Dimensions and weight of 14" Dob?

[emadmoussa]

A friend of mine offered to give me his 14" Flextube Dob instead of the money he owes me. While I was contemplating adding the 12" Flextube Dob back to my arsenal at some point in the future, I find myself tempted by the 2" extra aperture (sorry, another case of AF). I did look at the 14" in the past, but settled for the 12". I never saw a 14" in real life, so can't visualise its size. I think I even started a thread on that then. 

However, since the guy is on holiday for two weeks, I'd like to ask if somebody knows the size and weight of the base and height of eyepieces at zenith? The last thing I want to do is get a footstep to reach the eyepiece. I'm only 5.8 (or 5.9 depending on temperature  )  and wouldn't describe myself as 'very strong' either.

I've got a limited space in my conservatory and don't want to make a decision I'd come to regret later on. The conservatory, however, has a double door, 100cm wide, and it's only a matter of dragging the scope 3-2 meters onto the decking - no steps. 

14" owners, please advise. I'm tempted but have concerns. 

 

[Charic]

56 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

I'd like to ask if somebody knows the size and weight of the base and height of eyepieces at zenith?

One of the reasons I'm staying with the 8", the focuser is at a reasonable height when seated.
More aperture will help if its perceptable, and  as long as the scope is still useable/manageable.
Will you have to collect the scope? Well worth a look before you decide!

[Buzzard75]

Depends on the make and model. I'm around 5'10" with my shoes on and with my 12" truss type dob the eyepiece comes up to about my chin when looking straight up. Rarely am I ever looking dead straight up though. My base tears down into a few pieces. The turn table itself is about 40-45lbs. Assembled, the base is roughly 80lbs. The entire telescope assembled is around 125-130lbs.

A 14" dob eyepiece when straight up would probably be right about eye level for someone of our height. With a 14", if it's a GoTo, it's also probably a bit heavier. If it's not a GoTo it could actually be a bit lighter or same weight as there are no motors.

[emadmoussa]

2 hours ago, Charic said:

One of the reasons I'm staying with the 8", the focuser is at a reasonable height when seated.
More aperture will help if its perceptable, and  as long as the scope is still useable/manageable.
Will you have to collect the scope? Well worth a look before you decide!

He'll do a 350 miles round trip to deliver. It's tricky, it'll be difficult to turn down the scope then. 

[emadmoussa]

2 hours ago, Buzzard75 said:

Depends on the make and model. I'm around 5'10" with my shoes on and 

A 14" dob eyepiece when straight up would probably be right about eye level for someone of our height. With a 14", if it's a GoTo, it's also probably a bit heavier. If it's not a GoTo it could actually be a bit lighter or same weight as there are no motors.

Yes, I had the 12" for a while and the eyepiece is about or slightly below my chin level. I understand the 14" is only 10cm longer, which is good, but I can't find info on the thickness/size of the base. The 14" base could be larger than that of the 12" and in this case the overall eyepiece height will be well over 10cm. 

[Stu]

Some info in this link:

https://skywatcheraustralia.com.au/product/14-dobsonian-collapsible-goto/

Puts the base at 777mm and the overall height at 1743mm. I guess the eyepiece height is maybe 15cm below that, perhaps a little more.

Base weight is 46.5kg.

[emadmoussa]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Some info in this link:

https://skywatcheraustralia.com.au/product/14-dobsonian-collapsible-goto/

Puts the base at 777mm and the overall height at 1743mm. I guess the eyepiece height is maybe 15cm below that, perhaps a little more.

Base weight is 46.5kg.

Thanks! Eyepiece height seems OK. 

But...base 46kg?!! Are you sure?  Is it pound or you thought by "base" I meant "total" weight without accessories"? (I tend to be ambiguous sometimes..). I Just meant the scope "pedestal." If that's the weight, then...no way I'm accepting the 14"

[emadmoussa]

Also, I was referring to the non-GoTo system. 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, emadmoussa said:

Also, I was referring to the non-GoTo system. 

Ah, that was for the goto version! More research needed!

[John]

1 hour ago, emadmoussa said:

Thanks! Eyepiece height seems OK. 

But...base 46kg?!! Are you sure?  Is it pound or you thought by "base" I meant "total" weight without accessories"? (I tend to be ambiguous sometimes..). I Just meant the scope "pedestal." If that's the weight, then...no way I'm accepting the 14"

That sort of weight would not surprise me. My old 12" Meade Lightbridge (non GOTO) weighed a total of 36kg (tube and base). In comparison my Orion Optics 12" dob weighs around 26kg all up.

