Anyone up for a Refractor (Re)Build?

[Macavity]

Anyone up for a Refractor (Re)Build? (Just a very random and vague idea!)

My very first scope - Startravel ST102 (F5 102mm Achro) is looking a bit sad...

More "experimental holes" drilled in the OTA than a Swiss Cheese. (Oops!)

Certainly some NICE focussers are available. To fit in with my "unified system",

I'd likely buy a 96mm TS "Monorail" - Maybe even the matching motor drive.

Still not sure whether a (venerable) budget achromat is worth it. Maybe fill in the holes? No car expert... I believe a (fibreglass?) "body repair kit" might work? Or buy *new* lengths of (thin welded) Stainless Steel or Aluminium tube? Maybe cover with fake Carbon Fibre sticky-back! Not too difficult to make internal baffles... string them along threaded rods? Not sure how I'd attach a *threaded* lens cell? How are large tubes threaded anyway? I do have a (skilled) "mate with lathe" etc.

People do build HUGE 8"/F8 refractors etc. Anyone made a more modest effort?

If it worked really well, the tube could be (inter-)changed. Maybe even an APO

lens upgrade? (Latter likely to remain [financially] on the drawing board tho!).

[ronin]

Comes down to respraying the OTA to my thinking.

You would put some metal behind the holes, (araldite ?), then fill the holes with something like a body filler - I have one with a degree of metal in it, then it would be sanding the excess down. That scratches the OTA paintwork so the respray.

Add baffles, and redo the matt black paint inside.

Focuser, new one of whatever standard required, single or double speed.

The respray would need an etching primer and a few coats of a colour, Candy paints may be an idea, but you need a bright silver undercoat.

[Macavity]

Yes, I think that would be the more modest - And *sensible* option!

I believe you can buy fibre-glass webbing to stick on the inside (of the tube) as "support" for reconstruction? Though I sense anything containing fibre-glass tends to shed particles? I can probably retain the original baffles - They simply *push* in. Flock between them - COVER the messy internal repairs? As you say... fill in the holes, sand and repaint properly (As per above).

Probably have to be put in the queue after "upgrades" to my F4 Photo-Newt. 

Never a lack of things to do here somehow...