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Rifle Scopes ARD DIY

B

beemerman

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 20, 2009
35
0
Central, California
I tried an inexpensive commercial ARD in the past and had some really bad luck. The one I tried crapped out the view in the scope so bad it was unusable. Since then, I found a website that sells a similar honeycomb material. I also thought most (not all) ARDs were a tad expensive for what they are so I figured what the heck. I ordered a 6 inch square piece of 1/2" thick polycarbonate with 1/8" diameter cells for the princely sun of $7.04 shipped. Not bad. I should probably add here that the site actually sells this for photography purposes. Anyway, when it arrived, I was surprised that it seems really nice for $0.15 per square inch. I took a box cutter and trimmed a small piece to fit in my flip cap, took maybe 5 minutes. Here's what I got.

208bq4i.jpg


2qwg4s0.jpg


Before
2u4nhh5.jpg


After
2iivqlh.jpg


BTW, the website I got it from is;
http://www.honeycombgrids.com/diy-grid-material

I have no commercial association with the site.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Thank you for posting this, looks great. This is also a way for people that have odd shape/sized objectives to have ARD's. Good deal, I'm going to have to get me some of this.
 
Re: ARD DIY

From what I understand the real benifits come from lower light levels, ie.. dawn,dusk.

To me the trees in the second pic. look more washed out.

Pictures on the internet are very subjective I understand.
 
Re: ARD DIY

As far as I can tell, the difference is the thickness of the material. 30º is 1/2 inch thick and 45º is 5/16th inch thick. I'm not sure which would be better in each situation but it would be interesting to test.
smile.gif
 
Re: ARD DIY

i e-mailed them...will post reply.

looking more on the site after e-mailing...it seems the smaller the number, the thicker the material...for everything EXCEPT the 30* vs. 45*...that's kinda weird
 
Re: ARD DIY

Interesting.
How hard is the material to cut?
I was thinking maybe using an extra sunshade as a "cookie cutter"
 
Re: ARD DIY

I just ordered 80 square inches.... shipped to the door $17.00

I am going to cut away for all of my scopes.

Thanks for the GREAT find.

Matt.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Nice!

I know the USO ARD cores are almost like 2 inches thick.

I may order up some of this stuff.

Good job!
 
Re: ARD DIY

badass. This is relevant to my interests. I prefer this style ARD to the really tight cell designs. This would be perfect for something like a Nightforce.

I've noticed that my USO style ARD's are better than a sunshade for reducing glare on hazy days and when the sun is low.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fdkay</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Interesting.
How hard is the material to cut?
I was thinking maybe using an extra sunshade as a "cookie cutter" </div></div>

Not hard to cut at all. I kind of pushed the flip cap into the material to make a circle and cut around that. Then I extended the box cutter blade and just sawed through it. I cut it a tiny bit larger than the flip cap so it would have a good fit. Once cut the cells have a little give to them so it kind of mushed in there.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Cool project, but the 2nd photo looks washed out and blurry. The frst one has better resolution and color deepness.
 
Re: ARD DIY

As a comparison, here's pictures of the other ARD I mentioned. I wont say the brand name.

Before
2rf8r40.jpg


After
34y5jdi.jpg


Wow...You would think I left it in the plastic or something.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beemerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As a comparison, here's pictures of the other ARD I mentioned. I wont say the brand name.

Before
http://i27.tinypic.com/2rf8r40.jpg

After
http://i27.tinypic.com/34y5jdi.jpg

Wow...You would think I left it in the plastic or something. </div></div>

LOL...not quite what you expected, eh?

What happened? If shipping was not about $30 to my location, I'd try it myself...but not with such results.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Nothing wrong with this at all. Good idea. Looks like it will work well for the price.

I would not compare it to a USO, for two reasons:

1-The cell walls are thicker on the DIY, compared to the cell diameter....the overall light loss will be greater on this than with a USO.

2-The effectivness of an ARD is defined by the ratio of the cells diameter to the cells length. A quick look at this material makes me think the ratio on this stuff will not match that of the USO....meaning the USO would protect to a greater angle.

I have used another ARD....the Tennebraex one....and it yielded a huge light loss. I cannot detect the loss in the USO, though I am sure there is some small amount. It is inevitable.
 
Re: ARD DIY

I use the Aramid Fiber (Nomex®/Kevlar®) Honeycomb Core that is used in aircraft composite panels.
cores-aramid-fiber.jpg

I paint it flat black and then fit it into the sunshade.

