Dob base build begins!

[mapstar]

22 hours ago, Daz69 said:

I'll only end up tripping over it if it was black   

Yeah I walk into mine regularly 

[Demon Barber]

Nowt to do with color----------- it`s a whisky wobble, tee hee!

Mike

[Daz69]

1 hour ago, swamp thing said:

Great job, looks ace in White 

Thanks Steve. I quite like it now it's near completion  

[Daz69]

2 hours ago, estwing said:

Anything but lasers!

I'm not wanting to use one either, and I'm working on making an illuminated pointer where the light will be diffused and only visible at the tip of the point, so far it looks really good, but trying out a few different styles to see what works best. I don't want it too bright, as once your eyes adjust to darkness it will become more visible anyway. The LED will be underneath the box and totally covered, with just the pointer sticking out, but it needs enough illumination to also light up the degree marks near to the pointer. The laminate covering I used gives some help to that "shine" as well. So far, I've got the point having 6 angles. 2 on the top at 30 degrees each side, 2 at the sides at 90, and the 2 bottom also at 30. Trials continue  

[brantuk]

Nice work so far Daz. Did you consider a red micro light off an old string of xmas tree lights.... I've seen someone use these quite effectively.

[Daz69]

9 hours ago, brantuk said:

Nice work so far Daz. Did you consider a red micro light off an old string of xmas tree lights.... I've seen someone use these quite effectively.

I don't have any old christmas tree lights, and the Mrs would kill me if I cut one off lol   I've got some 3mm red LEDs in my electronics stash, so I'll fashion one with a resistor.

What I was messing around with last night was this. 

Ignore the set up, all I was doing was using just the end LED in a red strip light I use when night fishing for inside my bivvy. The rest of the LEDs are taped over, with just the last one shining through the perspex. 

And this is what I ended up with

I need to refine the angles a little to sharpen the image, but after three attempts I've got it this sharp. 

[Daz69]

Hi guys. Well the box is built and ready to go, having glued on the formica strip around the alt wheels this evening, however the illuminated pointer isn't up and running yet, but that doesn't stop me from using it as I'll use my iphone compass in the base for now. Not that I can currently use the scope as the bad weather has hit us down here. I haven't fitted the tube yet, that'll be tomorrow, but it gives me a chance to collimate the tube so it'll be ready to go when the clouds do clear. 

I'll get some photos up once it's all together. 

[estwing]

clever stuff Daz well done....

[Daz69]

It wouldn't have been done without the helpful advice from you guys, so thank you all for guiding me  

[estwing]

so when are you building your own scope?...!

[Daz69]

1 hour ago, estwing said:

so when are you building your own scope?...!

haha   What is cheaper, Home made telescope or divorce? 

[Demon Barber]

Deffo divorce!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

[fiestazetecmk2]

Nice work.very neat.where did you get the setting circle from.???

[Daz69]

On 18/03/2017 at 00:59, Demon Barber said:

Deffo divorce!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

Mmmm, not sure. Last one cost me in excess of £130k and the house! 

[Daz69]

On 18/03/2017 at 20:12, fiestazetecmk2 said:

Nice work.very neat.where did you get the setting circle from.???

I downloaded it from the internet, stuck it on a stick and the printer done the rest to whatever size I needed. 

[Daz69]

A bit more of an update for you all.

This is the final design of the illuminated pointer.

I set a clear red LED into the end of the pointer by filing a tight slot so that the LED sits up to the LED base collar. I then used some of my clear canopy glue that I use on my RC plane canopies (strangely enough). I gave the pointer some shoulders so that I have more of an anchor point to help give it some strength. I filed the tip at an angle so that the red glow will face me as I look down upon it. 

That then gives me this:

I then cut a slot in the dob box for it to fix into, and the wires will come up inside the box where my power supply will be. I will set this in epoxy so that it doesn't move. And with the lights off, I get this:

Plenty bright enough to illuminate the numbers and the compass marks. The LED will be on a dimmer so if if it's too dim or too bright then I can adjust it accordingly.

Any thoughts?

[Mick J]

Cracking job Daz,  did you spray the paint?  looks really nice and love the setting circle.

[Daz69]

3 hours ago, Mick J said:

Cracking job Daz,  did you spray the paint?  looks really nice and love the setting circle.

Thanks Mick. It was a brush job mate, but each coat was sanded down and was thinned 60/40 so it goes on smoother. I was going to do a 1200 wet sand after the last coat and then cutting compound and polish, but it gets very messy, so I didn't bother. 

[Daz69]

With the sun coming out, I thought I'd get it all set up on the grass, and put the tube on to give you a final few photos. 

[brantuk]

Cracking job Daz and I'm loving the illuminated pointer - very impressive well done.

[Daz69]

Well I tried the scope last night,and I'm very impressed with it's light gathering ability. Focusing gave very little shake to the image, but it quickly settled. 

I turned to Jupiter as it had risen, but it was covered with a hazy cloud high up, however I could clearly see more bands than my 130cm scope was showing. The 4 moons were very wide apart, with one being on it's own and the other 3 opposite. Then the clouds rolled in and the night ended. I'm about to pop out again hoping to catch the Orion nebula before it goes below the houses.

I picked up a cheap spirit level today and whipped the bubbles out in order to affix to the base. I did get one of those round bubbles but it's too small. I will illuminate the bubbles as well (possibly)  

This build has now finished, and the micro adjustment like what others have done will be my next project. 

Thanks to those that have given their advice and/or opinions, as well as all messages of praise. It's great that you "seasoned" star gazers are there to guide us newbies.