Re: Painting telescope tube


Chris.B wrote:
> A Vixen is very likely to have an aluminium tube. Plastic tubes don't
> dent.
>
> The objective cell probably unscrews the normal way if you can grip it
> hard enough with somebody else hanging on tight to the main tube. Both
> of you might try wearing rubber gloves for extra grip. I used opposing
> climbing loops as I had nobody to hold the tube and my wife simply
> wasn't strong enough! The cell was screwed on so tight I actually
> contacted the importers to confirm the thread was normal handed. :-)
>
> If you are going to paint your tube you must remove the objective cell
> and the focusser and seal the ends of the tube carefully. You don't
> want paint inside where it should be flat black to avoid reflections.
> I'd use polythene film and tape well over the objective cell thread.
> Any paint on the thread and the cell will never go back on again!
>
> At the focusser end you need to paint right up to the end of the tube
> so a cloth or screwed-up newspaper plug may work better this end. Or
> leave the focusser on and tape polythene carefully all over it to stop
> paint reaching it.
>
> Car body filler is usually deigned for steel. I'm not sure about
> adhesion qualities on aluminium without special primers. Hammerite do
> an aluminium primer but that might be unique to their special paints. I
> used their aluminium primer and hammer finish brushing paints on my
> cast aluminium mounting. I wouldn't recommend hammer-finish for a
> telescope tube though. Smooth is better looking.

The scope is all color black. I tried to remove the objective lens but
couldn't. The scope is built in the 1980s so the vixen tube (Celestron)
may not be the same as the ones now with removable lens cell and
focuser. Therefore I have to paint it with the lens cell on. Since it's
seal
with a dewshield and cover. Why can't I just paint it using spray can?
How can the paint sip inside?

Also the surface of the tube is not smooth. It's like the surface of
slippers with many raised parts. You got a clue what would happen if
I'd
not remove the old paint but just put the new one on top of it.

Hugh

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Painting telescope tube
    ... A Vixen is very likely to have an aluminium tube. ... The objective cell probably unscrews the normal way if you can grip it ... If you are going to paint your tube you must remove the objective cell ...
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