Since it doesn't have the thick walls like the thermoplastic honeycomb you listed above, it doesn't block nearly as much light.
cores-polycarbonate.jpg

(Notice how thick the material is.)

I run the Tenabraex ARD's on my Trijicon, Mark 4 Spotter, and Mark 4 ER/T.
As long as you get the higher end version, they work very well IMO.
But then again, ARD's are about as controversial as optics selection.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SurgeonPredator</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beemerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As a comparison, here's pictures of the other ARD I mentioned. I wont say the brand name.

Before
http://i27.tinypic.com/2rf8r40.jpg

After
http://i27.tinypic.com/34y5jdi.jpg

Wow...You would think I left it in the plastic or something. </div></div>

LOL...not quite what you expected, eh?

What happened? If shipping was not about $30 to my location, I'd try it myself...but not with such results. </div></div>

That picture was with a name brand ARD, and not the DIY one. The DIY pictures can be found on page 1.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr. Phil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Let me know if you want some RAF.
I don't know where to purchase it from, but we have plenty of scrap pieces here at work that are big enough to fit into an objective. </div></div>

Thanks, Phil.
I just might take you up on that for a Nikon Monarch I have.
I am sticking with the one that I got from USO for my SN-3. It works damn well.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr. Phil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use the Aramid Fiber (Nomex®/Kevlar®) Honeycomb Core that is used in aircraft composite panels.
cores-aramid-fiber.jpg

I paint it flat black and then fit it into the sunshade.
</div></div>

I saw that material in my search but couldn't find anyplace to get some in the small quantities I would need to test it. It does look really nice though. Did you need anything special to cut it?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
But then again, ARD's are about as controversial as optics selection. </div></div>

No argument there.
smile.gif
 
Re: ARD DIY

Got mine in yesterday... JUST got done installing it in my flipup cap for a Leupy LRT Mark 4.

The visibility is PERFECT!!!!.. This by far was one of the BEST ideas out.

Thanks guys,
Matt.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Really good thread. I just ordered both sizes and the kit with 5 other sizes to mess with.
 
Re: ARD DIY

I just put mine in. I got the same size/spec as the OP. It is pretty easy and looks killer. HOWEVER, the clarity after the ARD is nowhere near what it was before. There is a complete and noticeable difference between the two.

That being said, the scope is still useable, and looks plenty clear for target shooting and hunting, but the makeshift ARD def degrades image quality.
 
Re: ARD DIY

Cutting the material perfectly parallel to the tubes is critical.
If this cut is not perfect, the tubes will not be in column with the sight, and will degrade the image a great deal.
 
Re: ARD DIY

I bought the larger number that they had on the site....

I was VERY carefull in how I cut it... and lightly trimmed the edges till it would JUST fit with a little push inside my flipup...

I can NOT tell a clarity difference at all...

Matt.
 
Re: ARD DIY

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mm128</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought the larger number that they had on the site....

I was VERY carefull in how I cut it... and lightly trimmed the edges till it would JUST fit with a little push inside my flipup...

I can NOT tell a clarity difference at all...

Matt. </div></div>

Any Pics?
 
Re: ARD DIY

I made 4 for a SS 10x, NF NXS 3.5-15x56, a Leupy Mk4 6.5-20x50, and an Aimpoint ML3 with this stuff. The only one I can tell a difference in is the Aimpoint.
laugh.gif


-X
 
Re: ARD DIY

well...i got my sheet in today....it was extremely fast shipping...like, TOO fast... so i look at the address and the place is no more than 10 min from my house! So i'll take some pics of mine and the steps to making it right now and post here in 30 min ro so back
 
Re: ARD DIY

ok, i just made one....and, well, i do NOT like it. it does blur the picture a bit...but the edges of the trees/leaves/limbs were extremely less clear, i already trashed it. i might just take my scope cover to them, since they have setups to cut exactly right and see how that goes....but cutting with a razor knife just didn't do the job for me. the cells became "squished" a bit and i assume that's what ruined the clarity.
 
Re: ARD DIY

So let me ask the question ... Why the thicker honeycomb and not the thinner stuff(.5" vs .3")?
 
Re: ARD DIY

I got some of the 1/2" thick honeycomb from ISC Products. I installed them in 3 different scopes. I couldn't see any change in clarity and no discernible loss of brightness. This company is great to do business with. The cost was so low, I figured I didn't have much to lose. I am very glad I made up ard's that work this well for minimal cost.

david
 
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