Skipper Billy

@Tom OD The config files for CdC, SGP and Sitech/Mesu are here - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qrt987hb52bpeyk/AAAyNqZOHAqzs8_ImVDi4K5Fa?dl=0 Good luck ! David

I am going to wait until later when its dark and cold then move it to the log store - its a similar environment and not far away. We will see what happens !

OK - sounds like not killing them isn't an option. Thanks all. Its a beautiful thing to look at !

I have just been doing a spot of rewiring in my observatory and heard a wasp buzzing about - nothing unusual in that. Except it kept flying the same route in and out - then I saw its nest under construction in a quiet corner ! Its only quite small - about the size of a golf ball at the moment. Anyone know how to remove it preferably without harming the wasps??

@Tom OD I am using a very similar setup to you - Mesu 200 - SGP and CdC. If it helps I can email you the backup/config files from my setup for each of the three above - there are two separate backup files for the Sitech/Mesu so four files in total. Its a known working configuration. Then providing it works it eliminates any hardware issues and you can alter the settings to suit your needs. Just PM me your email address if you want the files.

Looks like I got the last of the 'old' model ! Maybe I should have asked Lucas to sign it! Pioneers move on but the 'old' model will take some beating - switch on - slew - guide to <0.5 every time...........

I dont blame you - in 'the trade' Polytrol is know as 'For Sale' juice ! ?

This is the time of year when we restore our yachts to their former glory - so we are well used to getting fibreglass back to A1. The coloured fibreglass is a pain - green as above - blue is even worse and red is the worst of the lot. The problem is oxidization. Products like Owatrol Polytrol give an easy and almost instant result and should last about a season. For a longer lasting solution and really the only solution for white fibreglass is to remove the oxidization. We use various cutting compounds used wet with an electric rotating sponge head but for small areas like and obsy you can do it by hand with a wet sponge. The best product is this stuff - https://www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/company-uk/3m-products/~/3M-Perfect-It-Fast-Cut-Plus-Compound/?N=5002385+8709313+8709338+8710722+8711017+8711413+8724076+8743656+3293211323&rt=rud The order of events is wash (with strong detergent)- cut ( 3M Fast Cut) - polish (Good quality car polish) - wax (anything with Carnuba wax in it). The International range of products is also very good and available is smaller bottles. Wash Cut Polish Wax Its not as laborious as it sounds and even immersed in salt water and battered by the weather the above should give about 3 seasons before needing doing again. Happy to help anyone who needs help with GRP.

It was a big help having a pal that works at Faslane nuclear submarine base!!! He is a submarine tubing welder and the standard of welding has to be seen to be believed !! It is beautiful!!! I declined the offer of the x-ray certificate ?

You are very welcome - feel free to do anything you want with it!

I used a piece of high pressure thick walled steam pipe off a decommissioned submarine - simple flange welded onto each end. Cost was zero. £20 bung to the welder. Fastened down to the concrete block with M14 studs epoxied into holes drilled in the concrete. Top end M14 bolts welded to the steel plate that pass through the top flange giving some adjustment. If we move house it can be removed and the studs cut flush with the concrete. Photos here - https://sites.google.com/view/astro-imaging/micro-observatory

Hello Gina I did a presentation to a Scottish Photographic Society a couple of weeks ago - Powerpoint based. Its attached - feel free to bin it, rip it shreds, do anything you want with it. I dont get prissy about copyright of my images etc - feel free to use any images you might want etc etc. All the astroimages are mine and the none astro ones are all copyright free. Astro Imaging presentation.pptx

Fantastic - you should be very proud of your son and he should be very proud of his image. Please tell him I think he has done really, really well.

I also used SuperLube - for my HEQ5 and EQ6 - worked perfectly - I also use it for rebuilding windlass gearboxes on boats - they do a similar job - slow moving parts under high load in extreme conditions. I am not advertising but we sell it in our Chandlery if you want a tube - £12.50 posted.

I have one of those - very good value for money and about the same price as generic big padded bags on auction sites etc

I am just across the way from Skye !

Good quality grease - I used 'Superlube' and it worked brilliantly even at very low temperatures.

Oooohh - good call - better check mine !!!

Hi Neil, What ID are the spacers you need - I have loads of Delrin spacers from 0.5mm, 0.75mm and 1mm - PM me your address if you would like them. (FOC).

Is this any help ?

There is enough meat on the mini dovetail to drill and tap for a 1/4 - 20 UNC thread to mount it directly onto a camera tripod. If you dont have the facility to do that but would like it doing just PM me for my address and I will happily do it for you - no charge !

Back end of last summer I bought an Explore Scientific 208mm f3.8 carbon astrograph from Telescope House. This one https://www.telescopehouse.com/telescopes/telescopes-by-brand/brand-explore-scientific/explore-scientific-newtonians/explore-scientific-208mm-f-3-9-photo-newtonian-carbon-hex.html Since the start of the season we have only had 3 clear nights and after each session I noticed dark marks on the primary mirror - bad enough to have to remove the primary (and then recollimate!) I initially put it down to bits of flocking material that I had missed when I flocked it asthe Rocket blower blew them away very easily. I also found it very hard to collimate accurately which is essential for a fast scope like this. I investigated further and found that the dark particles were actually black paint flakes from the spiders which were rusting! The collimation problems were being caused by the secondary mirror being attached at a few degrees from where it should be. I contacted Kerin at Telescope House and within minutes I had a returns number and prepaid label. The scope was dispatched to them just before Christmas. I got an email today explaining that they had stripped the scope down and apologising for the problems with the secondary/spider and explaining that the entire secondary assembly will be replaced FOC The scope will be reassembled, collimated and shipped back free of charge and with continuing warranty. OK - the problem shouldn't have arisen but it was dealt with fairly, professionally and without fuss or argument. 10/10 to Telescope House.

Do 1/4 scale models count? https://sites.google.com/view/astro-imaging/other-hobbies/radio-control-model-aircraft

At least you now know what the problem is - fixing it should be easy !! If you watch this series of excellent videos - all 9 parts ! (but they are quite short) you will have everything just perfect ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd-fl9SEYHw Have fun!

Thanks Sara - will have a look at it.