Durability of Skywatcher Flextubes

[osbourne one-nil]

It's not often that an almost guaranteed clear night falls on a Saturday, let alone one where I'm not going out/being a taxi/have man flu. Yesterday, I spent a good while getting everything ready, had my observing list and even fitted a secondary mirror dew preventer that I've been meaning to do for years...nothing was going to spoil this one....except for falling asleep during match of the day, waking up, going out, and finding my eyepieces were covered in water. Excellent. 

I did what I could with my old eveypieces and never fail to be amazed by quite how much a 12" can show under really dark skies. I actually wasn't sure if I was looking at the double cluster, for example, as so many stars were visible it all just looked a bit too starry!

When I went out this morning to pack everything away, there was a lot of dew, including pools collected on the base. How durable are these particle board bases? I imagine some of the water must have seeped under the joints. Does anyone ever use sealant to prevent this or is it really just a waste of time and I'm worrying about nothing?

Thanks

 

[Beulah]

As an owner of 3 skywatchers over a decade, 1 of which a flextube, the bases are very durable, as long as the black rubber edging is secure. All they often need is a clean and they come up like new!

The problem I've found, specifically with the flextube, is rust. Screws become rusty over time and if there are any scratches on the OTA will also rust. The tension/altitude handles are also showing signs of rust. 

[osbourne one-nil]

Thanks - looks like I need not worry!

[NGC 1502]

 

I’ve made DIY particle board Dob mounts, and before fixing the parts together, sealed the raw edges with 2 coats of PVA, easy to find in Poundland etc.  Then after it’s all together, sealed the joints with mastic, again from sources like Poundland.

But I still wouldn’t leave it outside when not in use, best kept in a dry location.  If its dewy after use, doesn’t take a minute to wipe off the worst of the damp before storage.

Ed.