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Hi from York

Joseki

By Joseki
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Joseki

Joseki

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Hi, I've just signed up so I thought I should introduce myself (rather than just start posting questions...).

I'm probably not a proper astronomer just yet (working on it) - as my first two experiences have been failures :). Firstly many years ago I remember sneaking a go with my Dad's small & old reflector - only to try inserting the mounting pole into the focuser hole - making nice pretty curves on the secondary (in my defence I think being able to do that was a design flaw). Fast forward to the near present and I've got children of my own - and a 10" mirror from ebay. Yes foolish foolish person that I am (but I have fun). Well that project isn't dead just yet but the solid wood construction (OSB board 1.5 cm thick), homemade mirror cell (based on Richard Berry's book design) and spider weighs so much it's going to get dismantled as soon as I can get round to it (I haven't even tried collimating it, it's that horrible). As I said to my wife - a very useful learning experience (trying not to mention the f word - failure). I had a nice long chat with the chap from Beacon Hill telescopes - very nice guy, about buying an aluminium OT. However the follow up plan is to have a go at making a copy of a DobStuff lightweight http://www.dobstuff.com/ and buying decent components - looks doable I think.

That's going to take ages though so I'm plotting to get a smaller grab and go telescope. Current thinking is the Celestron Heritage 130p flextube (though I would prefer to spend more like £50 really). I was thinking about the 76mm tabletop dob but I got aperture fever just for this smaller 'temporary' scope (though the 130p looks like it will survive me completing the 10" and be pretty handy for years to come). I am a bit of a dreamer and I have already started to think about modding the 130p (lazy susan bearings worth it on a scope that size? - I have some spare, velcro fastened orienteering compass, tripod mount adaptor etc).

If anyone's from York - no you probably don't know me (yet), we just moved up last year and I hardly ever have time to go out on an evening (2 small children). I just signed up to YorkAstro forum though (more sensible nick - JHughes there) and will be joining that soc. when I actually have some free time.

p.s. does anyone know where to buy 1 inch aluminium tubes (1-2 m long) that is anodised black?

p.p.s. Joseki refers to my other hobby - a board game called Go (aka Baduk or Weiqi depending on your preferred Asian language).

ahem. back to work.

John

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JamesF

JamesF

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Welcome to SGL.

The 130P is an excellent scope for the money, I think. It's not perfect, but you could spend ten times and and still not get something perfect. Well worth the difference in price over the 76 I'd say.

James

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Joseki

Joseki

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Thanks guys! Nice to be welcome.

Swamp thing - yes I guess it should have been okay weightwise though I had real problems finding an optical tube. I'm not good at ringing people up to ask and I spent far too long searching for sonotube in the UK, so the optical tube is made out of 1.5 cm thick OSB board (I'm fairly fit but that is very hard for me to lift). Both options I came up with in the end - Beacon Hill or importing two BlackLite tubes + a connector worked out about £200 so I figured I might as well go for the trendy scope design I had my eye on as a 'some day' project. Well if it works out I'll certainly be showing it off here :grin:

Thanks for the company glow jet, it might be worth asking them how much they'd charge for a 12" tube whilst I'm on the phone/email.

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Joseki

Joseki

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I just discovered Astroboot, so a pretty exciting day all in all. I bought the tube of a 10" SW Flextube (too short by 30cm as it is though but at 50 pounds it's half the price of the router I was going to buy), wimping out of the original plan. I'll have to see if it's going to be another learning experience.

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