RolandKol

Hi again,

thanks for the advice on the software, I have decided to stay with AutoCad and TinkerCad (for the fast/simple sketches). 

Blender was really interesting, maybe once I will come back to it.

As per Filaments: I will start testing PLA and probably PLA plus.

In ideal, I would like to print something strong as Polycarbonate, but I am sure my "Anycubic i3 Mega S" is not able to print it as it needs around 300C degrees in Nozzle and etc.

Mine is able to reach around 270C, and the hotbed around 110C, - whats the strongest material I will be able to use with these temps? (For small 5-10cm dovetail and/or 1kg camera holder).

Am I capped with ABS?

21 minutes ago, jjosefsen said:

Ok cool, so I guess I don't have to take off much.

Maybe 10mm..

 

Thanks

You can always chop off again... 1cm was not enough for me

Hi all,

I am waiting for my first printer "Anycubic i3 Mega 3D Printer", should be delivered today!!! 

I hope I will manage to hold myself till tomorrow as the 31st of December is not the best day for experiments!

P.S. I still have not managed to choose the software for design... TinkerCAD webapp looks very basic... AutoCad - too expensive, however, I do have it in the office, just in case.... a bit lost in this area.

any new starter advises are very very welcome!

(like web libs, soft, settings and "no no things" especially!)

1 hour ago, jjosefsen said:

This is taken through the 2" concenter eyepiece, looks pretty good I think. If I understand it is normal for the "shadow" to be slightly elongated on a f5 scope..?

I don't know how you guys take such good pictures through those collimation tools.. but naked eye, all three mirror clips are about equally visible as well.

1

Simply, try using a smartphone! just like you did with concenter 

3 hours ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

Hi,

That's looking really good. ?

Secondary collimation is a pain with the PDS, I used flats to get the rotation right in the end, and it worked quite well.

John

Hmm, can you please explain this part in detail? As I spent lots of time placing the secondary using Chesire and col.cap and I dont think I managed to place it perfectly

4 minutes ago, jjosefsen said:

?

Yeah I would hate to cut off too much!

I needed to remove the secondary and focuser for flocking. But I bought a 2" concenter for secondary alignment so should be doable.

That flocking really makes the tube dark!!

 

Not sure which cam and CC you will use, but for me 1cm was not enough, -  for Skywatcher 0.9 CC and ASi1600MMM

2 minutes ago, alacant said:

Too late!

I noticed that part!  

but he wants to test before "circumcision"

1 minute ago, jjosefsen said:

It's in the last line of my post, I wanted to see how far it protrudes into the tube first.. but obviously it would be nice to do it right now so I don't have to align secondary twice!

You wont need to touch the secondary for it, you even will not need to remove the focuser as you can loosen the bolts holding focuser's knobs and remove the drawtube only.

Drop me PM once you will on to it, will explain or even show it in detail.

11 hours ago, jjosefsen said:

?

Haha good one. ?

Disassembly - Done

Flocking - Done

Install rca plug in tube for possible future heater - Todo

Paint secondary - Todo

Change collimation screws on secondary - Todo

Reassembly - Todo

Collimation - Todo

 

And then a real test to see how it works, how much I need to chop off the focuser tube, if any.

?

you have missed one part...

x) Shorten the Focuser's drawtube (1cm minimum)
 

And good luck and patience while placing the secondary back in the position!!!

the rest is piece of cake!

5 hours ago, Susaron said:

One additional comment guys.

I asked for a quotation to TS to mood the metal tube to CF, and they answer me a couple of things. First that in order to achive similar strength the thickness should be around 7mm and therefore the rings won´t be the same, and second the cost, as according to them is not a standard tube, the cost of the equivalent CF tube would be around 700 Eur. 

Don´t you think is this madness?

Cheers.

SW 8" Quatro CF was almost the same price!!! Insane! 

18 minutes ago, serbiadarksky said:

Well, I respect your words, but I have been told several times that EQ5 and 130PDS can work perfectly for imaging.

It does not work perfectly on my NEQ6
I guess, it more depends on the skills/experience, Light Pollution,  Weather permission to experiment and if you have a minimalistic equipment, like small guiding scope, small cameras and etc, matching mount loading limits and the Light Pollution in your area...
And with a better mount, you will have better chances to set everything up faster.

Yep.. Samyang is twice expensive, but it is also better in all parameters you choose to check.
Plus, universal and easy to sell if needed...

But it is really strange... I cannot find any secondhand ones during last 5 or 6 months....

