10" dob build project (again)

[Joseki]

I've finally got this project to a point where I can take a photo and share it here

The angle makes the poles look a lot longer than they do in real life, it actually looks okay.

It's not as good as some people's projects but I'm very happy with it and hope it lasts me a long time. It's built around a 10" f6.4 mirror and the lower part of a skywatcher 250px tube that I got from Astroboot. With the longer focal length balancing was always going to be tricky so I remade the upper tube in plywood and plastic sheeting, a major weight saver and it also means more chance that I can use my phone with SkEye. The last version I made it there was quite a bit of lateral movement so I've constructed a square collar around the OTA to attach the bearings to for rigidity. That collar will also be handy if I decide to attach string trusses and for attaching the light shroud to when I make it.

on the other side of the upper OTA I've put one of these

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1439.l2649

so I can try using my phone as a push-to system with SkEye. Sadly I managed to snap it last night because I lost all sensation in my hands...

Hmm other details - I made it all from 18mm plywood, there's a lazy susan bearing for the Azimuth (attached to both boards with an access hole underneath, leaving the centre of the bottom board free for a rotary encoder if I ever get one) and it's got adjustable feet. The focuser is a JMI rcf focuser (motorized though the motor is not attached at present), destiny curved spider and an optical supports mirror cell. I still need to get a bracket for the finder (Intes-Micro 50mm).

Another important requirement is that it fits in the boot of my (small) car - which it does, so generally quite pleased.

p.s. this is crossing the line into too much detail but in answer to the question - why didn't you just make it from scratch instead of using the skywatcher bottom tube - well I already had the optical supports cell which wouldn't fit well into an obsession style dob and I had the tube with pole connectors attached. I did start to plan one, decided on the three pole design (Albert Highe's book discusses that style of dob) then realized that what I was thinking of was a wooden version of what I already had most of - so this way works out the cheapest route to completion.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Looks nice. I would love to hear the first-light report on that scope.

[Moonshane]

that's a great effort! it looks very stable and solid and I am sure will give years of pleasure.

you have used a tried a tested method of putting a round tube into a square hole and executed it well.

first light report will be great.

[Joseki]

Thanks for your comments! I don't think last night counts as proper first light report material as I was checking pole length etc. Also it didnt get clear here until 11:30 but tgats better than for the rest if the week. However it does seem fairly easy to collimate (thanks to astrobabys guide). During previous testing I've seen Jupiter, the moon and Orions nebula which were all very impressive to me. I'm hoping to see Saturn soon now (yes I have a lot to learn) - I identified the dot in the sky once I had packed it all away. Hopefully I'll be able to write its first light report soon

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[JamesF]

Looks very neat

James

[trev27]

That's a really gorgeous scope. F6.4 is going to be a killer on those planets! Can't wait to hear what the views are like.