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dob levelling base

sunshine185

By sunshine185
in DIY Astronomer

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sunshine185

sunshine185

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just finished my levelling base for my dob, cost £3.50 for 21" square piece of mdf, and 4 feet thingies at a pound each. i am absolutely terrible at diy, last time i put a shelf up i drilled through my thumb instead of the wall, but i just gave the base a lick of paint and it looks ok! will do a few pics when my daughter has finished watching alvin the chipmunk on my phone.

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dharma66

dharma66

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I've just been planning something similar. I did think about kitchen unit legs, but as the scope is going to be quite tall (I'll need to get some steps for the wife!!), I didn't wan t to add that much height.

I've orderd some similar feet, but I think I'm going to try for a triangular base with just three feet that protrude just outside the base of the scope.

That looks like a really nice job, though, and if I end up with anything like that, then I'll be happy indeed!

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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top job. my only comment would be that three legs and a triangle might have 1) saved some stubbed toes, 2) been easier to level - three points make a flat plane easier than four - and 3) transmitted the weight through to the ground more solidly (assuming the feet on the base are above the feet on the scope). should be OK though but something to bear in mind if it's a little 'bouncy' when observing.

is there a reason you have to level the dob? is it a tracking one or are you using setting circles?

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knobby

knobby

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setting circles, I'm also trying out skEye on my Android tablet. i will try it out and it fails i will get jigsaw out and make it into a triangle.

Is that the base or the tablet?

---Co. founder of the Essex cloud dodgers social group (possibly? )---

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scuffer

scuffer

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Nice idea , simples .I have a Wixey and could do with a level base myself - swivelling the dob round varies the alt by about 1.5 degrees. Was going to re-lay some flags but think I'll try one of these first as easier , cheaper and portable. Where were the legs from and do you know the thread size , might try and get some longer bolts and put a knob on the top for easier adjustment

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jflowers

jflowers

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Nice idea , simples .I have a Wixey and could do with a level base myself - swivelling the dob round varies the alt by about 1.5 degrees. Was going to re-lay some flags but think I'll try one of these first as easier , cheaper and portable. Where were the legs from and do you know the thread size , might try and get some longer bolts and put a knob on the top for easier adjustment

Do you need to level it if using a wixey? I know you do if you have a setting circle for the alt, but doesn't a wixey give you the correct angle anyway?

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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setting circles, I'm also trying out skEye on my Android tablet. i will try it out and it fails i will get jigsaw out and make it into a triangle.

it will certainly work - a triangle will just be slightly more stable.

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scuffer

scuffer

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Do you need to level it if using a wixey? I know you do if you have a setting circle for the alt, but doesn't a wixey give you the correct angle anyway?

The wixey is for the height ( is that alt or azi ) but when I scan at the required height the height varies because it's not level , I laid the flags like this on purpose so the rain would run off , but now it's my observatory area I need it flat.

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sunshine185

sunshine185

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Don't know what the leg things are called, local hardware shop had them in a bag, the rubber thing on the bottom seems to be stuck on, was gonna put a longer bolt on myself. I'm sure some diy expert on here will know the name of the feet

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sunshine185

sunshine185

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failsworth? i am just up manchester rdin hollins. i have a dob and no transport, so my back garden is my only obsy site, although its not too bad, could be a damn site worse round here.

p.s, just seen u have the same scope as me! how u find the 30mm rev i have the 42 mm, its ok but it shows the lp too much, want something a little higher powered to make the sky a little darker. as for the leg things, got them from pellows hardware store, on the corner of hollins rd/ashton rd, he supplied the mdf and cut it to size. he had some huge bolts, about three quater inch thick, with two nuts on, the bolts had a big round bit at the top and would make ideal levelling pegs, but they were just short of 4 quid each and i am a miser.

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Carbon

Carbon

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Do you need to level it if using a wixey? I know you do if you have a setting circle for the alt, but doesn't a wixey give you the correct angle anyway?

The dob needs to be perfectly level for the azimuth degree circle to be accurate and have the scope point in the right direction. The Wixey will give you the proper altitude reading regardless but you will not find your object in the eye piece if the base is not level to begin with.

And as far as the leveling base, three adjusters would be a lot easier to level and the base firmly set aground.

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sunshine185

sunshine185

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I made a triangle base with wheels for moving the dob from under the stairs to the kitchen door, and its a complete disaster so I decided that I would stick to something simple,I have given it a whirl outside and got it level using the spirit level I have, did corner to corner first then side to side, managed it in a couple of minutes so I will stick with the square for now. Knowing my cutting skills if I try to make it into a triangle it would end up looking more like a figure of eight.

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scuffer

scuffer

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I got my Wixey from http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/wixey-digital-angle-gauge-with-magnetic-base.html

Not had chance to test it proper yet and had it a couple of months, I have only observed from back garden so will have same lp as you , I'm near bottom of broadway , I pass that DIY shop regular so wil get some of them feet. As for the 30mm , i don't have anything to compare it with , I use it :- scanning the sky , the pliaedes and my fave the full moon when the sky is a darkish blue colour , I think it's a decent ep for the money , wouldn't mind comparing it with a panaview though. Only been doing this since feb/march and haven't used it for over a month now ,

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