Your experience and advise are requested

[jackster]

Like many people my wish is to design and build my own telescope for gazing.  Right now, I am researching and saving $'s to purchase a telescope to start with.  During this time, I have also been working on ideas for a 14inch Dobson on a 2 sector equatorial platform.  I have attached a drawing of an idea I have for a carbon fiber tube and birch system, and a spreadsheet for calculating the equatorial platform.  I know there are spreadsheets and design aids available already, but I am one of those people that likes to start truly from scratch.  Not having practiced some of the math skills required for such an endeavour, I would like for some input into what I have done.  I would greatly appreciate feedback concerning my calculations and how far off I might be in them.  The workbook attached has three pages of information.  The first sheet has all the calculation results and formulas I used, the other two sheets offer graphical views with boxes for entering design criteria, and the results.  It most likely is overkill for what I want to do; but, hey, creating the workbook just as fun for me as anything else in the process. 

The drawing of the telescope is a preliminary to just give an idea of how the scope will look when complete.  My main interest at this point is getting feedback on the equatorial platform design tool.

Thanks for any input and advise you have to offer,

Jackster

My EqPlat Calculator2.xlsx

[Icosahedron]

I've no experience building a Dobsonian telescope but looking at your illustration I'd recommend adopting a triangular truss design.

[jackster]

That is most likely what will happen.  Illustration was an attempt to lay out the distances and diameters of rings based on optics.

[mapstar]

Looks an interesting project Jackster 

I'll be watching with interest 

[Moonshane]

On 10/03/2016 at 01:58, Icosahedron said:

I've no experience building a Dobsonian telescope but looking at your illustration I'd recommend adopting a triangular truss design.

definitely otherwise it's very likely to sag.

[Gina]

I know little about Dobs but I do know about engineering and structures and the triangle is a very stiff structure.

[jackster]

I most likely will be planning a triangular truss for the project (one I play with it some more, I will post an updated sketch).  First, I am interested in finishing the spreadsheet I attached for the equatorial platform.  If anyone has experience with this, I would appreciate looking at the spreadsheet and checking my math.  It has been many years since I have dealt with these equations.  While it has been fun, I am sure feedback from those with a more familiar knowledge of what I am trying to do would be most helpful and appreciated.