Barrel extensions for the Nikon Monarch 7 10x30 (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Prower]

Barrel extensions for the Nikon Monarch 7 10x30

The 20mm barrel extensions that are shown in the attached photo as one of a number of customisations that I have made to a Nikon Monarch 7 10x30 are made out of simple materials that cost nothing, and are assembled and fitted without using glue or other fasteners.

The materials are:

• Part pre-curved flexible plastic sheet 0.35-0.45mm thick cut from the side of a milk bottle*
• Broad rubber bands cut from discarded bicycle inner tube that is sized to fit a mountain bike tyre of 2.30-2.50in maximum section**.

The plastic sheet is lined with masking tape that has been stained black using a permanent marker pen.

In the spirit of "field customisation", for easier working I join the sides of the sheet to form the tube using an "ugly" overlapping join, rather than a butt join.

The barrel extensions are intended to decramp the hands. By affording the user a freer choice of handhold, this will potentially enable him or her:

• To more precisely balance and direct the binocular
• By supporting the barrel end at a point further forward from the centre of gravity, to more effectively steady and stabilise the binocular.

I exploit the greater freedom of choice of handhold to employ an "assymetric" handhold, namely a handhold in which the barrels of the binocular are not held by the two hands side-by-side, but with one hand forward of the other hand.

The division of functions in an assymetric handhold is that the forward hand:

• Directs the binocular
• By holding the end of the barrel, stabilises the binocular
• By supporting the barrel with the thumb at the centre of gravity, together with the thumb of the backward hand balances the binocular.

The backward hand:

• Focuses the binocular
• By supporting the barrel with the thumb at the centre of gravity, together with the thumb of the forward hand balances the binocular.

Ergonomics are personal***. Impressions can mislead: they are no substitute for, say, a side-by-side comparison of a modified and unmodified Nikon.

But the barrel extensions do so far in field tests seem to function, certainly as to decramping the hands, satisfactorily as intended.

At some point, since I don't foresee myself at any time getting access to an unmodified Nikon Monarch 7 10 x30, I intend instead to go on to conduct some impressionistic Before-and-After tests of the effect of the extensions upon the direction, balance and stabilisation of the binocular by successively removing and replacing the extensions.

Optimistically I did find a big perceptible before-and-after improvement in the performance of a small Roof binocular after I implemented the full set of customisations that appear in the photograph. The binocular was clearly intended by its designer to be used by persons with small hands. I prescribed inter alia 30mm barrel extensions. The binocular was transformed from a lemon in my large hands into a first-line binocular.


Stephen Prower


* In England, a Grahams 1 litre whole milk bottle

** Unfortunately in England, for market reasons ( I am told: "The transition to tubeless tyres"), not a popular range of sizes

*** My glove size is on the low side of "Large"

 

[Pinewood]

Hello Stephen,

Many binoculars would benefit from an extended barrel of extensions similar to yours. As I recall, some Barr & Stroud 7x50 binoculars came with collapsible hoods, just the thing for looking near the sun.

Good work,
Arthur

 

[Stephen Prower]

Arthur

The same as LZOS 33T telescopes?

Stephen

 

[A2GG]

why did you put rubber over the focuser?

 

[Mike Crawley]

I have a birding friend who has something similar on his 10x42 Leica binoculars.
He uses something similar (but larger than) the plastic tubes that 35mm photography film was sold in.
They certainly look odd but they reduce any ambient glare completely

 

[Stephen Prower]

why did you put rubber over the focuser?

Because the textured surface of the wheel "grated" on me. I don't remember that it grated much. The skin of my fingers may simply be over-sensitive. But the rubber must have made the wheel grate less. Otherwise--The rubber, which is cut from a discarded bicycle inner tube, is a simple stretch fit--I would have taken it off.

I got the idea from a SvBony SV202 8X32 ED. In its case the pimpled surface of the wheel was so hard and "rough" that another poster also complained about it. Something had to be done. That's how I came to find out that sleeving the wheel with the thin sort of rubber that is used to make bicycle inner tubes still leaves you sufficient grip to operate the wheel.

It wasn't just a wheeze. There's also a bit of cycling and motorcycling knowledge that "slick" tyres grip a smooth road--I think it might also be, counter-intuitively, a wet road--just as well as "cut" tyres. My town bicycle has slick tyres. I've never chanced my luck by tearing about on a wet road, though!

Stephen

[A warning: I use a strap wrench to tighten a dripping tap. The strap slips when the head of the tap is wet! I don't know what the strap is made of. But be warned! Bicycle inner tube in Britain is usually made out of "Butyl" rubber. The tubes I use are. I have not yet used a binocular that I have modified by sleeving bicycle inner tube over the focussing wheel in wet weather]

 

[Stephen Prower]

I have a birding friend who has something similar on his 10x42 Leica binoculars.
He uses something similar (but larger than) the plastic tubes that 35mm photography film was sold in.
They certainly look odd but they reduce any ambient glare completely

I have suffered from what I believe is called "veiling glare" with the the Nikon Monarch 7 10x30. But the reason for my modifications was solely ergonomic, namely, as I call it, "decramping".

I treated the area where the best parallel with using a binocular to watch birds is target shooting.

The special motivation for decramping was that I could thereby (i) hold the binocular further forward, and (ii) space out the hands, so "isolating" the forward hand and barrel from "interference" by way of contact with the other hand & barrel. I hoped that, as a result, I would be able to steady and stabilise the binocular more effectively*.

[The other motivations, as described in my original post, to pursue the parallel with shooting, were routinely "directional", namely to achieve that the binocular came to the hands in balance, so not casting high or low, and that it did so accurately directed, ie not laying off to the left or right of the target bird.]

Stephen

* I didn't mention item (ii) in my original post because the prospect that isolating the barrels might achieve an improvement in stability was speculative

 

[Owlbarred]

I love your ingenuity. I especially like your willingness to experiment to find out what works best for you, rather than get caught up in the "appearance is everything" mentality. Excellent work.

 

[Owlbarred]

I have a birding friend who has something similar on his 10x42 Leica binoculars.
He uses something similar (but larger than) the plastic tubes that 35mm photography film was sold in.
They certainly look odd but they reduce any ambient glare completely

Any chance you could post a photo ot those modified binoculars? Thanks.

 

[Mike Crawley]

Any chance you could post a photo ot those modified binoculars? Thanks.

Unfortunately not, I don’t see this lad as often as we would both like these days. I know 100% I will having a meal with him and his wife on Scilly in October but can’t be sure when we can get together before then
sorry