Meade Lightbridge Dobsonian

[Jon Sales]

Does anyone here own one of the above mentioned telescopes?

I'm currently looking at the 8" version as the price is good and can be easily transported and stored.

Or is there a better alternative to spend my money on?

[John]

I owned a 12" Lightbridge for a while. It was a decent scope but I think, on balance, I would go for a Skywatcher dobsonian instead now. The Meade needed quite a lot of modifications to make it really useful and I was not convinced that the mirror surfaces were that durable.

In the 8" size I don't see the truss / flextube design as having any advantages over a solid tube.

[Jon Sales]

Ok thanks John.

Nobody seems to have them in stock anyway.

Idea of getting the truss Dob is because it collapses down for storage.

Are the Skywatcher truss dobs good does anyone know?

The 8" is about £100 dearer than the Meade.

[E621Keith]

I think the 8" Lightbridge has been discontinued for a while.

The SW flextube dob seems to have better reputation than the Meade. I hear Meade has undersized collimation spring in the mirror cell, insufficient blackening, and short mirror life span etc...

[Jon Sales]

Was informed by my lovely girlfriend last night when I was yet again looking at telescopes that I can buy an HEQ5 Goto mount or similar and an 80ED or 100ED refractor as she would also like to use it and have a go at DSO AP!

What a result eh?

[knobby]

I think the 8" Lightbridge has been discontinued for a while.

The SW flextube dob seems to have better reputation than the Meade. I hear Meade has undersized collimation spring in the mirror cell, insufficient blackening, and short mirror life span etc...

Where did you get the info about the mirror etc. I thought the lightbridge had good reviews!

[knobby]

I owned a 12" Lightbridge for a while. It was a decent scope but I think, on balance, I would go for a Skywatcher dobsonian instead now. The Meade needed quite a lot of modifications to make it really useful and I was not convinced that the mirror surfaces were that durable.

In the 8" size I don't see the truss / flextube design as having any advantages over a solid tube.

What modifications?

[knobby]

Was informed by my lovely girlfriend last night when I was yet again looking at telescopes that I can buy an HEQ5 Goto mount or similar and an 80ED or 100ED refractor as she would also like to use it and have a go at DSO AP!

What a result eh?

Lucky b@@ger!

[brantuk]

Where did you get the girlfriend? - I want one like that lol

[E621Keith]

Where did you get the info about the mirror etc. I thought the lightbridge had good reviews!

Mirror life span are just info I picked up from the mirror recoating thread. As for the springs, it seems to be a very common complaint.

[RikM]

Was informed by my lovely girlfriend last night when I was yet again looking at telescopes that I can buy an HEQ5 Goto mount or similar and an 80ED or 100ED refractor as she would also like to use it and have a go at DSO AP!

What a result eh?

Result The ED80 has a better focal ratio for deep sky AP. The ED100 is more suited to visual use.

[knobby]

Mirror life span are just info I picked up from the mirror recoating thread. As for the springs, it seems to be a very common complaint.

Any other thoughts ... I'm seriously considering getting one, so would love any input.

Maybe I should ask his girlfreind!!!

[John]

What modifications?

- Light shroud

- Uprated primary collimation springs

- Replace collimation screws with knobs top and bottom

- Counterweight (the tube is rather top heavy for 2" eyepieces)

- Blackening truss poles / upper and lower tube internal rings

- Replacing finder as stock RDF is on a wobbly plastic stalk

- Replacing supplied QX 26mm eyepiece as it's none too good

The optical quality was fine for what it cost but I'm not convinced the GSO mirrors are fully overcoated as I've seen / heard about a number of scopes with these optics where the coatings are failing relatively early in the scopes life.

[Jon Sales]

I've just asked my girlfriend and she says she doesn't know what's wrong with the mirrors lol.

And she said I can have what I like because she loves me and I do a hell of a lot for her and never ask for anything in return

[knobby]

You're a lucky man ...

Maybe I'll. Be looking for a skywatcher then. All sounds a bit iffy

[Jon Sales]

I am very lucky Knobby

[knobby]

Blimey, i've been doing some digging on google, (not about your mrs) are the meades really that bad, i've found loads of horror stories about saggy mirror springs / astimatic mirrors / scratched / chipped mirrors / poor coatings .....

I nearly bought one ! really fancied it , can they really be that bad, are skywatcher a better bet ? aaaaargh

help

going insane:icon_scratch:

[GazK]

Get a skywatcher flextube. You will not be disappointed.

Sent from my HTC Legend using Tapatalk

[E621Keith]

Blimey, i've been doing some digging on google, (not about your mrs) are the meades really that bad, i've found loads of horror stories about saggy mirror springs / astimatic mirrors / scratched / chipped mirrors / poor coatings .....

I nearly bought one ! really fancied it , can they really be that bad, are skywatcher a better bet ? aaaaargh

help

going insane:icon_scratch:

Meade has a new black truss version of the lightbridge on their website. It is unknown whether they addressed any of the other problems of the original lightbridge.

LightBridge Series - Meade Instruments - Telescopes, Solar Telescopes, Accessories, Telescopes by Meade

http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:MEAD385.jpg

[Jon Sales]

Blimey, i've been doing some digging on google, (not about your mrs)

lol

Think the Skywatcher is the way to go mate. I'll certainly be looking at this option