Skywatcher 8" Dob Setting Circle

[scuffer]

Hopefully this week I'll be putting on my lazy susan so while its apart I thought I'd add a setting circle , I downloaded one from here http://www.jim-easterbrook.me.uk/astro/scope/dob/ , but its a smaller diameter than I'd like , I'd rather have the scale near the edge as I think it will be easier to read with a cutout on the top board. Has anyone got a pdf for a setting circle for a Skywatcher 8" dob they can upload please ? or can you tell me what size you've used for the diameter , are the no.'s on the inside of the circle , I plan to put it on the bottom board so the numberss go anti-clockwise if some can confirm that. Any do's / don'ts appreciated

[Carbon]

The degree circle on the stationary bottom base board should run in the clockwise direction.

[scuffer]

Thanks Carbon ... thats one disaster avoided.

[ikorodu]

I've drawn a circle that may be more what you're after. I'll try to upload later this evening when I fire up the laptop. I'm on the iPhone at the moment.

ikorodu

[jflowers]

This might help too...

http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/index.php?cmd=circles_screen

[ikorodu]

I have had a look at the circle I have drawn and will be redrawing it i think. I too had seen the website that the OP mentioned and I like the idea of the acrylic cover so will be planning around that.

[Foggymike]

Why does no-one make a kit for this? I bet it would be a right moneyspinner! ......goes off to shed to think up a proposal for dragons den......

[Carbon]

Dob bases should include degree circles. There are several apps out there..... manufacturers should follow this trend.

For the consumer it's a lot cheaper than paying extra for DSC's. Dobs should be simple instruments and these degree circles are perfect for them.

[abberation]

Hi

If you are still after a setting circle let me know. I drew a full anticlockwise protrator, graduated every degree and labled every 5 degrees, for my shywatcher 8" dob - the first one the text wasn't bold enough so I jigged about with it. I produced it in Autocad but I can convert it to a pdf next time I am in the office - probably Friday. I have applied sticky back plastic front and back and have cut out the centre to sit on the stand. (There are guide lines for cutting out the centre). I propose to use a heavy portable pointer sat on the ground that I will set to the azimuth of polaris when sighted. I dont know if it will be any good but I have just got a cycle rear light for illuminating it. I have also scaled it up for my revelation 12" but done nothing with it yet.

Rich

[stevetynant]

I've got a cad file that I used for my 200p its 51 cm in width if its any good to you.please persevere its well worth it

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

[Carbon]

The only negative thing I see with applying the degree circle on the upper rotating board (anticlockwise degree circle in this case) is the pointer will not be located directly beneath you most of the time as you rotate the scope to the target. Depending on the size of the scope and base you may have to walk around to the other side of the scope to set the degree marking to the pointer.

On the other hand, the nice thing about locating the degree circle on the upper board is that there is no modifying/cutting of the upper base board required.

I think a cutout and a pointer on the operator side of the scope is more practical. The degree circle reading (clockwise degree circle) is always at your feet no matter which way the scope is pointing. Just my opinion and preference....

[abberation]

I take your points - I am new to this and making it up as I go along. I had never thought about mounting circle on base with a cut out to take reading, I had thought about making a circle with a hole cut out the same size as the stand and just placing my new circle over the base - sitting it on the ground. However as I write this I think I will reverse my circle and do some surgery on my stand - I can certainly see the advantages - thanks for the info.

[Carbon]

Here's one DIY site with a good example of a modified mount with a cutout and a moveable pointer:

http://home.comcast.net/~w7apd/pushto.html

[stevetynant]

I put mine on the base as I didn't want to cut into my scope.not sure what you mean by having to put the moveable marker on the opposite side of the base to you as thats just not the case you can put it exactly where you want it to be each time.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

[Carbon]

I put mine on the base as I didn't want to cut into my scope.not sure what you mean by having to put the moveable marker on the opposite side of the base to you as thats just not the case you can put it exactly where you want it to be each time.

On the ground base or the upper base?

[scuffer]

I was going to put mine on the top as I'd thought it would be easier to read , but if I put it on the bottom then I won't have to keep skipping round my dob to see where I am. hmmm decisions decisions.

[jflowers]

Rather than cutting anything up, we put a band around the lowest plate (around the black trim) and a movable pointer on the higher plate. Its only a temp addition and can easily be removed if we sell it.

[stevetynant]

Theres a few ways of doing it - just check out the DIY section - all I can say is mine works fine, I haven't had to cut anything and can put the moveable marker wherever its needed. Is a really good mod so which ever way you go it will be a great addition to your observing tools.

I'm not sure if I'll have time tonight but I'll try and take a couple of pictures so you can see what I have done. A picture usually tells a thousand words

[sunshine185]

Pdf file, when I try to print a setting circle, all I get is one page, how do I get it to print out as tiles so I can join them together? So far I can't find any pdf that doesn't have a watermark on it. I want to put one on the bottom base of my 10" dob so it needs to go clockwise I think, also the base is the same size as the 8" dob.

[Carbon]

See, the thing is, if you have a small dob base it doesn't matter where the pointer is located as you can easily view the entire degree circle with its pointer from where ever you happen to be standing without having to skip around the scope. In this case an anticlockwise degree circle on the upper base and a moveable pointer which can be placed anywhere would be the the simplest solution. There's also no need to orient the ground board to any particular direction as you would with a degree circle mounted on the ground board (unless you have a rotateable degree circle)

As mentioned, there are several ways to do this.

[scuffer]

Hello sunshine , when I select print I get a window up with the printer settings , I can then select a box that states TILES , I check this and it prints out on about 6 pages , mine is a hp printer , it could be something else like fit to page setting or 100% . Also yours is an 8"dob and has the same base as a 6" dob

[scuffer]

Confused now I thought I would align 0 to Polaris as close as possible , set my adjustable pointer to say 3 degrees if I was 3 degrees out then add 3 degrees to everything I wanted to see , is that right

[sunshine185]

scuffer, i also have a hp printer, i will have another look later, now all i need is a template/pdf file with the correct size for the base, if possible it would reach the outer edge of the base as i want to cut a slice from the top board.

[jflowers]

scuffer, i also have a hp printer, i will have another look later, now all i need is a template/pdf file with the correct size for the base, if possible it would reach the outer edge of the base as i want to cut a slice from the top board.

Close to the bottom of this page is a link to a PDF for yours

[sunshine185]

ok, found these templates on cloudynights, mods, hope its ok to post the links here, if not, sry http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Number/1733251/

also, adobe reader 9 will not do tiles, so i downloaded adobe 10, and it works.