Eyepiece Trays

[JamesF]

You know how it goes... You're waiting for the glue to dry on your rocker box and as you cast your eyes about the workshop they come to rest on an offcut from the rocker sides. "That looks just right for an eyepiece tray to go on the front", you think...

But I'm not a big fan of eyepiece trays. If the holes are big enough to take a 1.25" eyepiece with a cap on then they're often big enough for the entire eyepiece to fall through, and I don't ever like leaving my eyepieces with the caps off when they're not being used.

On the other hand a solid tray with a wall about an inch and a half high might work quite nicely as a place to keep eyepieces, caps and so on when they're not in use, but a nicely curved side is a bit more tricky to make with the bits and pieces I have lying about in the workshop and I'm not going to buy an entire sheet of 6mm or smaller ply just for a 10" by 1.5" edge on the shelf.

Or I could make a second tray below the first so the eyepieces can fit through holes, with the caps on, and rest on the lower tray.

Or there's always the option of just not making one and keeping the eyepieces in my pockets like I do now

Anyone care to contribute their thoughts on the matter whilst I wait for my own to congeal?

James

[Mike73]

I made a 'shelf' for my dob base, real work of art eh?

Its just to put pencils, brushes and maybe a cup of coffee on when I'm at the EP, bit of velcro fixes it to the base.

I know some people use tables to put all the EP's and bits and pieces on but for me using a table in the dark is an accident waiting to happen!

[Carbon]

I was just thinking the other night about turning one of my [removed word] packs I use for hiking into an eyepiece carrier, complete with a fitted arced wooden tray with holes in it.

At an observing site with several folks milling around I'd hate to leave my eyepiece case just laying around. I sometimes use my observing vest and have my EP's on me. But I hate having another piece of clothing on me on a warm night, for instance.

Edit: I didn't realize the common term for 'waist' pack was a restricted word here.

[JamesF]

Do you find the tray on the side works well, Mike? It did also cross my mind that perhaps that was the obvious place to put it, but then it's also the obvious place for it to get clobbered by a carelessly-placed knee, too

James

[Mike73]

Do you find the tray on the side works well, Mike? It did also cross my mind that perhaps that was the obvious place to put it, but then it's also the obvious place for it to get clobbered by a carelessly-placed knee, too

James

Well the shelf is probably a couple foot from where I sit so no accidents yet.

I think I have an OCD when it comes to viewing, everything is kept in exactly the same place on the tray, three different brush sizes go on the inside (in specific order) then blending stump, pastel pencil, pen, rubber and theres just enough room for my cup to sit!

I was just thinking the other night about turning one of my [removed word] packs I use for hiking into an eyepiece carrier, complete with a fitted arced wooden tray with holes in it.

At an observing site with several folks milling around I'd hate to leave my eyepiece case just laying around. I sometimes use my observing vest and have my EP's on me. But I hate having another piece of clothing on me on a warm night, for instance.

Edit: I didn't realize the common term for 'waist' pack was a restricted word here.

hehe the swear filter on here is a little sensitive.

I was thinking along the lines of an observing vest, well actually more like a tool belt, I think it should work.

[JamesF]

I think I might go for a side-mounted tray then. Means I can put a carrying handle on the front instead.

It's getting very close now. Just have to make the tray and the side braces up and I'm ready for painting. I *so* hate painting, but it's got to be done and if it's got to be done then it needs to be done before the hardware is fitted.

James

[Paulus17]

I was also thinking about this last Friday night when i got the Dob out to a site for the first time and the caps and EPs were a bit of a pain to put some where safe.

At home when i've had the Dob in the garden i just use the garden table but this isn't possible when out on site.

I was using my pockets to put the caps in as the EPs wouldn't fit in the holder on the dob with the caps on.

So a tray some where on the dobs base will be made soon i think,so will post piccys when its done.

I was thinking along the lines of a removeable tray possibly with a French cleat to hold it??