Flocking Source?

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Deanimator
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Flocking Source?

Post by Deanimator »

Now that I'm close to having a serious high magnification rig, I need to revisit the quality of my optical equipment.

Possibly one of my issues in the past has been light leakage.
  1. What's the current consensus on flocking material?
  2. Is there a recommended source? Amazon would be a big plus as I can have stuff from Amazon sent to the local Whole Foods.
I tried a couple of local craft stores and came up with exactly nothing, and one of those is going out of business as I type this.
Last edited by Deanimator on Tue May 28, 2019 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

zed
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Post by zed »

I use this stuff - which is pretty common with users here:

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/db-1898 ... etle+black

Deanimator
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Post by Deanimator »

zed wrote:I use this stuff - which is pretty common with users here:

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/db-1898 ... etle+black
Thanks.

I just ordered a few sheets.

JLyle
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Post by JLyle »

I like the card stock linked above as well but Protostar is easier to work with when you are flocking the insides of extension tubes etc. I have found only 1 source that sells it in small quantity. Just go to eBay and enter “Protostar flocked” into the search.

JohnDownie
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T

Post by JohnDownie »

FPI Protostar sells 1.625” x 250’ rolls of tape for <$50 delivered, which seems a good amount in a convenient form factor.

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

JLyle wrote:I like the card stock linked above as well but Protostar is easier to work with when you are flocking the insides of extension tubes etc. I have found only 1 source that sells it in small quantity. Just go to eBay and enter “Protostar flocked” into the search.
I find the opposite to be true, the prostar adhesive layer is too strong to make installation easy and worse it will delaminate after a while. Also its really tricky to apply without bubbles.

The flocking sheets take literally 1 second to apply, grab a sheet roll it in your hand stick it in the tube and start shooting.

Having to apply protostar to the dozens and dozens of adapters and tubes that I have would take weeks :shock:

If you want a small amount of protostar send me a SASE and I will send you a foot or two for free. I have a 20 foot roll sitting here in my office gathering dust. I wish someone warned me before buying it.

Robert

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Post by ray_parkhurst »

RobertOToole wrote:
JLyle wrote:I like the card stock linked above as well but Protostar is easier to work with when you are flocking the insides of extension tubes etc. I have found only 1 source that sells it in small quantity. Just go to eBay and enter “Protostar flocked” into the search.
I find the opposite to be true, the prostar adhesive layer is too strong to make installation easy and worse it will delaminate after a while. Also its really tricky to apply without bubbles.

The flocking sheets take literally 1 second to apply, grab a sheet roll it in your hand stick it in the tube and start shooting.

Having to apply protostar to the dozens and dozens of adapters and tubes that I have would take weeks :shock:

If you want a small amount of protostar send me a SASE and I will send you a foot or two for free. I have a 20 foot roll sitting here in my office gathering dust. I wish someone warned me before buying it.

Robert
I generally don't pull the adhesive off the back of the protostar, just form it into tubes of different lengths, and tape the edges together. It's pretty easy to pull the camera, look down the optical axis to determine if you need extra light absorption and where, then drop in the appropriate length flocking tube.

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
RobertOToole wrote:
JLyle wrote:I like the card stock linked above as well but Protostar is easier to work with when you are flocking the insides of extension tubes etc. I have found only 1 source that sells it in small quantity. Just go to eBay and enter “Protostar flocked” into the search.
I find the opposite to be true, the prostar adhesive layer is too strong to make installation easy and worse it will delaminate after a while. Also its really tricky to apply without bubbles.

The flocking sheets take literally 1 second to apply, grab a sheet roll it in your hand stick it in the tube and start shooting.

Having to apply protostar to the dozens and dozens of adapters and tubes that I have would take weeks :shock:

If you want a small amount of protostar send me a SASE and I will send you a foot or two for free. I have a 20 foot roll sitting here in my office gathering dust. I wish someone warned me before buying it.

Robert
I generally don't pull the adhesive off the back of the protostar, just form it into tubes of different lengths, and tape the edges together. It's pretty easy to pull the camera, look down the optical axis to determine if you need extra light absorption and where, then drop in the appropriate length flocking tube.
That is exactly what I do with the sheets.

Sometimes I've had just a section of tube or adapter that is reflective so I would flock that part with a small section of protostar, Schneider tubes and adapters are notorious for that. Some of the Unifocs for example.

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Post by Chris S. »

ray_parkhurst wrote:I generally don't pull the adhesive off the back of the protostar, just form it into tubes of different lengths, and tape the edges together. It's pretty easy to pull the camera, look down the optical axis to determine if you need extra light absorption and where, then drop in the appropriate length flocking tube.
RobertOToole wrote:That is exactly what I do with the sheets.

Sometimes I've had just a section of tube or adapter that is reflective so I would flock that part with a small section of protostar, Schneider tubes and adapters are notorious for that. Some of the Unifocs for example.
I also use Protostar both ways--sometimes with the adhesive exposed, other times with the covering material not removed from the adhesive. This is one of the reasons I like Protostar--it's like having two different materials, depending on how one uses it. For quick installation in some uses, Protostar with the covering left over the adhesive is instant and easy; the covering material adds springiness that holds the Protostar in the tube or adapter. Other times, I remove the covering, in which case the Protostar is not only self-adhesive, but more flexible to fit into tighter places (though no longer springy).

