DIY Drum Scope

[RFE3]

A few More Photos of the Base.

[RFE3]

I finally got to do a little more work on the Carbon Drum and the side plates. Got the side plates laid up and a few layers of Clear Coat shot on it to deepen the effect. After a few min. (HOURS!!!) on the Buffing wheel it's starting to look really nice.  After I get it buffed I'll send it out to have the holes for the Lens and Focuser Tube milled and then I can start piecing it together. I still have a few small parts to print for the Base and a couple of shafts to Turn, but it's coming along. I finally found a 120mm Diagonal mirror for a reasonable price (€400) for the first mirror. I'm having it Water Cut into a round form and then will probably have to have it recoated afterwards. Even though I had the Telescope and can do almost all of the Carbon Fiber work myself this project is still  going to run over a €1000.... If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have gone with the 127mm (5") Lens, the mirrors alone for this size will be almost €800. If I had gone with a 100mm Lens they would have been about half the price. It'll still be a lot of Telescope for the size and weight. My newest weight estimate is about 3kg's for the Drum w/Lenses and mirrors and about another 2kg's for the base.

 

[spaceboy]

I think I know what Gina's next project is going to be

 

[Gina]

Oh you do - do you??

[Peter Drew]

Pleased to see that the project is coming along nicely. I would however advise against having the mirror cut to a different shape unless it is absolutely necessary, the removal of glass by whatever means could spoil its original figure.  

[RFE3]

10 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Pleased to see that the project is coming along nicely. I would however advise against having the mirror cut to a different shape unless it is absolutely necessary, the removal of glass by whatever means could spoil its original figure.  

I thought about that but there's not enough room in the radius for the Diagonal. It would mess with my distances between the other mirrors and force me to use larger (and more expensive)     mirrors for the Second and Third surfaces. I have not been able to find a round 120mm mirror for less than €800.