Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

Summer scope maintenance plans

FenlandPaul

By FenlandPaul
in The Astro Lounge

Recommended Posts

FenlandPaul

FenlandPaul

Posted
Posted

I had a very pleasant day of tinkering and pottering yesterday, and drew up a list of the repairs, improvements and meddlings that I plan to make to my scopes over the Summer.  What are your plans?  Mine include:

12" dob

  • Attach telrad (currently strapped on - needs drilling a proper home)
  • Move my Antares RACI finder closer to the focusser (it's the other side of the telrad at the moment, so I breathe over the telrad causing it to mist up every time I use it)
  • Attach some carry handles to the OTA
  • Flock tube (well why not?)
  • Bob's knobs for primary, secondary and primary springs
  • Re-attach the eyepiece holder to the base, which snapped off (and put it on the other side - it was always "behind" the scope)
  • Possibly get hi-lux coatings on primary and secondary (not sure about this; when I removed the primary cell yesterday I was horrified by the grime on the primary.  But maybe this is normal when kept in a shed.)
  • Buy a Hotech laser collimator

StatTravel 150

  • Replace tube rings and re-attach dovetail (threaded holes in tube rings are stripped and doesn't hold the dovetail securely)
  • Attach a finder shoe (I changed the focusser and now don't have a shoe)

Other

  • Consider an EQ mount in place of the SkyTee.  Maybe even an AZ-EQ jobby
  • Plan eyepiece purchases
  • Make eyepiece and accessory case, with integrated red light
  • Re-arrange shed to accommodate all scopes.  CUrrently the dob sits in the one at the back of our garden, which in the winter becomes a swamp and I'm terrified I'll slip one day carrying the 12"

I managed to do first and second yesterday.  Lots more to do.

 

I did the first two yesterday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CSM

CSM

Posted
Posted

My plan is to move the observatory a couple of feet, create the plinth which it should have had to start with and rotate the base part so that the door isn't facing the prevailing winds - and rain.  With luck I will then not spend the days after winter downpours bailing it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ouroboros

Ouroboros

Posted
Posted

Spent a pleasant couple of afternoons this last weekend doing a bit of maintenance. 

Took a look at some balance issues with my newish SW ED80, which was a tad back-end heavy with my reducer and 450D attached. I realised yesterday that the dovetail bar that comes with the scope has a slot in it, in addition to the fixing screws at either end. So by reattaching one of the rings where the slot is, I could move the scope forward along the bar which now enables me to balance the scope.  Result. 

I also discovered something new about my AZ-EQ6 that I didn't know, but maybe other owners do. The mount has always moved quite stiffly in the RA and Dec axes, with the clutches disengaged of course, making the balance points difficult to determine accurately.  However, I found that when the RA axis is swung around to make the weight bar and scope horizontal, the mount becomes completely free to swing easily in the declination axis. Similarly if the azimuthal adjustment is reduced to minimum, so the weights point more or less straight down, the mount moves more freely around the RA axis. By doing this I have found it possible to find the true balance points within a gnats whisker.  

I have also spent a few hours revisiting the aligniment of my 200P.  I squared the focuser for the first time, which indeed was a little out. After doing this I felt satisfied for the first time that the scope was correctly aligned, once I'd retweaked the secondary and primary that is. Also interesting to see how much it went out of alignment over the course of the afternoon, presumably because it was sitting in the warm sun. It'll be interesting to see how much my  improved alignment works "in action" under the stars. 

I also rechecked the alignment of my polar scope, which looks pretty good despite my lugging the mount all over the place  for the last couple of years. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jonk

Jonk

Posted
Posted

I'm currently waiting for my custom pier to be made by a friend, once that arrives I'll dig the hole and get the concrete sorted.

Hopefully, I'll have the new imaging scope by then to make it worthwhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mapstar

mapstar

Posted
Posted

Quite a few but other jobs to catch up on.

Install the slip rings on the dob 

Install some fans on the dob.

Finish the chart light I'm working on

Maybe start a new project? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
niallk

niallk

Posted
Posted
On 05/06/2016 at 21:32, Alien 13 said:

If i was a Newt/Dob owner I would give the mirror a dam good clean and inspect it the see if there is more light passing through it than reflected off it.

Alan

Happened to spot this and thought interesting: a 28" Lunar dob - completely intentionally uncoated ~5% reflective, highly transmitive :)

http://www.webstertelescopes.com/lunar.htm

Yup cleaning my 15" primary is my daunting summer task!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alien 13

Alien 13

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, niallk said:

Happened to spot this and thought interesting: a 28" Lunar dob - completely intentionally uncoated ~5% reflective, highly transmitive :)

http://www.webstertelescopes.com/lunar.htm

Yup cleaning my 15" primary is my daunting summer task!

I wonder if you could make a solar scope like this with both the primary and secondary uncoated.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FenlandPaul

FenlandPaul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

5 hours ago, niallk said:

Happened to spot this and thought interesting: a 28" Lunar dob - completely intentionally uncoated ~5% reflective, highly transmitive :)

http://www.webstertelescopes.com/lunar.htm

Yup cleaning my 15" primary is my daunting summer task!

Wow - never seen anything like that before.  I can't help thinking it would be very constrained by seeing, though and who would be able to resist sending the primary off the OOUK for hi-lux coating after a while?  Maybe I'm just a heathen...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Uplooker

Uplooker

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

I wonder if you could make a solar scope like this with both the primary and secondary uncoated.

Alan

You can and it has been done, not by me, but I have considered it. You do not need to strip the secondary, only the primary?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Peter Drew

Peter Drew

Posted
Posted

Just fitted a new dual speed Crayford to the 6" F10 PST mod, the original one was groaning under the weight of the combined PST body, binoviewers and eyepieces. Current telescope job, fitting encoders to the 20" F3.5 Dobsonian.    :icon_biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alien 13

Alien 13

Posted
Posted

With refactors and camera lenses I like them to have some fresh air and sunlight (being careful as to the Suns position) the biggest killer is fungus that eats the glass so a nice bathe in UV is a good option.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.