About to hack my 200p Dob

[stevetynant]

Steve,

The laminated circle is not fixed to anything, just floating between both parts of the base, no acrylic disc or anything. The heads of the three screws, when they're in place, allow enough space to allow you to turn the circle, but don't allow it to rise out of position. They've been there about 6 months now and works as well now, if not better, than when I put the system in place.

Bart

Thanks Bart - I think (as I've bought yet another lens) I'm going to give this a go (I'll be divorced if the wife added what I've spent on this hobby lately)- I know the acrylic disk would not be fixed and was floating but I thought this woud have been required to give it a bit of added strength - obviously not needed.

Mat I think the Gemred might be a longer term project for me ,although if the setting circle and Wixey work ok I might not bother- I'm starting to think the less electronic gadgets you have out and about in the cold the better - but would be interested to hear about your results.

John thanks for the info - anything involving maths and a calculator stresses me out (which is a bit worring as I'm a payroll manager) - plenty to dwell on though -thanks for the input.

Just found out my Telrad is at the post office so Telrad, Wixey, setting circle - nothing can possibly go wrong lol

[Bart]

Steve,

Took those pics. I'll try to explain whats going on with that and another mod you might consider.

I have also included a pic of a very ugly looking setup for mounting my 6" still attached to the dovetail that would normally sit on my Eq mount. It can be taken off and put onto the Eq mount in less than 5 mins. Can't decide which mount i want to use it on. I find the Dob base easier to use. I've also stuck in a pic of the lazy susan bearing that arrived today. Having stuck it on briefly it feels as smooth as silk, not too easy to move. Feels just right, hopefully get a chance to get it out tonight to try it out. I wanted to mount the 6" this way becasue

a/ the dob base is easier to use than the GEM

b/ i may just bring this to a dark site, if I find one.

Mind you, my back garden is NELM 5.7 which is pretty good, but the need for deeper insights drives you on. Its also quicker to cool down than the 10" although the GSO has a cooling fan.

Excuse the state of the garage.. its, ahem, a work in progress.

Scope and Truck with added foam

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Dew shield for EPs. This is great. It allows you to keep your favorite 4 EPs close to you, without getting up off your chair, with the working EP in the focusser. No dew...aahh

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Az circle with 'handle' and fixing screws + window

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Ugly mount for 6" (needs beautification!) with new lazy susan.

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Edit, didn't realise they were going to go in twice, sorry about that.

Bart

[benjii]

I love all your homemade devices, like your padded sack trolley. Good job!

[Bart]

I love all your homemade devices, like your padded sack trolley. Good job!

Thanks benjii,

Its a sure sign of having too much spare (cloudy) time and not enough observing time.

Bart

[benjii]

Spare time is a dangerous thing for me, I tend to browse astronomy online shops. Perhaps I should turn to creating things instead!

[stevetynant]

Brilliant - thanks Bart - really appreciate your help with this - still awaiting my final setting circle to be laminated in work then might have a go this weekend (depending on how much I have to drink on Saturday as Wales pick up yet another Grandslam :0) )

I can now finally see what you meant by the screws holding the circle in - seems so obvious now of course

cheers once again - I'll post my own pics once I get it done- this thread should be a pretty useful resource for anyone else considering this mod.

[Bart]

"depending on how much I have to drink on Saturday as Wales pick up yet another Grandslam :0)"

Ok I'll let you have that one, maybe. Big one for us against England on Patricks Day.

Good luck with the mod. Consider the dew shield for the EP rack, I find it a real boon. Once you have your circle, wixey and CdC, there'll be no stopping you. You will be amazed how easy it is to locate objects. You might find yourself hankerin' for the days when you'd spend half the night hunting a couple of elusive objects....

And then again, maybe not.

Happy hunting.

ps You lads can't keep those Grandslams to yourselves for ever, you know.

Bart

[stevetynant]

Cheers Bart - we'll let the boys in green have one every 60 years or so - it only seems fair ;0)