Show off your custom/detailed scope.

[NIGHTBOY]

I've noticed there isn't a section on this so maybe the mods could make one???

Just done a little custom detailing on mine....

[emadmoussa]

[John]

I've noticed there isn't a section on this so maybe the mods could make one???

Usually pics of equipment are posted in the Members Equipment Gallery section 

http://stargazerslounge.com/forum/25-members-equipment-gallery/

[AlexB67]

I never liked the white finish on the sky-watcher dobs I must say.  Probably I'd put a few stickers on mine, but would definitely consider painting a colour. The Orion optics models do a lovely maroon  and blue finish on the OTA I noticed, on some models anyway,   which I do rather like.  The mount, I'd probably like it to be black.  The black finish on the flextube sky-watcher models I do rather like though  

[John]

I guess it's a matter of taste but white tubes with black trim have always been THE classic astro scope colour scheme for me. Probably shows my age though

[NIGHTBOY]

Scopes have to be white, it just looks soooo right

[AlexB67]

Did you ever see anyone drive in a white sports car and hear anyone say it looks pretty ?. I am no that young either but I guess not as old a some     Anyway, not that it bothers me much, but if I had the choice ... seeing white kind of reminds of a good definition for the word banal ... but each to their own of course

[John]

Did you ever see anyone drive in a white sports car and hear anyone say it looks pretty ?. I am no that young either but I guess not as old a some     Anyway, not that it bothers me much, but if I had the choice ... seeing white kind of reminds of a good definition for the word banal ... but each to their own of course

I guess it's just that scopes over all the years I've been in the hobby have been predominantly white with black trim but, as you say, each to their own 

Personally I don't think this is banal:

[dweller25]

Did you ever see anyone drive in a white sports car and hear anyone say it looks pretty ?. I am no that young either but I guess not as old a some     Anyway, not that it bothers me much, but if I had the choice ... seeing white kind of reminds of a good definition for the word banal ... but each to their own of course

Don't think this look too shabby.......

[NIGHTBOY]

I guess it's just that scopes over all the years I've been in the hobby have been predominantly white with black trim but, as you say, each to their own 

Personally I don't think this is banal:

HOLY  

[AlexB67]

Don't think this look too shabby.......

Right, only if that Porsche were blue it would look so much better, same with the Scope  .  I'll budge a bit,  a white scope on a black mount, as in John's shots or the ones Moonshane often shows I can tolerate a lot more, but the all white of sky-watcher I have my limits :0)  I'll try another one, Did you ever see a white laser show or all white fireworks during a rock concert ? :0)

[AlexB67]

I guess it's just that scopes over all the years I've been in the hobby have been predominantly white with black trim but, as you say, each to their own 

Personally I don't think this is banal:

The scope sure isn't, the color of the tube .... urhhm.  

[Qualia]

I'm with John on this one. Check out some of these colourful beauties   :

The see through truss look is rather fetching

As with a saucy little number like this

[swamp thing]

^^^^ that shocking pink frac and the green Dob are just so wrong.

[emadmoussa]

Pink refractor?!!! Does it giggle and chuckle as well?!!

[Parus major]

I never liked the white finish on the sky-watcher dobs I must say.  Probably I'd put a few stickers on mine, but would definitely consider painting a colour. The Orion optics models do a lovely maroon  and blue finish on the OTA I noticed, on some models anyway,   which I do rather like.  The mount, I'd probably like it to be black.  The black finish on the flextube sky-watcher models I do rather like though

It might be the PC modder in me but if I got a white dob I'd paint the black furniture orange and get Aperture Science decals like in the game Portal.

