Getting a big premium dob

[Djoksi]

Hi guys.

I need some advice. I am getting tired of transporting my mass produced 12 inch solid tube to a dark place. The views in my back yard in the suburbs of a town with little LP are not bad at all. But the dark spot is a dark spot, views are much better, sqm 21.5 +.

You only live once. Life is short. I pretty much, but not definitely, decided on an 18 inch premium dobsonian. 95% the chance that David Lukehurst will be my guy. The one I will probably eventually order weighs @~ 90 pounds, the heaviest component being a mirror box at around 45. With my 12 inch, the carrying, loading and unloading is pretty much a 2 men job. There are unfortunatelly some stairs involved too. I was told, everything gets really awkward @ 20 inch plus. David says 22 and bigger. A good quality ultralight ultraportable truss 18 inch should be very 1 man managable(I am NOT excluding a 20 or even a 16).
My questions would be:

How fast the mirror? Pros and cons. 3,6 or 4? I don't like being on any sort of platform. Paracor II either way.

Is it safe to carry a removable mirror box with handles with one arm, like in a "suitcase manner"? The weight is a non issue, but like said there are some stairs and loading in and out of a car would have to be done. Size is the problem, of course. Any sort of transport dolly makes little sense in my situation. This is probably the most important thing: I'd like to be able to do everything alone. Because of the stairs, loading and unloading, being able to carry the heaviest parts like 90 degrees tilted and also taking it through doorways in this manner would definitely put the 20 inch back in the game and in the leading position. Storage is no problem. 3 or 4 short trips before being ready to take a drive are something I am very willing to do.

I am primarily a star hopping galaxy hunter. I don't need a push to, I know my way around the sky a bit, but still like and need some help in form of an app like SS 5 pro. I will not be going for DSC, but instead will use a telrad and a good quality right angled finder. And that's where I also need a rec. I want what would make things easier and show me more, a wider, brighter, better field. 15 x 100 maybe? My 10 x 50 is not something I'd wanna have to use again.

Quality EPs, I got covered.

Thanks

Djoksi

[swamp thing]

1 hour ago, Djoksi said:

Hi guys.

How fast the mirror? Pros and cons. 3,6 or 4? I don't like being on any sort of platform. Paracor II either way.
 

Thanks

Djoksi

Hi Djoksi

May I suggest one of These

I have one on my truss scope and it works superbly.
Without knowing your exact transport/portability issues it is difficult to recommend an actual scope TBH........sorry.

To clarify what I mean is, what one person carries up some stairs easily another may simply not be able to manage.  

[Nyctimene]

You only live once...

How about an 18" f/4,3  carbon dob with a total weight of 23 kg?

Have a look at this: http://nauris.de/index.php/de/mechanik/mirrage

Sorry, but the detailed version is available only in German, as it seems.

Daniel is a well known German amateur astronomer and a blessed telescope and mirror maker.

Well,the price..., but its a joy to look at the photos (you have to scroll down to the end of the page). High end Dobsons at their best!

Hofheim Instruments build a 16" for less than half of the price, not quite as sophisticated and without exotic materials:

http://www.hofheiminstruments.com/16-zoll-dobson.html

You asked for a high end Dob; one of these could be a lifetime scope.

Stephan

[estwing]

I can lift my mirror box with mirror in but it's near my limit so I take it out and its really easy then 

[estwing]

As you can see at F3.9 it's not very tall

[brantuk]

Maybe a bit small but these spring to mind - http://www.sumerianoptics.com/gallery/

They fold down to a suitcase size size and are fitted with a suitcase type handle. Hth

[Djoksi]

Thanks for the replies so far, guys.

I will try to simplify. I never saw nauris before. The prices are extreme. If I were to decide on something like that, I'd rather go with dobson factory. Good quality plywood, they are prettier and even with a Mirrosphere mirror they cost 3000 less. Practically same weight. But I would rather have a UTA instead of a ring. Davids scopes seem to be very rigid, at least they look like that to me. I could live with the price of a 20 inch too, with a 3.6 John Nichol mirror. 

I am starting to look for an excuse to give up on 18 and decide on a 20 incher. Further simplified, the only important thing is the size of the removable mirror box and maybe the ground/rocker box asembly. 

http://www.dobsonians.co.uk/Ultra Portable.htm

 

Like seen here, the box has handle cut outs for lifting. I wanna know how safe is it to lift and carry the mirror box holding at the cutouts or added handle attachments with one arm/hand, only at one side., like upside left or right. For walking with it or going through doors, like with a suitcase. The mirror must be good secured to do something like that, right? Forget the size and weight, is one allowed to carry like that?

Tilting the rocker box when going through doors can't be a problem, there is no mirror in it, I hope.

 

Bluh, I hope I make sense...

[estwing]

You could do that with my box...not with a 20"

[alanjgreen]

I have a 20" lukehurst dob (standard deluxe version, not a compact) and carrying the mirror box is a two man job.

its big and heavy. You can only hold it in the corners. I would not attempt to carry it down stairs!

 

[Djoksi]

22 hours ago, alanjgreen said:

I have a 20" lukehurst dob (standard deluxe version, not a compact) and carrying the mirror box is a two man job.

its big and heavy. You can only hold it in the corners. I would not attempt to carry it down stairs!

 

Yeah, that is huge, I can understand that. 

Does anyone here have a Davids  big UP, or does anyone here know anyone with Davids 18 or 20 inch UP?

 

@dobmob:

From the photo, I see you also have a compact version with a very bulky mirrorbox and you say your 18 inch box is a one-man-carry-possible with stairs and through doorways?!