Home made binocular eyecups (1 Viewer)

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Martin Fagg

Guest

• Jan 3, 2011

• #1

Hi,

does anyone have any info on making your own eyecups?

I'm sure I've seen photos here on BF somewhere of diy eyecups made of bike inner tube but I can't find them.

I have taken the cups off my Bushnell Legend porro 8x42s to free up some extra e/r. It works well but I need something to stop the exposed metal sratching my glasses.

Thanks
Martin

 

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typo

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2011

• #2

Martin,

How about a rubber paint?
http://www.plastidip.co.uk/eStore/index.cfm?type=Domestic_Solutions/Plastidip&stage=1

I've used this to produce tough flexible finish on metal parts, and I imagine it would do the job pretty well . Dipping the bits is probably not advised, but diluted with toluene (or petrol) it paints fairly well. If you skip the priming it will peel off with a bit of persuasion.

David

 

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mercedes_sl1970

Active member

• Jan 3, 2011

• #3

Hi Martin

I made some eyecups once out of a mountain bike inner tube, while waiting to get some Nikon eyecups ordered in (3 month wait...). I had to experiment but ended up cutting a length about 2-3 times what I needed, doubling it over on itself to create a rounder edge. Stretching it on the eyepiece held it in place. Hope that makes sense.

Andrew

 

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Martin Fagg

Guest

• Jan 3, 2011

• #4

Thanks guys.

I like the paint on idea David. Never heard of that before and it maximises e/r. Nifty!

 

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bearclawthedonut

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2011

• #5

Martin:

Be very, very careful about painting in close proximity to your ocular lenses. A bit of toluene or gasoline on either of these lenses could really mess up the coatings. Chemical reactions and all that. Not sure that Bushnell's warranty would cover this procedure?

bearclawthedonut

 

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typo

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2011

• #6

You would certainly need to be careful with you painting technique, but I really don't know if the coatings are susceptible to solvent. I thought most were vacuum deposited and should be resistant, but I could be wrong. I think regular cleaning fluids contain isopropanol and water plus other stuff, but I'm sure I've read about people using 'lighter fluid' in some instances.

Anyone know if there is a solvent risk?

David

 

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LPT

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2011

• #7

typo said:

You would certainly need to be careful with you painting technique, but I really don't know if the coatings are susceptible to solvent. I thought most were vacuum deposited and should be resistant, but I could be wrong. I think regular cleaning fluids contain isopropanol and water plus other stuff, but I'm sure I've read about people using 'lighter fluid' in some instances.

Anyone know if there is a solvent risk?

David

Click to expand...

Please don't cringe and I'm not exactly recommending others do this but when I have had binoculars with grease or oil deposits on anti-reflective coated lens surfaces (usually vintage binoculars with single layer Mgfl coatings) which resisted removal using the regular type lens cleaners, I have used small amounts of Varsol to easily remove them without damaging the coatings at all. Mind, some of these older coatings can be soft and if you rub too hard you will leave permanent markings which I think is a more likely way to damage the coatings.

 

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Martin Fagg

Guest

• Jan 5, 2011

• #8

If i do it, I'll take great care, for sure. I would be very surprised indeed if Bushnell's warranty covered this!

I would mask the lenses off with paper or card first but if the worst happened, these are low cost bins. I'd by a new pair because I really like them. They are so sharp in the centre field and they offer something that I don't get from my SLC 7x42s. I'm not sure quite what it is but in some way I prefer the Legend porros. If the focus didn't stiffen in the cold, they would get more use at this time of year.

Perhaps i should take them out together and work out what the differences are and what the Legends have that the SLC don't. Now there's a shoot out! £125 porro vs £900 roofs.