[Moonshane]

Right, only if that Porsche were blue it would look so much better, same with the Scope  .  I'll budge a bit,  a white scope on a black mount, as in John's shots or the ones Moonshane often shows I can tolerate a lot more, but the all white of sky-watcher I have my limits :0)  I'll try another one, Did you ever see a white laser show or all white fireworks during a rock concert ? :0)

well since you mentioned them!

here's my 6"f11 dob mounted on a home made equatorial platform. I have flocked the whole tube, added a little fan, some 'Shane's knobs' for the primary end (the secondary is too small for thumbscrews), a counterweight, made a tensioning clamp, some little 1kg weights on the feet for more stability (it's a tall and spindly affair with the centre of gravity too high for my liking), changed the focuser, made a solar filter, made a dew shield, added a telrad and right angle correct image finder. I have also mown the grass since the photo but that's just maintenance

then there's my most recent acquisition, my 12" f4 dob. I bought this as an OTA only and made my own dob base for this. added a Telrad base, made a dew shield, an aperture mask (giving me 85mm f16, and a 110mm f12 dobfractors), and added a 4" telrad riser. I plan to eventually flock certain parts of the tube (possibly all of it) and add a fan. I am also part way through making a suitcase truss dob system. so it all (bar the trusses) fits into a box about 500mm cubed). It has some green........ This is now my most used scope.

finally, my pride and joy (albeit least used currently). It's a 16" f4 dob and I also made the base for this, the cell, flocked the whole tube, added telrad and RACI finder, fan, Shane's knobs all round, different focuser, aperture mask (giving 100mm f18, 130mm f14 and 170mm f11 dobfractors). This is a joy to use at dark sites and in the winter I use it more from home especially at weekends as it has more chance to reach equilibrium.

[AlexB67]

I agree a lot of those colours look completely wrong, horrible, whatever way you want to put it, but a good colour combination can work well. How about these little beauties For me that beats the plain white finish on the sky-watcher any day. Also the nice black and decal designs on the heritage 130p I have.  I'll prioritise my taste accordingly

good colour combo > white and black  > all white > bad colour combo. Some of the pink ones are horrible, reminds me of the old fashioned bathroom

I do really like the black and white combo I admit on your scopes Moonshane. There is enough black there to give it that bit of Yin and yang It is mostly the all white look where I find it somewhat  dull, uninspiring, as in the sky-watcher sky-liner models.
 

[Moonshane]

at the end  of it all, customisation is all about individual preference. I personally like white scopes although if making a base out of ply then they look good in any tone I feel, I just happen to like the black. what you have to remember of course is that a cosmetic mod that changes the appearance of a scope reduces the possible market if you ever come to change out your gear or sell up. I tend to prefer simple and 'classic'. I also did with my old beetles when I used to drive them.

[AlexB67]

Of course, as you say,  in the end it is just a bit of banter about colours, I agree, it is entirely up to the individual.  The world would be a boring place if we'd all like the same thing anyway, we may as well be wearing school uniforms :0)

I also agree that I certainly wouldn't consider customising  a scope with colours unless I am pretty sure it wold be a long term keeper. Even now it is highly likely that it is the sky-liner 250 I'll be buying soon, and I doubt I'll be colouring it with anything for time to come, and after some time, even if  just painted the mount black on that model, to me it would look a lot more pleasing already.

[Moonshane]

don't feel bullied Alex!    I agree with you completely. it's a very personal thing and there's no white way or wrong way, just your way.

[Moonshane]

(hopefully that subliminal message in my last post will work on you) LOL.

[swamp thing]

Colour is certainly up to the individual. I like all white, some white, and no white, and any combination of the three

My homebuilt 10" iDob is white tube on back mount.

Whilst my homebuilt 20" is kinda wood coloured with some black

Or wood coloured with some black and blue

Depending on whether its dressing for the evening or not

[John]

I do like a wood finish 

Despite my preference for the white with black trim finish, I have owned quite a lot of odd coloured scopes in my time in the hobby 

A lot of refractors too ! 

[AlexB67]

I like the wood finish too Steve, I like the title for the Idob, The Sumerian types got a charm to them as well, I like a wood finish. See, my taste is not that bad and quite varied .. I hope I feel paranoid now and will never turn up a star party with my coloured scope, or perhaps I'll just be contrary and turn up with a bright pink one, at least that way everyone will be repelled by the colour and I'll have all the gazing time to myself :0)