DRT

Those numbers look rubbish, mate. I think you should roll back to how you felt 24 hours ago and decide to sell the whole thing to me for a couple of hundred quid Can't believe you haven't opened it yet - I would have been ripping the tape off that box before I got to the front door! Very pleased you finally have it in your hands and look forward to seeing the end result.

In fairness to OO UK who have taken their share of criticism in this thread (including form me) when I went to pick up my VX12 in July I was extremely impressed with the care that had been taken to package it safely. I have never seen larger boxes or more bubble wrap used on any other item I have purchased from any supplier. Barry also helped me carry it out and carefully load it into the car. It is sometimes hard to get a sense that they care about their customers, but they really do seem to care about their optics

Great news, Mike I think they do need to receive feedback on how this transaction has felt from your point of view but today is perhaps not the day to give them it. Perhaps take a few days to reflect and allow the excitement of receiving the mirror to fade slightly and then write a factual, objective and balanced review to post in the SGL retailer review area. You can then send them a link to and a copy of that review along with an offer to discuss it with them if they are genuinely interested in improving their customers' experience. Given the number of similar experiences I have read about here and on their Facebook page I strongly suspect they have little interest in hearing this stuff but I don't think that should stop us telling them.

Very impressive - but we are in danger of making a grown man cry so perhaps we should go back to being sympathetic

Just a random picture that I picked up from Google. I suppose large telescope mirror making is a very small world

Glad to hear a few hours sleep has done the trick, Mike. I'm sure it must be infuriating but you have come this far and it will all be worth it in the end

That's not a bad idea. It is easy to fob someone off on the phone but much more difficult when they are looking you in the eye clutching a wad of twenty pound notes! It might also help to tell Barry face to face that a large group of his potential future customers are watching or participating in this thread and he is doing himself no favours by treating you so badly.

Don't give up mate. You've put your heart and soul into that Dob and it will last you a lifetime. Did he say what stage it is at?

Is this the one you are waiting on Mr Faulks? Call back tomorrow to find out if it's finished

Absolutely appalling - I am fairly certain they don't sell 20" mirrors every day so you would think they would have some sort of handle on what is due to go out, especially as you have spoken to them so many times. I wonder what the buying experience is like going through a dealer such as Rother Valley Optics? The price is the same and the hassle of dealing with the Chuckle Brothers in Newcastle Under Lyme is left in the retailer's hands. I wonder if they get better service than direct customers do?

When I went to pick mine up the first guy I spoke to didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I had to wait for Barry to turn up before they could deal with me. Hope it gets sorted today.

John, if this thread was titled "Show me your patio table" you and I would post exactly the same picture

Those rings certainly give it a nice retro cannon effect, Shane Hopefully you got the opportunity to look through it as well as take the photo?

Thanks - I might give that a go now that I'm finished with buying eyepieces

Very nice! Where did you buy the ethafoam and how did you cut it?

Or Wednesday, or perhaps Friday

Only one more sleep to go, Mike

Feel free to wander over to mine at SGLXII, Nick

I think after waiting this long you might be entitled to Paternity Leave Looking forward to seeing the finished product at SGLXII

This Baader finder shoe is designed to fit SCT's and is a standard Synta fitting on top.

If you are not in a rush you are welcome to give mine a go on your scope at SGL-XII, Kerry.

{unlike} That's a pity, John. Hopefully you will get another opportunity to try some mounts soon.

Are you coming to SGLXII, John? If so you are welcome to try it on my AZ-EQ6 and Ercole

I have a Altair 80mm Maxi-Finder on my VX12 and it is fantastic. These are not cheap new but I managed to pick mine up second hand in mint condition. I use it alongside a Rigel finder and the combination works really well. The 80mm finder has very good optics so is just like looking through a small wide-field scope

I have had the SW Startravel 150 F5, two SW 150 F8s, a Bresser AR 152 F7.9 and this Altair 152 F5.9 and I think this one is the best of them all. Not only does it seem to have better glass at the pointy end it also has a focuser that blows the others out of the water and the sliding metal dew shield is a nice touch which can also be used to make small adjustments to the balance of the scope.