Common Objects converted to Astro Use

Though not as commonly seen this year (due to NHL strike), I took 3 pucks out of my equipment bag and put them under my N8 medium duty tripod, and sure enough the 'thwak-the-tripod-leg test' (very scientific!) made the images settle down in one second instead of five without the pucks. A five fold difference (and more importantly turning it from unacceptable to perfectly acceptable dampening) for zero dollars out of pocket.

TomL, Portland, OR
(Formerly of Vancouver, BC, so for what it's worth, I can tell you that Canucks pucks seem to work the best

I use knit hats as finder scope covers. For power and unit power finders. In addition to keeping dew and frost off the finders, they also serve as a padded pouch to keep the finder in when stored in a larger case.
You can get them at dollar stores.

I made a dew shield for my Celestron Comet Catcher out of a Folgers metal coffee can. I lined it with cork sheeting and flocked paper for insulation and light scatter. I use the original lid for a nice airtight seal on the optics.

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Hello:
Probably the most common thing I've done is to get a plastic toolbox and use it to carry my eyepieces and actual tools. For my 12.5" dobsonian, I bought a black bedsheet to use for the shroud. I also use a large vinyl flower pot to protect the mirror and also to block stray light. The dob is a minimalist/lightweight design, so the mirror is rather exposed and close to the ground and I wanted a way to protect it from dust, dirt, rocks, shoes, etc. To use the flower pot, I cut a hole in the bottom large enough for the collimation screws to fit in, so the mirror sits in the bottom of the pot and the pot is sandwiched between the mirror cell and the back of the telescope. I have also use lots of soda cans for light baffle material. They're 2.5" in diameter, thin, light, and opaque. This makes them perfect for a focuser baffle on a dobsonian, and now I'm using this for the primary and secondary baffles on a cassegrain.

Cheers
Mike Connelley