200p Dob - set up questions

[Oat]

Hi All

It arrived during the week and is not put together. I just have a few basic questions

1: There is what looks like a small shaving of plastic or packaging on the primary. How do i remove this? My thought is to use my lens brush from my DSLR - i will have to tape it to something to extend it down to the primary.

2: This is a pic of the base of the OTA. Is there an end plate / cover missing? There seems to be 3 spare holes where one could be attached - i have checked all packaging but no end plate came with it. When looking down the OTA at the primary, you can see that light comes in around the sides of the primary which further makes me wonder if a cover should be in place? From a longevity viewpoint, if light can get in then dust can also. If a cover should have come with the scope please let me know. If not, are there any aftermarket ones i can fit?

Will be collimating it now as the cheshire has arrived. Also fitting a red dot finder. I will also have a cover made to fit over the scope when not in use.

Thanks

Oat

[umadog]

Waving something down the tube like that might not be very accurate. I would suggest a camera squeezey bulb dust buster. Remove the mirror cell and blow it away. Just undo the black screws that attach the cell to the tube.

There is no end plate. The mirror will get dusty through use, it's just what happens. You see how nice and shiny it is now? It won't look like that in a few months if you use it often. That will be normal and you shouldn't worry about it.

[Avocette]

I had the same question about the end plate when I got my 200p Dob since some postings showing the 200p in earlier livery (blue), showed one being removed to give access to the collimation screws. My assumption is that the lack of a plate saves money in manufacture and is beneficial in aiding more rapid cool down at the start of an observation session. Now that I've fitted Bob's Knobs a plate wouldn't have fitted back anyway!

[Oat]

I would suggest a camera squeezey bulb dust buster. Remove the mirror cell and blow it away. Just undo the black screws that attach the cell to the tube.

There is no end plate. The mirror will get dusty through use, it's just what happens.

I had the same question about the end plate when I got my 200p Dob since some postings showing the 200p in earlier livery (blue), showed one being removed to give access to the collimation screws. My assumption is that the lack of a plate saves money in manufacture and is beneficial in aiding more rapid cool down at the start of an observation session. Now that I've fitted Bob's Knobs a plate wouldn't have fitted back anyway!

Thanks. Removed mirror and used blower as suggested. All back in place and collimated ready for use. Collimating is really easy, and pretty quick too - everything i read about it made it out to be as complex as brain surgery!

I think i'll make up a cover for the base of the OTA - probably neoprene or other non fluffy material. Like a shower cap for my scope! We have a fair bit of DIY going on in the house so i want to avoid as much dust as possible getting to the mirror.

Fingers cross for first light tonight....

[scuffer]

Just use a shower cap , the 3 spare holes should have grub screws in -which I have just realised if you've collimated it you'd have found out about already.

[Oat]

Just use a shower cap , the 3 spare holes should have grub screws in -which I have just realised if you've collimated it you'd have found out about already.

Thanks. Will be looking out for a disposable shower cap! I know the 3 holes with grub screws are for collimating but there are another 3 hols also - can't figure it out, they'd be pefect for holding a cover in place.

It's getting dark so time to close down this PC and see what's occuring outside... ;-)