I've not found Protostar difficult to install, though when using it adhesively, there are a couple of tricks. One is to peel off the adhesive just at the end, stick the piece down at this end, and then to peel off the covering while unrolling the Protostar inside the tube. For long tubes, I sometimes roll the Protostar around a pencil or something similar, and stick this into the tube. If I roll a bit more tightly than the tube calls for, the Protostar relaxes toward the inside surface of the tube. If I've done the trick of bending back the first bit of covering, the initial strip of Protostar sticks in place inside the tube, and I unpeel the rest of the Protostar progressively around the tube, sticking it down with the side of the pencil as I go. Not so hard! :D

Sorry to hear yours is delaminating, Robert. I've not seen that, nor have I experienced bubbles.

--Chris S.

ray_parkhurst
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

Chris S. wrote:
Sorry to hear yours is delaminating, Robert. I've not seen that, nor have I experienced bubbles.

--Chris S.
I always have bubbles, even when super careful. I used to see a fair amount of delam, but protostar changed their formula between my last and previous orders, and the adhesive now seems less prone to delaminating.

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

Chris S. wrote: I also use Protostar both ways--sometimes with the adhesive exposed, other times with the covering material not removed from the adhesive. This is one of the reasons I like Protostar--it's like having two different materials, depending on how one uses it. For quick installation in some uses, Protostar with the covering left over the adhesive is instant and easy; the covering material adds springiness that holds the Protostar in the tube or adapter. Other times, I remove the covering, in which case the Protostar is not only self-adhesive, but more flexible to fit into tighter places (though no longer springy).

I've not found Protostar difficult to install, though when using it adhesively, there are a couple of tricks. One is to peel off the adhesive just at the end, stick the piece down at this end, and then to peel off the covering while unrolling the Protostar inside the tube. For long tubes, I sometimes roll the Protostar around a pencil or something similar, and stick this into the tube. If I roll a bit more tightly than the tube calls for, the Protostar relaxes toward the inside surface of the tube. If I've done the trick of bending back the first bit of covering, the initial strip of Protostar sticks in place inside the tube, and I unpeel the rest of the Protostar progressively around the tube, sticking it down with the side of the pencil as I go. Not so hard! :D
Thanks for the tips.

I agree, installing protostar is not hard or difficult at all, but there is a time factor involved. Installing the flocking on individual parts would take too much time for me at least. From where I am sitting typing this I can see 30 extension tubes, and at least the same number of adapters. I probably own a lot more. So instead of examining parts and applying as needed I just take a few seconds before each shoot to prevent flare. After the setup is done and before I shoot the first image, I make sure to insert a rolled sheet. I find this works better than trying to track down flare later if I forgot to flock a new adapter or tube.

Maybe it's overkill and I'm oversensitive to flare having spent way too much time chasing down issues over the years.

Then there are flare issues where flocking won't help. I can remember being frustrated having spent maybe an hour trying to track down the cause of a central hot spot, and then it struck me, what if its something inside the body, there have been publicized issues over the years with mirror chambers with certain DSLRs, so what the heck? I swapped a Canon 70D for a Nikon. Flare disappeared instantly. I sold the body soon after that.

I believe I posted something about that 70D flare issue here on the forum.
Sorry to hear yours is delaminating, Robert. I've not seen that, nor have I experienced bubbles.
That has only happened a couple times with some older tubes thankfully. The parts were probably used for a test of two so they had more than the average amount of use.

Best,

Robert

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

One thing to remember with either Protostar or Beetle Black is to roll the liner with a lint remover (tape roll) to remove the loose fibers. You will be amazed at how much loose stuff comes off :shock:

Don't want that getting onto the sensor :(

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
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RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

mawyatt wrote:One thing to remember with either Protostar or Beetle Black is to roll the liner with a lint remover (tape roll) to remove the loose fibers. You will be amazed at how much loose stuff comes off :shock:

Don't want that getting onto the sensor :(

Best,
Good point.

0.99 cent stores sell mini lint rollers that work great for that. I also use them on the inner hoods of my super telephoto lenses.

Best,

Robert

mawyatt
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Post by mawyatt »

RobertOToole wrote:
mawyatt wrote:One thing to remember with either Protostar or Beetle Black is to roll the liner with a lint remover (tape roll) to remove the loose fibers. You will be amazed at how much loose stuff comes off :shock:

Don't want that getting onto the sensor :(

Best,
Good point.

0.99 cent stores sell mini lint rollers that work great for that. I also use them on the inner hoods of my super telephoto lenses.

Best,

Robert
I got the more expensive version from the Dollar Store :D

Best,
Research is like a treasure hunt, you don't know where to look or what you'll find!
~Mike

rolsen
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Post by rolsen »

mawyatt wrote:I got the more expensive version from the Dollar Store :D

Best,
And I had to pay 1€...
- Rane

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