My 3D printed solar filter is complete. Designed in Fusion 360 and printed in PLA on a Flashforge Adventurer 4

I decided to make it in two parts, so the Baader film is clamped between the inner L ring and the outer frame that slides over the dew shield on the scope. Rather than just relying on the clamping effect of the two halves to hold the baader film, I also applied a thin bead of rubberised adhesive between the inner L ring and the film.

The film is said to be susceptible to pin holing over time, but should this ever happen, the film can be peeled off the L ring and a new piece glued on.

The outer frame is a tight sliding fit on the dew shield and has enough depth so it’s never going to fall off even if the scope is turned upside down and shaken.

Observationally, the improvement in clarity over the coated glass filter is quite a dramatic one. Everything just looks a lot crisper and seems more contrasty.

Overall, I’m happy with the result and by printing this myself, have saved about £80 over something bought commercially.