Light Pipe Backlight for 5x Eyepiece Holder
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I will investigate where I bought these eyepiece holders, but I use one on my Orion XX12g Dobsonian telescope base.
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Model information
- Source
- Printables
- Category
- Organizers
- License
- Creative Commons — Attribution
Description
This isn’t an eyepiece holder—it’s a backlight panel. Years ago, I replaced my stock 4‑position eyepiece holder (4× 1.25" + 1× 2") with a pair of 5‑position holders (3× 2" and 2× 1.25"). I’ll track down the model and manufacturer later, as I’ve forgotten them.
The problem: The holder is black, the Dobsonian furniture is black, the scope is black, and I use a black shroud. At night, absolutely no ambient light reaches the eyepiece holes. I can’t see them at all.
My long‑standing idea was to add a transparent red plexiglass backlight with LED edge‑lighting so the eyepiece holes would appear as glowing red rings—easy to find without ruining night vision. Cutting red acrylic with a 10W diode laser isn’t feasible, so you’d need a CO₂ laser or a CNC mill for that version.
Instead, here’s a 3D‑printed PETG version you can make at home.
Features
Three notches for 5 mm red LEDs to provide edge‑lighting.
Works well with transparent red PETG (printed dry, at slower speeds to avoid bubbles).
Optional: I can publish a 555‑based dimmer circuit for the LEDs if anyone wants it.
I’ll report back after the next star party in a Bortle 1 sky this October.
If you need a version for a different eyepiece holder, send me your measurements and I’ll generate a matching .3mf file.
Thanks!