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Cheapo Blue Peter Flats Box


Carastro

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I generally use sky flats if I can, but there are times when I need a light box, and so I saw a cheap tracing board on Ebay a couple of years ago.  Wasn't sure if it would work when I switched it on as the board is lit in dots.  But so long as there is a sheet of typing paper in front it works well.   

I kept the box it was delivered in and cut a hole out for the scope aperture, so it sits nicely on top of the scope, and the box around the end of the scope helps to stop it sliding off.

Here it is on top of my Esprit today.

 

1122699259_BoxonEsprit.thumb.jpg.42cdfc58a4a4e64d0de912f8b8c7de7e.jpg

So taking it apart, this is the tracing board out of it's box.

746617300_Thepanel.thumb.jpg.67f5649774234a5ee068be20efd0c285.jpg

It has a cable which powers from plugging into a USB socket, and a nice controller which if you press it will make the light brighter or dimmer, so no messing around adding or subtracting sheets of paper.

Cables.thumb.jpg.e97eb06a622264b434d42feca68129ab.jpg

I have several scopes with different apertures, so in order to accommodate the different apertures and not leave a gap causing light leak (important for star camps), I made a different sized stiff cardboard for each scope, and fixed the largest one on only on 3 sides so i can slide the smaller aperture sheets of card in and out as required.

995225808_Slideinandout.thumb.jpg.069e3a4228414e9ce3cea6f435f65ad3.jpg958047414_Differentapertures.thumb.jpg.e9f11563a98d633608ee3900798aa0b6.jpg

The whole lot cost me approx £12 for the tracing board and a bit of time, sticky tape and spare cardboard.

Not glamorous, but does the job. 

Carole 

 

 

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Posted by: @Carastro

I kept the box it was delivered in and cut a hole out for the scope aperture, so it sits nicely on top of the scope, and the box around the end of the scope helps to stop it sliding off.

I am smiling at your flat box. ? Mine is almost it's twin brother/sister. I happened to have a piece of foam that fit my box perfectly, so the hole for the scope goes through the bottom of the box and the foam. It takes great flats, and has no light leaks at all.

FlatBox.thumb.jpg.da9e83c55a59ec905c6e38372362ddb9.jpg

 

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Posted by: @TerryMcK

Difficulty for me is finding typing paper in these days of the paperless office

I have typing paper for my home computer and printer.

Carole 

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Posted by: @AstronomyUkraine

Mine is almost it's twin brother/sister. I happened to have a piece of foam that fit my box perfectly, so the hole for the scope goes through the bottom of the box and the foam. It takes great flats, and has no light leaks at all.

I have the same foam bag and keep my flats box in it.  Must have come with the panels in the first place, how funny.

Carole 

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