need guide to build your own dry box

leehai1980 · Post by **leehai1980** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:37 pm

any1 got any idea how to make a dry box on your own for a 900mm long telescope

cloud_cover · Post by **cloud_cover** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:08 pm

Just get a plastic box (toyogo or other brands) and put a dessicant pack (e.g. thristy hippo) into it. I'm doing that, the box lid closes with clips but its far from airtight - my hygrometer reads generally 36-40% humidity at the far end of the box from the dessicant, which is fine for storing telescopes

Net cost - $10-$20

Junming-jm · Post by **Junming-jm** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:09 pm

cloud_cover wrote:Just get a plastic box (toyogo or other brands) and put a dessicant pack (e.g. thristy hippo) into it. I'm doing that, the box lid closes with clips but if far from airtight - my hygrometer reads generally 36-40% humidity at the far end of the box from the dessicant, which is fine for storing telescopes
Net cost - $10-$20

do they sell box of that long ?

cloud_cover · Post by **cloud_cover** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:43 pm

If the supermarkets don't check out the toyogo warehouse at 11 Toa Payoh Industrial Park

Beware, the measurements they state is for the top of the box. Often the bottom is tapered so the difference can be suprising. Also budget a bit of extra length to allow for padding

At worst case, you might have to detatch your lens cell and store it separately. The tube which has no glass does not need a dry box.

Junming-jm · Post by **Junming-jm** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:42 pm

maybe i can store the telescope in a airtight plastic bag?

Btw im curious how do richard low store his 6" tmb refractor?

cloud_cover · Post by **cloud_cover** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:05 pm

You can do that although a plastic bag is more susceptible to tears and a box although bulky can also provide protection from impact.

rlow · Post by **rlow** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:29 pm

I use dry cabinets.

This fungus issue should not be taken lightly, even if you had never encountered any fungi issue on your optics. The fact that it never happen before doesn't guarantee that it may never happen. If you own some lenses which are of certain value, why risk it in our tropical humid environment?

Newtonian mirrors are usually alright, and it is easy to clean off the fungi if spotted early. SCTs are a little bit more difficult to clean, and if you don't know how to clean it, just contact me (:

But for lenses in refractors, binoculars and eyepieces, once the fungi invade inbetween your lens elements, it is not always easy to remove it, clean it and align it back. And once the damage is done, it limits the performance, durability and resale value of the affected item.

Although it is cheap and easy to build your own version of a dehumidifying enclosure, a DIY solution may work well for a while, but what if it leaks, or doesn't work well enough in the long term? You may not know until you discovered fungi on your optical elements one fine day...

Hence the long-term solution is still to use a proper dehumidifier like a dry cabinet. After all, a proper dry cabinet only cost the equivalent of a good eyepiece. That's a small price to pay compared with replacing a refractor, binoculars and some eyepieces etc. Just my 2-cents opinion; your mileage may vary (:

shirox · Post by **shirox** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:43 pm

go carrefour and see ba. i just bought a box xxxl to dump all my stuffs inside.
Popped 2 thirsty hippo into it. lol

MooEy · Post by **MooEy** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:35 pm

one could build a diy drybox with thristy hippo and get gd result. one could also buy a electrical dry box and run into issues with drybox breaking down. reliability of dry box has always been an issue.

i would say regular checking of the dry box, together with proper placement of items inside the dry box plays a bigger part than which version to go for.

~MooEy~