Meade 178 ED/APO Project X build finished.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

This was my recent project what has finally finished.It was an enjoyable experience and i am looking forward to using this telescope

Full reviews with plenty of pics can be found here:http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/559504-meade-178edapo-project-x-buildreviewfirst-light/

Dude with a "big" tube now.

I still have stickers to manufacture to go onto the tube.

 

[xtreemchaos]

great looking scope, you have done a great job, I think it looks cool without stickers, it would keep people guessing. well done, charl.

[Saganite]

Looks fabulous.

I wondered where you have been lately !

Don't forget that first light report. 

[ollypenrice]

Thee are not many of these in captivity! I remember Ed Ting doing an article on them years ago. Yes, first light report please. It looks glorious.

Olly

[F15Rules]

Wow!! The Dude really is with the Tube!

Looks brilliant and as said above lots of pics and reviews etc asap please??

Dave

[dweller25]

Just read the full story on CN - Fantastic work, well done

[RayD]

Very nice.....and very big!!  Well done 

[Saganite]

8 minutes ago, RayD said:

Very nice.....and very big!!  Well done 

bigger than you think, the Dude is 6' 10".....

[RayD]

1 minute ago, Saganite said:

bigger than you think, the Dude is 6' 10".....

Lol, it's enormous then!  

[John]

What a scope ! - nice work Dude

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

That really looks superb. Eagerly looking forward to your first-light report

[Mark at Beaufort]

What a fantastic looking refractor together with binoviewers. I cannot image the views you are going to get. As everyone has stated we look forward to your first light review. Well done on a brilliant project.

[Timebandit]

2 hours ago, Dude_with_the_tube said:

This was my recent project what has finally finished.It was an enjoyable experience and i am looking forward to using this telescope

Full reviews with plenty of pics can be found here:http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/559504-meade-178edapo-project-x-buildreviewfirst-light/

Dude with a "big" tube now.

I still have stickers to manufacture to go onto the tube.

 

 

 

 

Wooow.  when I first looked at this I thought I had clicked on the Amateur Rocket Building site by mistake?   

What a nice piece of work and what a scope to have in your collection. Would love to live next door to yourself , for a peak now and again. I suppose the mount this scope sits on needs to be a beefed up affair.

Well done and lovely piece of work.

[Mr Spock]

Nice looking scope. There's nothing quite like a big 'proper' scope

[Dude_with_the_tube]

32 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

There's nothing quite like a big 'proper' scope

oh there is Mr Spock,a BIGGER scope lol.next project an 8" APo maybe if i find a spare kidney to donate hahaha.But if seriously,i am chaffed to bits with the outcome and how Meade178 performs.Es did a fabulous job on lens i tell you that.

 

35 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

Would love to live next door to yourself , for a peak now and again. I suppose the mount this scope sits on needs to be a beefed up affair.

Thanks Timebandit,much appreciated.you and anyone else is more than welcome to have a peak when you are up in Aberdeen.Nothing needs to be done to the mount.Az-EQ6GT in Az mode can hold up to 25kg,where scope with everything on it barely hits 17kg so i am well within the limits.All i had to do is to tighten up 3 bolts what holds the cradle on the mount to avoid it slipping.Nothing else.

 

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Thee are not many of these in captivity! I remember Ed Ting doing an article on them years ago.

Not many around thats for sure and if there are,then the ones who got the lens sorted will not part with them,and who ever hasnt gotten it sorted have this scope lying somewhere in the shed gathering dust!Shame really as each lens where hand polished and every single one of them had very smooth figure and are very well corrected.I would not hesitate to recommend getting the Meade 178 even with the first run cells,get the lens sorted and you will have a trully staggering instrument for a fraction of the cost.Sometimes you have to go the extra mile but at the end it was well worth the effort.

I will report back after i will have one PROPER first light as 2 hrs testing time didnt gave me much options to play with magnifications,neither there where sufficient variety of targets available when i had those 2 hrs of clear spell.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

46 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

I cannot image the views you are going to get.

i can give you a spoiler Mark.Moon,M42,Pleiades where like a 3D images in any magnification.None or very little false color,but you have to look for it.

[Telescope40]

Holy moley, Dude. Saw the first picture and thought a Saturn V had just flown into your front room. 

Epic job. Look forward to your first major first light. 

Enjoy. As if you wuddnt. 

 

Regards. John 

[Fozzie]

I like that a lot Dude... Looks fantastic, and the extra's you've taken on board such as the dew shield really set the scope up.. Im sure you'll enjoy that for years to come.

Happy first light to you..

Fozzie

[Chris]

Wow, love it in black and chrome/polished ali? You've really made it yours so please don't rebadge it Meade. 

It's huge!!

[Dude_with_the_tube]

6 hours ago, Chris Lock said:

please don't rebadge it Meade

after some consideration,it will not be rebadged Meade 178,but will have its own name.

[RayD]

8 minutes ago, Dude_with_the_tube said:

after some consideration,it will not be rebadged Meade 178,but will have its own name.

Scopy Mc Scopeface 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

5 hours ago, RayD said:

Scopy Mc Scopeface 

no offense but sounds like a cheep burger

[John]

"Black Prince" ?

 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

38 minutes ago, John said:

 

"Black Prince"

 

not bad i like it.