A 10 inch dob in the post?

[domstar]

Hi everyone,

Given that new telescopes are sent in the post, is there anything against posting, say, a second hand 10 inch flextube in the post? Would the mirror be secure? How are new ones packaged?

[DRT]

There is no reason why these cannot be posted provided you have suitable packaging. The mirror is held securely in its cell and is also inside the tube so is unlikely to be damaged. The tube itself is probably at the greatest risk in the event of a heavy impact to the side of the box.

Dobs tend to be delivered in two boxes - one for the disassembled and flat-packed Dob base and the other for the OTA. The tube is suspended inside the box using polystyrene blocks at each end and sometimes in the centre if it is a long tube. this style of packaging is used for all kinds of telescopes so if you browse around the forum or on the internet I am sure you will find some pictures.

[Stu]

Someone kindly packaged up and shipped down to me (from Scotland) a 12" f6 Orion Optics OTA. We agreed that they would remove the mirror in its cell and send that separately just to be ultra safe. The only thing that went wrong was that the OTA clearly got a little squashed at the top and broke one of the secondary  spider fixings which I had to replace. In hind sight I would have requested some form of packaging at the top to prevent this happening but overall it went very well. Double bubble wrapped and then in a double cardboard outer. The moral of the story is always over do the packaging and always assume it will get dropped at some point. The main complaint I get from people I ship kit to is that it takes ages to get the stuff out of my OTT packaging!

[DRT]

This thread contains a picture of a reflector OTA in a box of the style I was trying to describe above. Just think bigger ? 

 

Those polystyrene blocks go a long way to preventing the sort of damage Stu describes. They also protect the mirror cell and focuser.

[DRT]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

Someone kindly packaged up and shipped down to me (from Scotland) a 12" f6 Orion Optics OTA. We agreed that they would remove the mirror in its cell and send that separately just to be ultra safe. The only thing that went wrong was that the OTA clearly got a little squashed at the top and broke one of the secondary  spider fixings which I had to replace. In hind sight I would have requested some form of packaging at the top to prevent this happening but overall it went very well. Double bubble wrapped and then in a double cardboard outer. The moral of the story is always over do the packaging and always assume it will get dropped at some point. The main complaint I get from people I ship kit to is that it takes ages to get the stuff out of my OTT packaging!

I can vouch for that!  

[domstar]

Noooooooo. It's been sold before I could even get hold of the seller. I wondered why his phone was off. I'm a married man. I shouldn't let my head get turned so easily.

[LukeSkywatcher]

FLO really go to town with packing lately. A box in a box in a box, and then all packed with Whatsits. Takes ages to unbox. Not complaining. 

No Gummie Bears. 

Wth!!!!