this f**cking (what the hell?) material on Amazon. That's enough to f**ck (DAMMIT TH-cam) both of my dobsonians. Just perfect. I'll be ordering some come payday for sure.
Hahaha, it's too much fun to say the word, lol. :) Have patience and you'll do a great job. Clear skies!
I'm going to adhere it to a piece of thin posterboard first that conforms to the interior of the tube. That way it's all smooth and even and easily glues into the inside of the tube as a single piece. Essentially create my own version of Protostar Flockboard.
Let’s just conclude that this is a two man job!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha, agreed. It would be so much easier with a helper.
Will there be any serious comparison regarding the real advantages of taking the risk of disassembling the telescope to apply the Flock, thinking about Observation and astrophotography? Lest it is just fashion or an illusion such an improvement.
May be this solution: "IR Flock Sheet-The Darkest Material in The World Absorbs Over 99.5% of Visible And Infrared Light"
In the final video in that series, I did a side-by-side comparison with a non-flocked Orion 10" Dob and found... no perceivable improvement. Rumor has it that it really makes a difference for astrophotographers.
OTA Flockers
Buddy, having had to do this, I know how difficult it can be....."CAN BE" It makes it so much easier if you buy the 250mm strip, and have two people to stick it down. You really did give a new meaning to " amature." I don't mean to be rude, but I found this very easy once the first piece was placed against the join. Also you only needed to puncture the bolt hols with a blade. I did however like the painting of the focuser, and will follow your lead on that idea. Bht once again, for a tube of this size, it's a two person job, and will save so many BEEPS, even if you arn't videoing. Lol. Take care.
Admittedly, I am an amateur.
I think I would employ the wife to help...if I wanted a divorce.
I generally try not to bother anybody else when I'm working on these telescopes. :)
Paint it.
That is definitely an option and I have a quart of the camouflage matte black paint. The flocking, however, is even darker. In the end, I found out that it didn't have much of an impact on visual observing.
Too much flocking work. Just spray paint. Great videos though. Thanks!
Why don't they come from the factory like this
That's a great question. It's even stranger that some of them come with a gray paint and not black.
Paint would have been better
Perhaps, although the flocking was pretty dark. I have some fantastic dark spray paint, but I couldn't figure out a practical way to apply it properly to the inside of the tube.