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Air Travel with 1000mm refractor

TonyD

By TonyD
in The Astro Lounge

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TonyD

TonyD

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Thanks Jules,

The plan is coming together:

1 x TAL 100R with original GEM mount and wooden tripod second hand

1 x TAL 100RS ota new

I was looking at keeping costs down and saw that the cheapest TAL 100RS package with EQ5 mount and tripod was hitting around £460

Then I came across a TAL 100R for £130 with everything second hand. Just to have the wooden tripod and original TAL GEM mount brought out the retro in me.

So it is all coming together.

One of my children will be accompanying me so I'll have 2x cabin baggage as well as two cases.

RyanAir fare: just under £25, but need to add luggage costs.

What did George Peppard used to say as Hannibal Smith in the A-Team? "I love it when a plan comes together"!

Tony

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AndyH

AndyH

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I have a tube in my loft that has a wall thickness of at least1/4" thick and have often thought about using it as a future storage/carrying device for my Carton 60/1000. Sadly it may stay an idea as my monster loft spiders possibly use it, but they bite, wear boots and are the size of footballs. Yes........ I have a fear of spiders :(

So yes, if you can get something similar, I'd go for it.

Totally agree with Jules, regarding the bigger size and wrapping the tube in bubble wrap. To secure the end caps, look out for a strong tape. I've heard it called gaffa tape(popular amongst band roadies), or elephant tape. Strong as heck. There is also a type of tape that I've seen used in the engineering industry for packaging that is ribbed and virtually impossible to rip, apart from cutting with a knife.

No point getting a sturdy tube if the end caps fall off !!

The fishing rod tube sounds a good idea too.

Andy

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AndyH

AndyH

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What did George Peppard used to say as Hannibal Smith in the A-Team? "I love it when a plan comes together"!

Tony

Ahhhh. But he would have knocked up his box van into an ocean going fishing boat, in the space of an episode.

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TonyD

TonyD

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Thanks for the feedback, Jules and Andy.

Yes I really am looking forward to getting the gear back home here later on in January.

I will look into the fishing rod tube idea - plenty of shops here aimed at anglers (although I'm not at all one myself (too many bad experiences with my father as a small kid ... I am sure that Ruislip Lido has never had a single fish in it, ever!) - I would have though the diameter of such a tube would be too small, but shows you how much I know!

I kind of feel I am getting TAL 100R "for free" - all I wanted was a TAL 100RS together with a mount. Now I can look into those optics tests by Neil English and try them out myself (were the 100R's optics better?)

Toony

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AndyH

AndyH

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Possibly outwith your price range, but worth a look at their Tal offerings.

Along the baltic, in Tallin, Estonia, a long established astro shop has a Tal 100 on a Tal motorised mount n tripod. Not cheap, but I've not seen one of these for sale, for about 10 years at least !

http://www.teleskoop.eu/index.php?target=categories&category_id=174

Andy

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Qualia

Qualia

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Wow! I've just found this thread and what a mission this is turning out to be, Tony. Good on ya.

Apart from the obvious of seriously wrapping the OTA, I'd also tag the bag announcing in big bold print that it contains a very sensitive optical instrument and as best as possible try to let Easy Jet personal know this. I imagine flying in January it won't be so busy, so they might even be able to give you a little extra service and peace of mind.

Anyway, good luck with the mission and I really hope everything works out :smiley:

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TonyD

TonyD

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right, then your getting the 100r AND the 100rs?

Yes - If I can find a source for a new RS OTA... my plan was to get the RS with EQ mount but then the opportunity to pick up an historic R with original mount got the better of me. But I want a tube with a 2" crayford focusser, so I am in budget with both. I might even do a Neil English conversion, if the optical quality of the R lens exceeds that of the RS as he seemed convinced by after his tests.

Tony

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TonyD

TonyD

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Anyway, good luck with the mission and I really hope everything works out :smiley:

Thanks Rob. Appreciate the good wishes my friend :smiley:.

It's actually RyanAir and I am very used to using them. The advantage is I am using small airports (avoiding Stansted) so things are probably less chaotic. Hand over the luggage. Luggage gets stowed. One and a half hours later the luggage comes out of the hold and put in the carousel. What could possibly go wrong (GULP!).

Tony

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Rumpelstiltleg

Rumpelstiltleg

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Hi there,

I just took my WO 110 Apo on Easyjet in a bag used for carrying golf clubs. It was packed in its original foam lined box and arrived safe and sound. The budget airlines will charge top dollar for extra baggage but around £25 for 'sports equipment'. astrononmy gear does not count as sports equipment so I added a few golf clubs and told the large baggage security guy that there was a telescope in there as well. No problems and he added a fragile sticker. Had I booked the scope as additional baggage it would have cost £100 plus. My s ope would not have fitted into a suitcase to I doubt your TAL would. Best if luck anyway.

