Sextant filter modification - dangerous or safe?

[tefkiac]

Hey guys and gals,

As some of you may have seen, I now have the sextant described in this thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...on-113327.html, a modified CHO-M.
However, it seems that the index filted is severely inadequate to handle the sun, being only as dark as some sunglasses. I found out that CHO-M fiters are out of stock from where I planned to buy them, so my best bet is to now modify the filters myself.

Now, as a solution I thought of, some sextants I saw have double polarizing shades to control the amount of sunlight and glare. However, to my knowledge, viewing the sun through crossed polarizers, during an eclipse for example, is a sure way to damage your eyes and always advised against. Was/is this configuration safe in a sextant? I plan to attach two 46mm camera polarizers on the shade (which luckily has an outer diameter of 46mm) and rotate them to adjustg light intensity. Am I missing some critical element in the filter assembly?

The other solution will be to attach a 46mm camera filter on the shade and screw on it interchangeable 46mm filters of varying density, one of which will be weither a Baader solar filter or a circular shade 14 welders glass.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Tefkros

[BigBoater917]

Call these guys, they have been around for a long time. Robert E. White Instruments for Sextants and Celestial Navigation Instruments, Barographs, Barometers, Brass Bells, Clocks, Compasses, Weather Instruments in Medfield and Eastern Mass, MA.

There is no sense in risking your vision over a few dollars.

[tefkiac]

Originally Posted by BigBoater917

Call these guys, they have been around for a long time. Robert E. White Instruments for Sextants and Celestial Navigation Instruments, Barographs, Barometers, Brass Bells, Clocks, Compasses, Weather Instruments in Medfield and Eastern Mass, MA.

There is no sense in risking your vision over a few dollars.

Thanks!
I'll do it ASAP!