UK astronomy products

[gary1968]

one thing ive not seen yet is some kind of support struts that you can attatch to your tripod leg's to provide a mount (of sorts) for a laptop. Ive got the image/design but sadly have not got the facilitys to make any

Now thats a bloomin good idea......

Gary

[Sputnic]

thank you im working on a knock up model at the moment for my EQ3-2 mount.

[Chris]

I agree very good idea, I wish you look with the prototype:)

[Sputnic]

I agree very good idea, I wish you look with the prototype:)

Thanks

One of my family members is a metal worker by trade and has managed to get his boss to alow to let him build me one during his spare time. His boss has also told me i should patent the design too

[fatwoul]

Is anyone producing carbon fibre tube rings? I'd love some to go with my ED80T CF

Or carbon fibre tubes?

I second whoever suggested kits of screws and curly cables. Having to source (for example) 1/4 whit hex bolts etc from eBay is fine, but if bags of a dozen (of each size from maybe 1/2 inch to 3 inches?) were available on FLO, that'd be really useful.

Also, there seem to be a lot of projects that people undertake that require a set of bits from different suppliers, which could instead be sourced by an astro retailer and sold as a kit.

I'll cite the belt-drive EQ6 mod, simply because it was mentioned this week in Astronomy Now, but it's a bad example, perhaps the replacement worm/cog mods are a better one. Whether FLO would want to involve themselves in something like that, which presumably voids the mounts warranty, but there are other examples of projects I've seen people talking about that aren't so intrusive, and a simple bag of bits would be really nice.

[fatwoul]

one thing ive not seen yet is some kind of support struts that you can attatch to your tripod leg's to provide a mount (of sorts) for a laptop. Ive got the image/design but sadly have not got the facilitys to make any

Or universal spreader bars, to make conventional photo tripods more stable for use with, say, PSTs or Astrotracs.

[gary1968]

Or carbon fibre tubes?

A friend of a friend makes Carbon Fibre tubes for a well known motorcycle exhaust manufacturer, amoungst others, he has his own business so its all legit.

If FLO were interested in supplying such things then I could probably open lines of communication for them!!

All we would need is tube sizes, screw hole positions etc.

Gary

[Demon Barber]

Hi Sputnic,checkout Markless Astronomics,they produce a lappy tray.

Link here Markless™ Astronomics

ATB

Mike

[dmahon]

We have a result

later this month we will be announcing a new pier, pier mount adapters (for home-built piers) and extension tubes for HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts. All made in the UK!

The pier will be available to order in approx two-weeks.

Please keep the suggestions coming

Any more news on this yet? It's been a while......

[BinocularSky]

With respect to the OP and responses on the first couple of pages,I think this needs to be said:

* There has also been a history of British manufacturers offering non-premium kit at premium prices.

* There has been a history of British purveyors of slightly-better-than-average kit selling it at premium prices and with abysmal customer service.

(The tip of the iceberg is illuminated at http://www.brayebrookobservatory.org/BrayObsWebSite/HOMEPAGE/forum/So%20Called%20Telescope%20Makers.html )

* A few of those described generally in my first two points still operate; they continue in practice because most people are psychologically unlikely to admit that they have been duped when they have paid way over the odds for something that is, at best, marginally better than imported far-Eastern budget kit (sometimes with worse-than-budget accessories) and have been kept waiting months (in one case I know of, over a year) beyond the agreed delivery date. Fortunately, most of those have gone out of business.

If we do support (and I believe we should) UK makers of excellent quality kit, we also need to be scrupulously honest about those who don't make the grade. If we are not, we risk tarring those superb artisans who we do have with the deserved brush of those who exploit the "let's support UK makers" sentiment for their decidedly less than excellent ends.

I guess what I'm taking a long time about saying is: Don't buy it just because it's British; buy it because it'd British and superb.

[FLO]

I guess what I'm taking a long time about saying is: Don't buy it just because it's British; buy it because it'd British and superb.

I agree with your sentiments Steve but the article you link to is rather aggressive. I hope I never upset Chris Lord! Fortunately I don't know any of the people mentioned so cannot comment, and probably wouldn't if I could.

Steve

[FLO]

Any more news on this yet? It's been a while......

The original manufacturer changed his mind about selling through a retailer and now offers piers direct. We found another, who offered us a better design, but it was around the time Martin had his accident and my wife her op' so the project was shelved.

We have had some success sourcing UK manufactured products, most notably our Cheshire Eyepiece and Desiccant Cap, but unfortunately with every step forward we seem to take one backwards. Engineers tend to think retail and marketing is easy. It isn't. They tend to setup eBay stores or whatever then go-it-alone. We have found only one engineer, possibly two, happy to concentrate on design and manufacture.

Product design and quality of manufacture does matter, of course, but without good marketing the product never realises it's full potential. Consider the poorly designed and manufactured products being sold (elsewhere) successfully, against the odds, to see the truth in that statement.

We haven't given up, we have other products in development

Steve

[dmahon]

The original manufacturer changed his mind about selling through a retailer and now offers piers direct. We found another, who offered us a better design, but it was around the time Martin had his accident and my wife her op' so the project was shelved.

Unfortunately another UK pier manufacturer has gone to the wall.

http://www.astronomyshed.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=12888

Hopefully you will get something.

[FLO]

It is always sad to see a company fold

The FLO pier will return, probably in the new year

[dmahon]

It is always sad to see a company fold

The FLO pier will return, probably in the new year

Any news yet? I got money for a pier at Christmas...