Mike

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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Qualia

Qualia

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Tony,

If possible can you break down the adventure step by step, that is, what you plan to do at every part of the mission. That way, not only do I get a grip on what you're up to :p but there might be room for folk to make some extra, valuable tips.

If you need any measurements, weight, length etc just let me know. I'm heading out for lunch but will be back this evening.

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AndyH

AndyH

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Tony,

If possible can you break down the adventure step by step, that is, what you plan to do at every part of the mission. That way, not only do I get a grip on what you're up to :p but there might be room for folk to make some extra, valuable tips.

If you need any measurements, weight, length etc just let me know. I'm heading out for lunch but will be back this evening.

Agreed. Should make for a fun read.

I still have and use the Tal tripod and mount that came with my 100RS. So I can do the sizes/weights on those parts if necessary. Not a problem.

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starman1969

starman1969

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I recently had a trip to Tenerife with Easyjet. I took my new Astrotrac mount which was squeezed into my hand luggage along with all my other gubbins. I did have to open the hand luggage after it went through the xray because it was so tightly packed that security could not see what was in it. I was ok after explaining what the Astrotrac was.

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TonyD

TonyD

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If possible can you break down the adventure step by step, that is, what you plan to do at every part of the mission. That way, not only do I get a grip on what you're up to :p but there might be room for folk to make some extra, valuable tips.

Agreed Rob! Game on!

Jules has given me some excellent ideas regarding the diameter of the tube necessary, and Peter's been very helpful with this information so far:

Tony. A Tal 100 OTA is 79cms long with dewshield and focuser removed. You could cover the exposed objective end with a taped on disc of hardboard or plywood. :smiley:

OK ... so if someone could furnish me with the data of:

  1. the wooden tripod (TAL original) its weight and length [can the head of this tripod be removed (the part the mount attaches to)?]
  1. the weight of the GEM mount without counterweight
  1. the counterweight
  2. the weight of the OTA without the finderscope or focusser attached.
  3. the weight of the focusser
  4. the weight of the finder scope
  5. anything I've missed?

Funnily enough I was in a shop earlier on today and nabbed four of these for free.

post-27346-0-92105100-1356795854_thumb.j

They are only 60 cm long but have an inside diameter of 145mm. Probably not long enough but it's a start!

Mike's (rumplestiltleg) post is a brilliant idea for alternative thinking... thank you Mike :smiley: ...

I just took my WO 110 Apo on Easyjet in a bag used for carrying golf clubs. It was packed in its original foam lined box and arrived safe and sound. The budget airlines will charge top dollar for extra baggage but around £25 for 'sports equipment'. astrononmy gear does not count as sports equipment so I added a few golf clubs and told the large baggage security guy that there was a telescope in there as well. No problems and he added a fragile sticker. Had I booked the scope as additional baggage it would have cost £100 plus. My s ope would not have fitted into a suitcase to I doubt your TAL would. Best if luck anyway.

... and I am currently checking out cheap golf bags on the internet

Looking forward to some data from you and will carry on looking at golf bags. I might even phone a charity shop near where my friend lives - they might have some "decoy" sports equipment that can be used to camouflage the scope.

Back for more later,

Tony

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AndyH

AndyH

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1d/ The size n weight of the tube rings

1e/ The sizen weight of the counterweight bar that unscrews from the the mount.

I'm on the case for some of those things you've listed.

The head or cup of the tripod is quite small, so there's no point taking it off. The feet on the base are spiked.

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TonyD

TonyD

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The feet on the base are spiked.

... a lethal weapon if carried onto the aeroplane as hand luggage!

Yes sorry I messed up the numbering in my post. Thanks for the additions Andy. Much appreciated.

Tony

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AndyH

AndyH

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Tripod ----- length/height = 960mm ----- weight = 6kg ------ diameter when folded = 200mm* *ie: it would fit into a 200mm I/D tube, perhaps slightly smaller. Could, with care take off the spiked feet. There are attached by 4 very small screws into the wood. Probably need new screws as experience has taught me, that they chew up easily.

Mount ----- dimensions of 295mm x 230mm x 120mm ------ weight = 3kg

Counterweight ------ length/height = 50mm ------ diameter = 90mm ------ weight = 2kg

Counterweight bar ------ length = 330mm ------ diameter = 19mm ------ weight = 1kg

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