bluemaxroe
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Everything posted by bluemaxroe
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Lovely proper job. Well done. Are the bottom 2 t&g the final colour?
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Hi all I could do with a little advice. I am trying to get focus with my c80ed and 2x Barlow. I have achieved focus easily with a small extension tube and no Barlow, but when I try my 2" ed Barlow focuspoint seems to be miles back from the full extent of the focuser. Any ideas why this is. Just don't see why it's so far back!! Scope - Celestron ed80 Aftermarket Crawford focuser 2" ed Barlow as pictured Also tried with additional 50mm extension tube. Camera is canon 1000 with standard t-ring adapter. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks Andy
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Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Thanks. Yes Nice to have some clear skies too. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
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Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
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Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Ok so first proper light from what in our family has become known as the Beehive Observatory. couple of snaps with no darks, bias or flats...so some horrible gradient etc ... but hey last night was fun. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Ahhh yes. Sorry, when I got up the next morning after concreting the movement had gone. I was being "mildly" impatient... what I am noticing is now any little knock does reveberate quite a bit, but I think that is because the pier is nearly 1500 from ground to mount plate. Nowt I can do about that. However I used the observatory in true anger last night and it works wonderfully. Took some experimental pictures all over the sky. Sombrero galaxy, heart nebula, Praesepe and finally M101. Tracking was good, and didn't use guiding until got to M101. 5x20min exposures. Will see what that looks like when stacked later today. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
It's plastic with a coat of black paint. Not sure what you mean by 3mm? -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Next update, roof now fully insulated. There are a few panels I could fit a bit better. But just managed to squeeze this work in before the good lady got over run by the kids. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Ok so got loads more time on diy and the observatory today and yesterday. Here are some update photos. Mount nearly wired up....cabling needs sorting. Going to polar align tonight. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
It on the scope now, and I found as many cables as possible tonight. Thinking of wiring up tomorrow. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
So have managed, between work, to get the mount on and the scope too. It fits much more comfortably below the roof now. I am now trying to remember how to put all my kit back together. And choose a guiding setup. I am thinking the qhy and it's companion mini scope. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Thanks. And a little company at night...even if they are asleep! -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Hi all Very quick update. Hammerite time. A couple of coats applied. Ready to go back on the pier tomorrow. 😀 -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Needed to drop the scope height by approx 2" Que mod on extension tube. Will need to hammerite it. But should be effective. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Small piece of progress again today High winds tested my new roof flat..and it ripped slightly. A quick repair to properly secure it ( which was going to be done anyway but was forced to the forefront of my list to evade complete destruction ) Then this afternoon continued and finished the cladding on the sliding roof far end. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Roof very nearly finished tonight. Back section on and middle section of felt stuck with black jack. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
More work has occurred due to evenings being lighter and me working remotely from home.. Wife said can we get chickens? (This was Friday evening... I saw no reason why not so said yes. So the leg end of the obsy has now become a chicken run and coup. Works ok, and got it all made in a weekend thanks to strangely mild British weather. Also because of this I was able to do a test of the colour I want the obsy...the golden colour on the near side. Rest still needs finishing. Then tonight I started felting the roof. Next installment and hopefully completion tomorrow evening. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
So...with everything going on. The virus that I shall not name for fear...of being boring. I did manage to get the door on the observatory. Now just need a latch and probably a bolted on bar with padlock. There is still so much to do, plus I have made a mistake with the height on the pier. I will need to shorten the pier extension tube by 2" to give a decent clearance between the scope / guide scope and the roof for closing. Currently I have just under 5mm, and that would be setting a custom home position where the scope is almost horizontal. Still fairly easy to do. Angle grinder and goggles and some hammerite should suffice. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
So got i little more time on this this weekend despite the storms. Not a lot of work done but something that has been needed to be done to make working inside easier - Skinned the floor with waste 18mm ply. It isn't outdoor grade ply, so will need 2-3 coats of preservative, but the plan is to have a rubber mat floor over this anyway. Also squeezed some more insulation in, so in total there is 25mm in the walls, 75mm in the floor (with a 20mm air gap) and there will be 50mm in the ceiling. You can see the spare insulation in the images. (all still from the Facebook marketplace purchase) Had some help from the kids too! -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Concreting the pier today. Yey! It's about time. Chucked a load of concrete crap in too to reduce the bought stuff needed. Will take some picks tomorrow. Of after..as had a few issues with the pier tube moving about 3mm at the top for some reason. Hoping when set it stays put. Otherwise it's a real ball ache to make some kind of concrete collar, or steel flanges at the base to keep it solid. And that is if it's not my soil type. But i don't think it's that. The weight of concrete should not be that easy to move. 700x700x600deep. 6inch dia pier tube. Photos taken half way through filling. As always thoughts welcome. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
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Personal choice would be 4 bolts/ rods and M12. On my last pier which was for an EQ6 I used M14 rods but everything became more expensive because at this size it is outside of “normal” high street stockist size ranges. M12 should be plenty strong enough...but then I have no experience with a Mesu200. my 2peneth.
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Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
If anyone is wondering I have not yet concrete the pier yet. Gasp....I hear... Well I didn't really want to do this first for a couple of reasons. I knew building the building structure was going to mean getting some heavy bits of wood around. And originally thought I would construct the floor and put it place afterwards in one piece. As so, I didn't want to risk knocking the pier tube even if it was full of concrete. So I looked for another solution. Also as the structure was going to need to be as square as possible. Having the pier in the way would have hampered measurements. An additional plus of having the structure already done means I can secure the pier to the floor framework temporarily to keep it vertical/true and I can also check the pier eventual height against my plans and final actual roof height so the telescope fits under the roof in home position...but also has the best view over the obsy sides. Only down side is filling the pier hole more carefully through the floor joists bucket by bucket. A small price, and one I am happy to pay. -
Low cost, sustainably sourced observatory
bluemaxroe replied to bluemaxroe's topic in DIY Observatories
Thanks Peter...I would give this an "eyeroll emoji" but I have no idea how. I think of it more like a beehive.