How hard is it to build a telescope?

[gooseholla]

Hi all,

Just an update. The images for this thread have expired apparently. Bit annoying as I don't really know what pictures I put up when and where! 

Also, long time  no speak. Been busy, ill etc. but built up my scope again. One of the annoying things I found was being down in the mud having to twist knobs to get the handles on and off. Not the most time consuming job in the world but still laborious. I decided on a different solution which my engineering neighbour thinks will work. I made handles in the normal way, bolted the wheel on etc. Then instead of attaching the knobs to the handles with nyloc nuts, I cut two notches/slots in the handles on opposite sides. 

The knobs  then stay attached to the scope and you can hook them on.  A slight turn of the knob makes sure they are not going anywhere. The beauty is, when you lift the handles, one end goes up and the front end goes down,  locking them so they can't go anywhere.

I may have  to route a channel for some strengthening metal but my neighbour thinks these should be strong enough. They're hardwood and the notch isn't all of the way into the wood. Secondly, yes, the knobs remain in the scope but I stand in a position where they aren't going to get in the way or me walk into them. Will probably replace the knobs with cam locks/quick release levers. Certainly makes getting the handles on quicker.

John 

[mapstar]

Hi John 

Nice to see an update to your project and sympathy at being Ill for the winter. The weather in our parts hasn't been conducive to astronomy so you wouldn't have missed much if it's been the same in your neck of the woods? 

I've been studying the handles you've made and I'm not entirely sure how the front is going to stay in? I would guess that as you lift the scope the front will stay on the floor as the rear of the handles goes up and possibly tilt the scope over from the rear? Am I looking at it wrong?

Here's how I would've thought it would work with a sort of hook at the front (B nearest the wheels) which you'd slide the handle over first then pull the two handle's up to locate the pin in the upper rear slot (A) effectively locking the pins in and raising the scope 

Hope that explain's it o.k. 

Just had another read of what you've wrote above John, you've cut the slot's the opposite way around on each handle so It will work just that you'll be twisting the handles to keep them locked against the bolts/pins at the same time as picking them up? going to be a trial and see if it works? 

[gooseholla]

The way you've drawn it is the way the handles work. As you lift the back is forced up onto the pin and the front down. No twisting required to keep them on. The friction from the knob head against a washer of wood keeps it going anywhere. Wheeled around the garden a few times. I can raise and lower the scope from the ground without the handles slipping off.

Did think of a hook mechanism but the amount of wood left would be quite thin and may stress and break sooner?

Weather wasn't that great but a few nights I looked out and wish I could have been observing. 

[mapstar]

Hi John

Think I wasn't quite reading the post right earlier.

Tightening the knobs keep's the front of the scope , I thought you were just hooking them in which is why I suggested the hook type fixing.

Since finishing my scope Its been out for two proper sessions. Very disappointing 

[gooseholla]

At least it beat mine. First time properly out mirror chipped. Now that's disappointment! 

I just want to go somewhere with it away from lights, cars slowing down, people giving me strange looks, and really see what it can do. Although, I made the ramps in November and never tried getting all of the scope into my car. Hmmm... probably should try that soon. 

John 

 

[gooseholla]

Because my photos weren't that great yesterday I've taken some more of my new handle system. Made from 50mm x 35mm Ash, stained teak just for the fun of it and protected with oil. They are 140cm long, just as this is easiest to turn in my shed. Each handle has two notches cut. On the bottom near the wheel and on the top at the back of the telescope. Four knobs are attached to the telescope with large wooden washers on (2.5"). Just a couple of turns adds clamping pressure. The handles hook on and off.

Front

Back

Handles

Okay so it isn't bomb proof. If you push hard you can force the handles off of the bolts. But for the few metres across my garden they are fine. I wouldn't want to take them down potholed roads or to the shops and back - if your thing is to take your telescope shopping, sorry, you'll have to find another way to attach your handles!

John 

[mapstar]

Wait while you get it in truly dark skies John, it adds another level 

[gooseholla]

13 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Wait while you get it in truly dark skies John, it adds another level 

Just as long as it isn't anywhere where I'm going to get goosed by  a mountain goat in the night!

 

[gooseholla]

Today I went to Wilko and purchased two rolls of their flocking material for £10. http://www.wilko.com/sticky-back-plastic/d-c-fix-original-deco-self-adhesive-film-velour-black-348-0005/invt/0309578 I decided to do the inside of my upper cage as staples and gaps in the kydex was ugly. I wasn't too worried about there being light reflections in the upper cage.

About half hour of work and the cage looks much nicer. I used about one and a half rolls. Cut it slightly wider than the cage, apply it and rub like mad with a cloth or similar instrument. You can then use a knife as a flush trimmer to make the top and bottom tidy. Go back with some scissors or sharp instrument to punch the holes for the spider bolts and job done. I removed the spider to flock the tube.

[gooseholla]

Wouldn't let me post image in above post for some reason. Here is  the result.

John

[estwing]

Good job

[gooseholla]

36 minutes ago, estwing said:

Good job

Cheers. Been out to any dark sites lately? 

John 

[gooseholla]

Today I am working on the final two tweaks/upgrades for my telescope. A new kydex light baffle for the secondary cage. This one is bigger to block light from the house and also streetlights when out the front from down the road. The piece of kydex that was there will become a new circle to hold the triangles in alignment at the tailgate.

John

[gooseholla]

Don't know what happened to the images above...

[estwing]

On ‎18‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 21:22, gooseholla said:

Cheers. Been out to any dark sites lately? 

John 

sorry mate missed that...yes elan nearly every new moon!

[gooseholla]

1 minute ago, estwing said:

sorry mate missed that...yes elan nearly every new moon!

Cool. Now I'm back to health and the scope is back together I'll  have to try and join up with you guys sometime.

John 

[estwing]

deffo mate more the merrier but we are on our summer break until sept....we might chance one in Aug to nail some low summer targets...but will let you know closer to the date...those Nichol mirrors belong in dark skies, you will not believe your eyes....

[gooseholla]

Apart from building my dew heater today I made a fan installation for the back of the tailgate. I went with two usb 5v fans which come wired together. They only spin at 1500 RPM max (12v ones 3000) but crucially the two move the same amount of air per minute as one 12v and run a lot quieter, only 22db. The other advantage is hopefully they will vibrate less than a mega 12v fan, so won't need any control to turn them down. My battery pack I have has output for 12v and 2 USB sockets so they will plug nicely into the same compact battery unit and cool the mirror down. 

John