David Lukehurst 22in Ultra Compact.

[Pingster]

Hi guys. Ive got a 16in flextube. 5 years ago i was perfectly strong to take it around with me but now it feels too heavy.

So im considering a David Lukehurst with wheel barrow handles. 22in at f3.6 i can have my feet on the ground at all times. Im very fussy with pinprick stars. So will this scope satisfy me with a televue paracorr? I generally bino view (Mrk5) and binos have a magic way of fixing coma on all my scopes.

Will i be truly happy with a F3.6? Ive only found one review of a 22in David lukeshurst.

Also david has been making scopes for a long time, has his standards slipped? Are they still as good as when he started out?

Also i worry the mirrors he uses will not be as good as ones supplied by Obsession.

Or should i just settle for a 18in Classic Obsession?

You hands on experience would help me greatly.

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[big_scot_nanny]

Hi, I can only partially answer some of your questions, but maybe of some help.

I have a 12" f4 from David. It is wonderful. Not new, 12 years old. Nothing I have read or heard suggests David's scopes do anything other than refine and improve.

F4 with a mk1 parracor gives me pinpoint stars edge to edge, using either nagler or ES100 eps. I think 3.6 would be fine.

I would caution that any 22" scope, even 3.6, will be massive. And heavy. Designs may be compact, but if you have to get it all out of a car even the smallest lightest component will be a large and heavy.

If you are not happy with Oldham optics, for which I hear mixed reports, I have heard nothing but wonderousness about John Nichol, also here on mainland Europe. Bit of a wizard.

Both David L and Dave K are wonderful to deal with.

I wish I was in your shoes, I'd love a really big dob!

[mapstar]

Not sure on the quality of David Lukehirst scopes fella but if you specify one of John's mirrors you won't be disappointed.

Being in the process of building a light weight 22" I can say that mine has a light mirror @ 18kg but with the cell and box it will be closer to 28kg so that is the heaviest bit I'll lift.So you have some idea on what you can expect.

Damian

[ollypenrice]

I've met David Lukehurst just once (and it was a great pleasure) but, in my opinion, he is the best person to answer your question. I think you will get excellent information in conversation with him and I think it very unlikely that he would be knowingly dishonest. The astro community is small and old and such communities have long memories.

Really your question doesn't concern the parts that David makes. Are you not really asking about the pros and cons of very fast Newtonian optics? None of us can have it all ways. We'd all love the qualities and simplicity of F7 at F3.5. Reaity check. We can't have them. Sob.

Olly

[Demon Barber]

Hi send off for the dvd that Obsession send out, it will give you a good idea on how the various bits fit and how the weight is distributed. It also shows the manufacturing process, +1 for Nichol optics,there are also Orion Optics uk,pricey but have lots of experience.

I am now getting on a bit but can still manage to move my 15"Obsession Classic on the level,but it really is a handful to get it into a vehicle ( lift ),you also will fall foul of import tax and vat which on a well specified  18"Obsession scope,add up to aprox £1,000 which could go towards a uk produced scope.

Good luck with your search.

Regards

Mike

[Scooot]

Could you use your existing mirror in a 16" Sumerian Canopus. The exchange rate is very favourable at the moment. I'm not sure what your f ratio is but the eyepiece height of my f4.5 is only 163cm so I don't need a ladder. It's very easy to handle and very portable if that's your main issue.

http://www.sumerianoptics.com/products/

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/234459-sumerian-canopus-16-review/?hl=+sumerian%20+review

[Pingster]

I've met David Lukehurst just once (and it was a great pleasure) but, in my opinion, he is the best person to answer your question. I think you will get excellent information in conversation with him and I think it very unlikely that he would be knowingly dishonest. The astro community is small and old and such communities have long memories.

Really your question doesn't concern the parts that David makes. Are you not really asking about the pros and cons of very fast Newtonian optics? None of us can have it all ways. We'd all love the qualities and simplicity of F7 at F3.5. Reaity check. We can't have them. Sob.

Olly

Thanks for your reply, i know David has been making scopes for a long time and his website says hes made over 200.

From experience i know businesses that run for a long time the standards can drop and ive only really found two reviews of his scopes. Hence im a bit nervous as i know i can buy a lot cheaper elsewhere.

One thing seems for sure so far a Nichole mirror is the way to go.

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[Moonshane]

A 22" dob mirror box is huge and I'd wager always heavier than your current scope.

Given your comments I would either add handles to your current scope or as above convert to a more minimalist framework. This will be cheaper and more suitable (again based on your comments).

[estwing]

Obsession every time

[Paul73]

The is a rather lovely Obsession 18" Classic in the classifieds as we speak......

Paul

[Stu]

......and a lovely UC on ABS!

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=99583

Was tempted, but the finances say no unfortunately

[Pingster]

Yeah i saw those two scopes. But the truth is they are both 4 years old and i know what happens to mirrors after 4 years.