P.S.
I bought Evo as a guider and planned to try using it with my Canon... I thought it will serve me as "2 in 1" 
But later, I saw some pic examples ... and my experiment was written off... unfortunately   
 

7 minutes ago, cuivenion said:

To be fair I think it has to be 1.25" to work with the focuser, but yes it is expensive.

Yep.. 50ED accepts only 1.25, however, prices usually go up by quality and by diameter also...
in this particular case, it is the smallest peace of glass for the price of the diamond  

In this case, I will keep my money for Samyang 135  larger FOV and aperture, faster and already tested 

That flattener is only 1.25".... and the price!!! Almost the same as the Scope... 
Daylight Robbery...

One day, I will try sticking In my  SW Coma corrector into it... Just for experiment....

Here is my second try on the Flaming Star Nebula.

SHO, - only 12x300s each, Baader NB (7<>8.5nm) + ASI1600MM-Pro.
Planing to add a bit more Ha and SII, not sure about OIII as images showed almost no dust...

Should I try adding OIII anyway?

I am Not very sure about differences in focus within 5C and even 10C....

I used SGP for a while (been testing it), and always used Image History, which gave image quality statistics like FHM and etc.

I tried to collect data for my future DIY autofocuser, so I will be able to automate the re-focus routine in relation to temp change...

And I have not noticed any radical change in the image quality during all nights.... and temp drop was around 10c.

The main problem I have, - focus shift while locking it... I Hate it sooo much as it makes focusing a guesswork... (offsetting focus, locking, Fail, un-lock (focus runs away somewhere unpredictably), re-focus with offset again, locking, focus shifts to opposite side than expected.... .... ... It takes ages...).

If someone has focus shift due to the temp, it will happen with CF body also. Less, but I am sure it will, - and that focusing headache will remain...

My inner "Scrooge McDuck" simply does not allow me to go and buy a better focuser which will cost more than OTA itself! Insane!...

So started DIY autofocuser project... (burned few parts, waiting for new... hope to get them soon).

In this case, I totally agree with Neil.
I will make the collimation smoother (ordered bolts like BobKnobs for the secondary from China, coming in a week or so) not sure if I need springs, I simply tighten the primary bolts quite strongly and my setup is permanent most of the time.

Will deal with focuser's shift/locking problem using DIY autofocuser with a strong stepper motor, -  which is around 4 times cheaper than a Moonlite!

As I have lots of trees around in the garden....  unfortunately, I need to clean my Primary already (scope is 1 year old...)  I will use the cleaning day for Flocking.

Not sure if flocking the focuser's drawtube will cause any optical problems, but I will flock it also....

Have you tried "PixInsight LE", the Old and Free Pixinsight version? It has quite a powerful gradient removal tool.

31 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

To be honest ive never thought of it dropping off...?I suppose I could put the strap around the scope. The focuser is very sturdy, as spillage says. I also use the MPCC which is designed for this kind of focuser, so there is an indented ring around it for the focuser screws to lock into.  

John

Haha  never paid attention to it!
My SW CC also has it

thanks! 

12 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

Hi,

A quick update on my mount issue progress:

I found a 2nd hand NEQ6 which I've bought and got set up with the 130PDS. Hopefully it will be able to give good results as soon as the skies clear! The mount seems in very good shape, although there was a bit of dec backlash which ive removed. The real test will be when I try guiding, though. ? 

This is the mount next to the old EQ5.

The Setup.

John

Nice Duplet!

Don't you afraid camera to fall off in such a position? 
I want to place my ASI1600 like this to make a better balance.... but I AFRAID!

Just FYI,

there are free alternatives for Team Viewer, 

I prefer VNC Viewer/Server.

12 hours ago, Uranium235 said:

Nice, but probably not best to use the "U" word here, as it gets flagged for approval  

I hope the notification about "U" word has not woken the admin up
 

P.S.

why is it censored?

P.P.S.

I need a much larger screen at home... as I have not noticed such an amount of Noise on my notebook... what shame!

Another test image
The Flaming Star > 12x300s SHO (each channel)
(UFO left it's track... like always...)

"A spokesman said: "In search of the next Brian Cox!"

later in the article...
"It is a two year contract with a salary of up to £23,111"
.....

I wish them best of luck.... 

      delete

Thanks @lnlarxg

It is ASI1600MM-Pro with Baader 7/8/8.5 NM filter set, all on 130PDS with Skywatchers Coma Corrector which works as 0.9 Focal reducer, so I am imaging at F4.5

P.S.

I was also quite surprised I have managed to get quite a descent amount of nebulosity with such a small amount of subs. 

I have started quite recently and still testing the options. Currently all my images are at Unity gain and 300s ...

I think of increasing the Gain and shortening exposures accordingly as I have a very limited view from my back garden,