If IKEA made telescopes

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Really impressive!

[ecosse]

That looks like its going to be amazing. Well done

[nobbytate]

What a beauty------wow

[sublime_mick]

wow

[darkside]

that looks ace!! cant wait to see this come together:blob6:

[Muphrid]

I went to IKEA once - was passing and thought I would pop in to see what it was actually like. Had a heck of a job finding the way out. The place was full of tat - not at all like that scope you're building - won't ever go there again!

[radiostationx]

Very interesting thread for a newbie in the market for a telescope Horwig.

I am looking forward to the release of the Carlsberg version myself.

Apparently this will use liquid cooling technology fixed to the ota..

Yours looks great though.

I assume you passed the point in the assembly sheet with the picture of a little man with a question mark over his head.

[fbassett]

Very impressive. If only I was any good at DIY, I would love to try something like this but I would end up creating something like this instead - IKEA Gone Insane

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very impressive. If only I was any good at DIY, I would love to try something like this but I would end up creating something like this instead - IKEA Gone Insane

:D:D

Brilliant link!

[Nosivad]

Sorry John, by coat, do you mean paint or shroud?

If paint, yes powder coated, if shroud, that's a very good question, if I don't shroud it dew will be a real problem. Some kind of lightweight stretchy material, but not sure what yet.

Huw

Lycra??

[Horwig]

This is the kind of shroud I had in mind, light pollution is not a problem for me, so it doesn't have to be 100% lightproof, but just dense enough to keep some heat in.

Huw

[StuW]

Sat on the table, it looks like a minature of one of the keck scopes! Hope the views are as good!

[Horwig]

I've been making some more progress over the last few days, nothing is simple with this build, least of all the the focuser. It's huge, designed to accommodate the Orion optics Wynne corrector, which is three and a quarter inches in diameter. I only hope it will be strong enough to cope with the combined weight of the corrector , camera, filter wheel and oag hanging off it. Total weight of about 3kg.

Huw

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Amazing! That would dwarf my biggest EP (Nagler 31T5).

[msinclairinork]

Very nice! Looks pretty tough to me!

Keep up the good work!

Michael

[jbk44]

Looks as if you are getting on really well. I'll look forward to more of this build, can't wait for more pics. Maybe if i need some alu parts I'll come and see you...

[Horwig]

HELP!!!!!

I'm having difficulty with the focuser. It's a standard four bearing crayford, with a 3mm shaft. Trouble is, it moves the Wynne corrector wonderfully when it's horizontal, but vertically it slips.

It slips even when the tension on the shaft is so tight that I can't turn it. And that is without the rest of the imaging kit. This will need more thought.

Huw

[Horwig]

The Crayford was a total disaster, I could not stop it slipping, no matter how much tension I applied, even with a thicker focus rod.

So here's the MkII focuser. This scope is designed for imaging only, so I don't need a large focus range. This gives me 25mm, which will be ample. The Wynne corrector again works as the draw tube, running in a pair of three-bearing cages, with the central ring driven by the m3 leadscrew. It has no trouble at all lifting the 3Kg expected load, but I'll need a shorter driving belt, I have the stepper motor ready to go, focussing my Borg, using the sgl focus software and arduino board hardware, so that will be the drive for this scope as well eventually.

I might get first light next year...

Huw

[asteria]

Great work Horwig - top class focuser. Ed

[Herbig]

What a fantastic project. I think this will be inspiration to many of us.

[Horwig]

Good progress over the holidays, (wish the weather was better, haven't been imaging since October).

Spider and focuser fitted, camera adaptor made up, next stage will be the primary mirror side support pads (nylon). I'm going to leave the plastic pipe trusses till I can confirm that everything works OK. Carbon fibre is too expensive to order twice!

Time to turn my thoughts to a mount soon.

Huw

[fwm891]

The Crayford was a total disaster... ...The Wynne corrector again works as the draw tube, running in a pair of three-bearing cages, with the central ring driven by the m3 leadscrew. It has no trouble at all lifting the 3Kg expected load, ...might get first light next year...

Huw

This assembly looks really good Huw:icon_salut:, Can I ask if you foresee any rotational problems when loaded with the camera/filter wheel etc. To me it seems that although you have good 3 point support from each of the upper and lower rings stopping tip/tilt motions, the central ring that has the 3 mm threaded boss looks to rely on the 3 mm threaded rod not only to provided the push/pull for focusing but the rotational loading as well ?

I suspect you have another vertical rod not seen in the photos taking this loading...

[Horwig]

Good point Francis, you are correct about the possible rotation of the centre ring. The three ball races are quite tight, and resist rotation, hopefully the camera loading will be fairly close to the axis of the focuser as the filter wheel and oag are fairly light.

By far my greatest worry is the sag in the focuser when fully loaded with the camera, it might be that a mk III will be needed.

Time will tell.

Huw

[asteria]

My goodness - an impressive scope. Are you on the Hubble team by any chance! It looks like it should be going into orbit and photographing deep space. Wow - great work. Ed

[fwm891]

Huw, You've obviously got plenty of machining capability why not just increase the diameter of the 'lead-screw' but keep the fine thread pitch so you maintain the step resolution from the motor drive.

Might be difficult cutting the 'nut' thread but not impossible...

A larger diameter lead-screw would resist the load bending, you could also retain the end bearings by putting steps in the shaft.

Though something like:

5/16" X 40 TPI ME

might be useful..........