In both cases i can buy a completely new scope made by David Lukehurt for less. I was so tempted but decided that both obsessions were overpriced. Their true value is only half that was being asked as the original shipping and import taxes are not part of a products true value.

Or

Sumerian Canopus 18in £1326

Nicole Optical 18in F3.6 = £2500

Total = £3876

Illl rather buy a completely new scope at a lower price than either of those second hands. I know i would always think in the back of my mind is this bad seeing or did they owner not look after the mirror right [emoji1]

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[Paul73]

Or

Sumerian Canopus 18in £1326

Nicole Optical 18in F3.6 = £2500

Total = £3876

Illl rather buy a completely new scope at a lower price than either of those second hands. I know i would always think in the back of my mind is this bad seeing or did they owner not look after the mirror right [emoji1]

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Hang on a minute! Isn't that Alan's new scope? I'm sure that he'll be along to comment.

Paul

PS. That is pretty much exactly what I would go for if funds permitted.

[Pingster]

Hang on a minute! Isn't that Alan's new scope? I'm sure that he'll be along to comment.

Paul

PS. That is pretty much exactly what I would go for if funds permitted.

Paul do you mean you would go for one of the obsessions? Or the cheaper options?

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[Stu]

Hang on a minute! Isn't that Alan's new scope? I'm sure that he'll be along to comment.

Paul

PS. That is pretty much exactly what I would go for if funds permitted.

Yes, I think Alan's is an 18" Canopus with Nichol mirror. Very nice. Can recall focal ratio though. That's a great price for what would be an amazing scope. I've thought at some point of upgrading the mirror in my Canopus to a Nichol or Zambutto..... When the lottery win comes in!

The Obsession UC was tempting because of compact size and case, plus it has ServoCat goto fitted which I think would be pretty nice to use.

Mirrors should still be ok after 4 years if looked after, but always worth checking. Depends on coatings of course.

[Pingster]

I think i confused people. What i ment was why buy the two second hand obsessions which are both about 4 years old... when for cheaper you can buy a brand new Canapus with a Nichole mirror for less.

[Pingster]

Bigsumerian, how is your Campus holding up? I read a few good reviews and then found one awful one where the quality control was just appalling.

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[Stu]

Bigsumerian, how is your Campus holding up? I read a few good reviews and then found one awful one where the quality control was just appalling.

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Mine is lovely. Very nicely made, is pretty rigid and moves smoothly. No complaints. I believe that bad review was very much a one off so don't be put off, Sumerian make very nice scopes.

[Scooot]

I think the bad review was the Alkaid not the Canopus. From the same Company of course.

[Paul73]

I think the bad review was the Alkaid not the Canopus. From the same Company of course.

If that was Daniel K's, they dealt with the quality issues very quickly and efficiently with no quibbling.

Does anyone know who bought / if he sold his replacement scope? To my eye, it was very nicely put together. Could be a contender, but is only (!!!) 16".

Paul

[Stu]

If that was Daniel K's, they dealt with the quality issues very quickly and efficiently with no quibbling.

Does anyone know who bought / if he sold his replacement scope? To my eye, it was very nicely put together. Could be a contender, but is only (!!!) 16".

Paul

That's the only bad review I've seen of a Sumerian so I guess it's the same one.

His replacement was a very nice scope, but not ultra compact!

[Paul73]

His replacement was a very nice scope, but not ultra compact!

True. But pretty much anything is compact and portable compared to the OP's current scope.

Paul

[Pingster]

True. But pretty much anything is compact and portable compared to the OP's current scope.

Paul

Hahaha! I used to go star gazing with my Lutan van which had a tail lift on it for loading the  monster scope and it was very easy to manage.

The issue in have found is wales is the best place in UK for stargazing and driving up the steep hills in pitch dark in a Lutan van is ... terrifying....

Hence i want to get one of these portables as they will easily load into the back of my Land Rover.

[estwing]

Dannys still got his scope which was built by rustysplit...fantastic quality a real work of art...was for sale at £1800....for me strength wins over any UC scope the last thing you want to do is have balance issues and loss of collimation in the middle of a session

[Scooot]

the last thing you want to do is have balance issues and loss of collimation in the middle of a session

Hi Calv, I'd agree with that, and can only speak of experience with mine. The Canopus has strong elasticated balance supports which I rarely need to attach. I always use a paracorr, and my eyepieces are fairly heavy. The only time I've had to attach the balance "strings", is near the horizon with my 26mm Nagler & paracorr combination, and even then it seems to depend on the day whether its necessary. The scope is exceptionally well balanced.

I've used the scope a lot now, and I check the collimation with my Howie Glatter laser occasionaly. I've learn't that ensuring the truss  tube knobs are fairly tight reduces any movement in the colimation considerably. If I collimate at 45 deg, its only when I move to the Zenith or Horizon that the return laser dot might have moved slightly but its a very minor movement if at all.

So I'm very happy with the balance and the way it holds collimation.