Dragon_Astro

Ha that's a cool railway Does your wife use it to drop off drinks/snacks while you're out with the scope? Lol

A 1.25" Baader LRGB filter set.....for £150 ?

You could always get the mono Hypercam 183? and use some rgb filters + filter wheel with it? Its 4 times as sensitive and you'll be able to use narrowband filters with it also. PLUS they've recently knocked £100 off the price......annoyingly after I've bought it, but I'm not bitter honest lol ?

Update: I've reached a stage with this now where last night I could put together the main Dob assembly and test the focus etc as it was a clear forecast. Did a quick rough collimation with a laser, and went ahead with first light....with fingers crossed. Took a bit of tinkering with focus as I'd only set up a temporary "push/pull" focuser with tubes, but stars soon snapped into focus with my SW eyepieces (not the best, need to upgrade them). As its a truss design and I'm yet to even paint it black, let alone sort out a shroud, there was obvious lack in contrast but that's easily remedied with better eyepieces and said shroud. The assembly wasn't on the rocker box, so was mostly pointing to zenith, but I was able to roughly tip the dob to point at different parts of the sky.......Cygnus area was particularly mesmerising, the amount of stars visible was at times nauseating lol Assembly was relatively easy to pick up, I'm not the biggest of build (10st when wet) but I was able to move it. Left to do..... Azimuth bearings, paint it all black, source a RDF (looking at the Baader Skysurfer), blackout shroud.

The aluminium tube and angle was actually delivered yesterday, which will need minimal cutting as I had it custom cut to the lengths I wanted it. Ordered the tube a bit longer than I need, so will just be a case of trimming a small bit off if I need to Holes have been drilled in 3 of the tubes, another 5 to go over the weekend.

Sorry for lack of updates (and pics). Not exactly a master craftsman or anything, so don't want to show myself up lol Currently waiting on delivery of the truss tubing and angle for various brackets/fittings. The funds pot has also run a bit dry, so will have to build it up a bit before I can get more ply, knurled hand knobs, D nuts etc.

10swg? Hmm maybe I need to look at thicker gauge tube...I'd originally thought 16swg

Progress is ticking along here, all be it slowly. Lower rocker box is nearly finished, just lazy Susan type bearings to sort. Next step will be to order in the aluminium truss tubes, going for an 8 truss.....1" dia tube should be ok?

Same here, plus some of the Hickson galaxy groups and Arps. Ive also started a 12" dob build...."making scopes while the clouds gather" Thats a saying right? Lol

Is a shame Galaxy season has been a bit of a right off so far Sunday night was clear for me, first time in a month, and Leo is already speeding along to the West and Cygnus is making an appearance come 1am.

Can't say I've felt like I've wasted my money, but definitely had the cloudy blues. We all have though, and it's just something you have to accept with this hobby, the weather is so unpredictable. Youll get spoilt with a few good clear nights in a row, and then you can go a month or so of pure cloud.

Making a start on the project has been a bit slow, as I'm working full time hours at the moment. Ive been cutting the ply wood for the mirror box when I've had chance, the odd spare hour or so before work. Its not looking too pretty at the moment

The mirrors arrived this morning by UPS, very well packed up as you can imagine. I don't think I'll need to buy anymore bubble wrap for the rest of this year lol. Until you have them in front of you, you don't really appreciate how big (and heavy) this big mirrors actually are. Now I've got the mirrors I can start planning/making, literally from the bottom up with the box to hold the cell first.

I think it will be quite similar to the truss dob in your photo, but maybe not so open at the bottom? I would like the altitude bearings "box" become part of the storage box when it's broken down....if that makes sense.

To be honest I'm not much of a carpenter either, haven't done any woodwork since school (I'm 36 now). my meccano skills are better, so will be more metal than anything lol

James @ AstroBoot (very nice chap) gave me a quick call this morning, all being well I should have the mirrors sometime this coming week

Haha yeh I'm a man 50% chance of getting that wrong lol yeah was a big decision, but if I didn't do this project now I never will.

Thanks Peter The first hurdle will be explaining to the wife when the mirrors arrive....now that will need luck lol

In the past I've looked into building my own Dobsonian, but the cost of the mirrors alone made me think it was cheaper just to buy one. The other day though I noticed on AstroBoot a complete set of mirrors from a 12" Dob, a SW 300P I believe. Brand new mirrors, complete with cell and spider etc, so after some umming and aah-ing I bought them. The plan is to make a truss Dob, which can be broken down to reduce storage space needed. Ultra light "skeleton/frame" look, probably aluminium? Ill update this thread wth pics etc as often as possible.......here goes folks!