Relatively cheap and easy mod to carry large dobs around

[Moonshane]

Hi all

I am just completing my 16" f4 dob and the OTA is both heavy and bulky. Furthermore, it is stored inside and I have to carry my scopes the length of the house and outside to get to my back garden. This was OK with the 12" and 6" scopes I have previously done this with but the 16" at about 70 pounds is not very good for the old back.

Therefore after some thinking and a recommendation from a fellow SGLr (thanks Ed) I concluded that a sack truck was the most effective way to achieve easy movement of the OTA; the base is only about 30 pounds so easily movable by hand.

I bought a Rolson one off Amazon and it was £28 delivered - came the next day.

I then set about modifying it whilst the paint dried on my dob base - took about half an hour to do the mods.

I covered the rails in part camping mat and part copper pipe insulation as I had some about the house (not in use!). Held in place with black insulation tape.

Then as the base panel was not quite wide enough to securely hold the scope, I made a panel a little wider and longer from a piece of offcut ply in the shed.

I set this back a little and it is held in place by the easy but firm enough grip of the insulation.

It is easily removable for storage to reduce the footprint and the OTA will be held on by elasticated cords.

I tried it briefly and it works a treat.

Thought it might be a good idea and useful for many with larger dobs.

Especially useful as it's also good for house moves, new washing machines etc. and hence my wish not to mod it permanently.

[Gina]

Mine came next day too Good service as usual Not tried it yet though.

[NGC 1502]

Nice one Shane, your tube will be happy on the sack truck as Clive, the previous owner, used one to get it into the lift from his second floor flat.

I wonder what the record is for large scopes owned by high rise dwellers

Your shed sounds like mine, offcuts of absolutely everything in

there

Looking clear for tonight in Essex, fingers crossed.

Cheers, Ed.

[Moonshane]

great Gina - hope this helps!

Cheers Ed, yep, it's all down to your good advice that my back will not be complaining after every session. I'd think that about 20" would be the max just to get it through a standard doorway - anyone?

Yes, I'm afraid I'm a hoarder as 'I'll need that one day' is my motto!

Further proof demonstrated here!

[Crunchard]

Isn't it amazing how the obvious things can really help?

I'll me ordering one of these ... although I don't have the foam hanging around -no that it costs much anyway.

So thanks for the heads up on this one

[Beulah]

Good one Shane.

Have you made any ramps yet?

I've got a nice black plyboard ramp I built to gently lower the scope down any step.

Watch the bungee cords doesn't rip holes in the padding!!

[Moonshane]

Isn't it amazing how the obvious things can really help?

I'll me ordering one of these ... although I don't have the foam hanging around -no that it costs much anyway.

So thanks for the heads up on this one

no worries matey. with some spare camping mat and a bit of knife skill you may not have to buy any foam?

[Moonshane]

Good one Shane.

Have you made any ramps yet?

I've got a nice black plyboard ramp I built to gently lower the scope down any step.

Watch the bungee cords doesn't rip holes in the padding!!

oooh, not thought about a ramp but a great idea! tomorrow's paint drying project

[iamjulian]

I was going to build a three wheel low rider, but sod it, that looks the business, thanks for sharing! Would the base plate hold a 12" without the extension mod do you think?

[Moonshane]

hi Julian

probably but it really depends on the spacings, especially of the feet. that said, you could probably slide it under the whole base with a 12"? personally I suspect it will need the additional board but it's a genuinely easy mod and I have possibly over engineered it. even an offcut of chip board would be OK I reckon - you'll pick one up from somewhere or have one.

the base plate is about 8" deep x 14" wide for reference.

[iamjulian]

Thanks, planning to get one from B&Q, very similar, £25. Just done new kitchen so plenty of nice wood. Will be nice to be able to move it across the garden at the dead of night without dragging it a few inches at a time, looking like quasimodo!

[Moonshane]

ha ha what an image!

the main thing I wanted was pneumatic tyres as they are so smooth compared with hard rubber ones.

[Gina]

the main thing I wanted was pneumatic tyres as they are so smooth compared with hard rubber ones.

Yes, same here. The grass (can hardly call it a lawn - more like "home paddock") is very rough and if I need to move anything over it nice wide pneumatic tyres will help a lot. The yard is only rough gravel too. This will make carting anything heavy much easier Could help with moving quantities of timber from our big shed to my obsy site too.

[Crunchard]

no worries matey. with some spare camping mat and a bit of knife skill you may not have to buy any foam?

Let's hope my knife skill is good - just found this at B&Q ...

Gelert Camping Foam Mat - £1 for 1450mmx500mm

[Moonshane]

should be fine mate. you can always just cut oblongs to fit between the rails?

[Moonshane]

hi all

based on Sam's comments, I had some ply left over from my dob build so used his to create a ramp for going over doorways and out with the scope and sack truck.

it's literally just two 550mm square sheets of 18mm ply held together by two decent quality hinges (in the shed again) and works rather well.

see the pics attached.

[Black Knight]

That looks like a great idea.

Just the thing to help Mrs Black Knight pull the wheelie bin around the front and over the steps on dustbin day*.

*PS: This statement may be completely untrue

[Gina]

Great idea