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What do you think of this Dobsonian?

emadmoussa

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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Seems compact for a 16-inch, and I'm guessing the eyepiece is reachable without the need for particular acrobatic skills for a 5.8 ft person like myself?

Any thoughts on the wooden construction? Pros and cons? Is it as durable and sturdy as an aluminium telescope? 

1566260194_ScreenShot2018-06-16at11_12_55.thumb.png.946154d54cfaf9ff663efcfbfbf3eff9.png

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7551_Geoptik-Nadirus-16-inch-Truss-Dobosnian-Telescope-KIT.html 

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xtreemchaos

xtreemchaos

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scopes like that make me drool, I just love the way there put together, I don't see no problem with wood, it makes it more earthy if you know what I mean,i dare not look for the price as I bet it would shatter my dreams. charl.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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1 minute ago, xtreemchaos said:

scopes like that make me drool, I just love the way there put together, I don't see no problem with wood, it makes it more earthy if you know what I mean,i dare not look for the price as I bet it would shatter my dreams. charl.

About £3000 

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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19 minutes ago, xtreemchaos said:

yove gone and done it, my dreams shattered ?, na thats quite a good price for a fine beast like that. charl.

You're welcome!! ;) But seriously, I'd love to have one, but  I still find it quite expensive for what it is. Also, I'm not 100% sure about the wooden construction. How does it - in the long run - handle moisture for example?! Is it laminated...? I don't know... 

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DRT

DRT

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I have seen one of these in the flesh in the Rother Valley Optics showroom. It might have been a slightly smaller version than the 16" but basically the same construction.

The guys at RVO are very helpful and I'm sure they will answer all your questions and send you more pictures if you give them a call or drop them an email.

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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If you notice the focuser it is on the UTA at an angle. This means you will probably need a step ladder when the scope is pointed near the zenith. As you will  have to kinda lean over the scope tube to look into the eyepiece.

I know that is kinda tough to understand but trust me as someone that has used quite a large number of large Dobs.
Most large Dobs place the focuser on the side making the eyepiece more accessible at higher altitudes. Obviously it makes it more of a grovel when the scope is near the horizon but few observe down there. 
When choosing focuser position it is one of the things you have to weigh up. As I tend to use my scope at higher altitudes I opted for the side positioning :thumbright:

 

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NGC 1502

NGC 1502

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1 hour ago, emadmoussa said:

 

Any thoughts on the wooden construction? Pros and cons? Is it as durable and sturdy as an aluminium telescope? 

Depends on what is meant by “wood” .    If it’s MDF, I personally think that’s not suitable. A friend had a 14” Beacon Hill Dob with an MDF mount, it warped and gave very poor movements, even though it was otherwise a great scope.

If it’s exterior good quality ply and is well made and sealed, no problem. My local club’s 15 year old 16 “ Dob with a DIY plywood mount still works fine.

Ed.

 

 

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Paz

Paz

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It looks great, that's for sure. The wood coating/painting would need to be of the right sort and applied well. My dob is metal but my equatorial platform is wooden. The eq platform has thick marine paint which protects from the elements and has done a perfect job so far.

I agree with the comment re eyepiece angle. With a solid tube in rings you can adjust the angle infinitely, and some truss rod dobs allow a couple of choices of angle (e.g. explore scientific). My vx14 is at 45 degrees but I'm going to move it closer to being straight out sideways for exactly the reasons swamp thing mentions.

Something to get an understanding of is how rigid the scope is, how much weight at the eyepiece before the secondary cell moves, how much altitude change before the primary moves, and how fickle or easy it is maintaining overall balance with different weight eyepieces.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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3 hours ago, L8-Nite said:

The website quotes €1920. , which currently works out to about £ 1725. so Charl, your dreams may not be so badly shattered after all ?

Only the shell. No mirror or focuser, I think. 

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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4 hours ago, swamp thing said:

If you notice the focuser it is on the UTA at an angle. This means you will probably need a step ladder when the scope is pointed near the zenith. As you will  have to kinda lean over the scope tube to look into the eyepiece.

I know that is kinda tough to understand but trust me as someone that has used quite a large number of large Dobs.
Most large Dobs place the focuser on the side making the eyepiece more accessible at higher altitudes. Obviously it makes it more of a grovel when the scope is near the horizon but few observe down there. 
When choosing focuser position it is one of the things you have to weigh up. As I tend to use my scope at higher altitudes I opted for the side positioning :thumbright:

 

The reason I'm interested in this scope is the height of the eyepiece for a 16-incher. By looking at the assembly video, it appears OK. 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'focuser on the side.' I had a 10-incher and 12-incher before and both had the focuser on the side. I thought that was the standard. 

 

1741928358_ScreenShot2018-06-16at17_11_29.thumb.png.acf0f4335b76af849c40db8631afb8b6.png

 

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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3 hours ago, Paz said:

I agree with the comment re eyepiece angle. With a solid tube in rings you can adjust the angle infinitely, and some truss rod dobs allow a couple of choices of angle (e.g. explore scientific). My vx14 is at 45 degrees but I'm going to move it closer to being straight out sideways for exactly the reasons swamp thing mentions.

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Ply, I think. 

I'd love to have an Orion Optics 16xx, like the one Moonshane has. But unless I find a secondhand one, it remains way beyond my budget. 

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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26 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

The reason I'm interested in this scope is the height of the eyepiece for a 16-incher. By looking at the assembly video, it appears OK. 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'focuser on the side.' I had a 10-incher and 12-incher before and both had the focuser on the side. I thought that was the standard. 

 

 

 

After watching that video I agree that height looks okay. (unless that guy in it is 6' 4" :D  

What I meant was. Look at where the focuser is on my 20" Dob.DSC_0011.thumb.jpg.bd890d395e070170e3e04b536a0deda0.jpg

The focuser comes out on the side. 
look at where the focuser is on the scope in your first post. The focuser is at an angle. 

If the focuser was on mine at an angle I would be on a ladder nearly all the time. As it is I only need a small step when it is pointed right at the zenith. Hope that makes sense :) 

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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1 minute ago, swamp thing said:

After watching that video I agree that height looks okay. (unless that guy in it is 6' 4" :D  
look at where the focuser is on the scope in your first post. The focuser is at an angle. 

 

I see what you mean. The Skywatcher Flextube 12" I had, had the focuser at an angle too. I guess I was thinking of that as being on the side. 

I pretty much doubt they hire NBA athletes to do astronomy ads. He's 6ft max, I'd think. 

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I usually drool over these types of scopes also. Have to admit that im not drooling over this one. Its made of layered plywood. Thats gonna need weather proofing. Wood expands and contracts due to weather and temp. This could mess with the optics (which are not included).

All just looks a bit flimsy to me, but what do i know.

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