The Mapstar 22" build

[Physopto]

Oh God you and pies!

 

[wookie1965]

It is looking like a cracking build Damian i would not know where to begin, really is a thing of beauty and engineering.

Edited April 5, 2016 by wookie1965

[mapstar]

Thanks for the comments all. I will continue with a little more soon.

[mapstar]

It was time I finished a few of the components and I'd decided a few months ago that the scope would be painted black. 

I chose a range of paint called Protek royal exterior black, with the clear coat also of the same paint. These paints are water based and don't have any nasty chemicals in them. I've heard a couple of people mention that mirror surfaces can be tarnished by the vapours of certain paints, although I have no evidence to corroborate this so thought I'd play it safe.

I had to order the paint direct but I will say that the delivery was despatched the next day arriving the next morning. In all excellent service and highly recommended

Here's the UTA during finishing and also the ground board and cross brace. The inside of the UTA was painted with Wilko exterior blackboard paint again water based. I gave the ground board 3 coats before like the UTA giving them both the clear finishing coat.

The rocker box took me quite a while seeing as it is a complicated structure. Photo in progress. The bearing's were also painted and the bushes glued in for the 8mm attaching knob's to slide through.

I then refitted all the hardware and glued on the formica to finish off the rocker, ground board and bearings

Through the attachment hole's on the bearings I glued in some stainless 10mm (1mm wall thickness) bushes to accommodate the 8mm threaded attachment knobs to stop the wood wearing everytime the scope was assembled/dis-assembled for use

Just the spider/secondary holder and focuser to fit to complete the build up. More soon

Thanks for reading 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by mapstar
Delivery info for paint

[Uplooker]

Nearly there, the finishing line / scope is in sight

[mapstar]

Now all the components were finished it was time for an outing. Here's the scope packed into the car ready for some dark site action

I made a secondary cover out of an old hat with a bit of Velcro on it. Works rather well and the fleecy liner is nice and soft

Unfortunately I forgot to take the proper camera (I've always maintained that I'm not into astro photography!!!)

The stack is 650mm high and fits the boot quite nicely. All the components can be lifted. Obviously the mirror box is the heaviest at around 30kg. The mirror cover I'd fitted four blocks to so the UTA would sit on top above the collimation Knobs. I used a couple of cheap belt straps the type with clip in plastic buckles to keep it all from rattling and moving about through the rocker box holes and around the UTA

Next up the fully built shots once I manage the pics

 

Edited April 9, 2016 by mapstar

[Stub Mandrel]

Did I miss a try of the mirror in its cell?

[mapstar]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Did I miss a try of the mirror in its cell?

Sorry Neil,

Here is the mirror box fully painted Awaiting the mirror being fitted. I put Velcro on the side of the mirror itself and straps on the rear of the box to secure it, in case it decided to fall forwards at lower elevations.

Here it is with the cover and the raised blocks to put the UTA on when it was stacked for transport

Finally with the glass fitted. The surface having condensation on it due to storing in my garage/workshop. It shows the collimation set up and the wiffle tree supports

All ready for the stars

 

 

[Gina]

WOW!!  That sure is a lovely big beasty

Edited April 9, 2016 by Gina

[mapstar]

6 minutes ago, Gina said:

WOW!!  That sure is a lovely big beasty

Thanks Gina

Its taken quite some time but finally finished 

[Stub Mandrel]

:-)

Those pictures are quite hard to understand as my brain doesn't 'see' the mirror!

[mapstar]

It is rather strange to comprehend! 

[Soupy]

It really is a thing of beauty, you are a very skilled craftsman buddy!

[Sporadic Dobstronomer]

On 04/04/2016 at 22:26, mapstar said:

I had four attempts with carbon fibre until I struck on a technique to make it work as I wanted. ...here it is not quite perfect cosmetically but it works brilliant

 

I think this is very interesting and important.  Can you tell us in laborious detail how you did it, or do I ask too much?

[mapstar]

1 hour ago, Sporadic Dobstronomer said:

I think this is very interesting and important.  Can you tell us in laborious detail how you did it, or do I ask too much?

Hi Sporadic,

I can understand everyone wanting to know how it is done, being very open about the rest of my build. It took quite a bit of head scratching and is the only part of the build that I am going to keep under my hat for now sorry to say. I have further plans for it in the future which will become apparent as time goes by.

Hope that doesn't offend anyone

Edited April 10, 2016 by mapstar

[Sporadic Dobstronomer]

2 hours ago, mapstar said:

...I have further plans for it in the future which will become apparent as time goes by.

Hope that doesn't offend anyone

If that means you are going to start selling them then that might solve next year's problem anyway!

[mapstar]

40 minutes ago, Sporadic Dobstronomer said:

If that means you are going to start selling them then that might solve next year's problem anyway!

I'm hoping that mean's SGL will have another build thread to read 

[Physopto]

Good for you Damian.

 

[Mark62]

Excellent read Damian. The build quality is superb and the views are even better.

I had the opportunity to look at several targets last week and I was blown a way with the views M3 is awesome I just cannot believe the colours.

You should be really proud of the scope and not be worried about letting any one view at it or even more so through it

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JRM]

Well done Damian, things came together nicely to say the least, looks fantastic, how I would love to look through the eyepiece bet the views are amazing.

great job and awesome build thread,years and years of starry nights for you to enjoy with the beast for sure my friend, weather permitting of course.

cheers on a project well done, time to crack the bubbly.

Rick

[mapstar]

2 hours ago, Mark62 said:

Excellent read Damian. The build quality is superb and the views are even better.

I had the opportunity to look at several targets last week and I was blown a way with the views M3 is awesome I just cannot believe the colours.

You should be really proud of the scope and not be worried about letting any one view at it or even more so through it

It was great to get out again, shame the clouds came in and spoilt the fun. The seeing was not anywhere near as good as I've had up there though but good all the same

44 minutes ago, JRM said:

Well done Damian, things came together nicely to say the least, looks fantastic, how I would love to look through the eyepiece bet the views are amazing.

great job and awesome build thread,years and years of starry nights for you to enjoy with the beast for sure my friend, weather permitting of course.

cheers on a project well done, time to crack the bubbly.

Rick

Thanks Rick be good to show you one day 

[JRM]

8 minutes ago, mapstar said:

It was great to get out again, shame the clouds came in and spoilt the fun. The seeing was not anywhere near as good as I've had up there though but good all the same

Thanks Rick be good to show you one day 

Will have to put that on my bucket list for sure then Damian

[Mark62]

It  was good to get out and the seeing was better the kielder this weekend lol

[mapstar]

O.k. all thanks for the kind words.

I think its time the scope pics were on so here are just a few hot off the camera

 

More shots next post

 

 

[mapstar]

      

She doesn't look too bad