The MDF bases are heavy and the 350P is quite a bit larger and heavier duty than the 12 inchers.

 

[Stu]

This link says the manual base is approx 32kg

https://www.365astronomy.com/SkyWatcher-Skyliner-350P-FLEXTUBE-Parabolic-Dobsonian-Telescope.html

[Geoff Barnes]

I'll try again.

!2", 14" and 16"......

 

?

[Charic]

Non-Go-To here http://skywatcher.com/product/bk-dob-14-collapsible/

[emadmoussa]

Ouch!! That's the same weight as my bike. The difference....my bike carries me, I don't carry it. 

[Charic]

........take the money!

[emadmoussa]

9 minutes ago, Charic said:

Non-Go-To here http://skywatcher.com/product/bk-dob-14-collapsible/

Thanks. It's not a lot heavier than the 12" then. That's probably manageable. 

[emadmoussa]

3 minutes ago, Charic said:

........take the money!

Which means...I'll get nothing. It's been a year already. 

TBH, if I get the money back, I'll order the 12" straightaway.

[Charic]

I would like to try the 12" classic aside my present scope.
I've not been given the ideal conditions yet for observing, but my garden now seriously needs a torch to see the ground after my new fence screening has gone up and the lack of sodium glare due to the new LED's, so can't wait to get out and give it a try, but  will need to try after midnight once the neighbours are asleep ( general house and security  lighting still apply )but overall, my obsy this year should be better than previous years of observing.

Maybe give this long weekend a chance, weather permitting.

[NGC 1502]

14 hours ago, emadmoussa said:

it's only a matter of dragging the scope 3-2 meters onto the decking - no steps

 

The above means you could fit wheels to the base, the type that lock when needed, but of course that would add to the height.   But it sounds like you have big concerns, so I’d be careful......or :-

You say that it would likely be a very long wait for cash, so maybe it would be best to accept the scope, perhaps try it, then sell it on.  A win-win deal, accept and try it, sell it on, and recoup some money ?

Hope it works out, Ed.

[emadmoussa]

5 hours ago, NGC 1502 said:

You say that it would likely be a very long wait for cash, so maybe it would be best to accept the scope, perhaps try it, then sell it on.  A win-win deal, accept and try it, sell it on, and recoup some money ?

1

That's a thought I had, but the question remains, how easy is it to sell a 14"? As far as I know, not many people can handle, let alone afford such scope. 

 

[PaulM]

I have a 12" 300p dob skywatcher goto, the FL is 1500mm and for the 14" 350p the FL is 1600mm so the location of the EP should be ok on a 14" as with my 12" I can sit down if the object is lowish in the sky and can view straight up without needing to stand on anything, I'm around 5' 7"

The tube weights will be comparable and I can lug mine (walk small steps with the tube in front of me) retracted from the garage to the garden over around 5-10 meters, I have straps attached to mine to make this more manageable without them it would be more cumbersome

The base as mine is a goto will be heavier but size wise its manageable so I suspect the same for the 14", I can get the base it through a standard sized door frame at the side of my garage with a few centermeters to spare

See pic showing the door I get the scope through 

[NGC 1502]

2 hours ago, emadmoussa said:

That's a thought I had, but the question remains, how easy is it to sell a 14"? As far as I know, not many people can handle, let alone afford such scope. 

 

Yes, but at least you’d get some money, rather than a potentially very long wait for money from whoever originally owes you.  Tough call that only yourself can fathom what’s best ( or least worse........)

Good luck, Ed.

[emadmoussa]

4 minutes ago, NGC 1502 said:

Yes, but at least you’d get some money, rather than a potentially very long wait for money from whoever originally owes you.  Tough call that only yourself can fathom what’s best ( or least worse........)

Good luck, Ed.

Yes, there's that. I talked to him earlier. The counter offer was, he gives me half and the rest as monthly installments to me or towards a 12". 

[emadmoussa]

2 hours ago, PaulM said:

I have a 12" 300p dob skywatcher goto, the FL is 1500mm and for the 14" 350p the FL is 1600mm so the location of the EP should be ok on a 14" as with my 12" I can sit down if the object is lowish in the sky and can view straight up without needing to stand on anything, I'm around 5' 7"

The tube weights will be comparable and I can lug mine (walk small steps with the tube in front of me) retracted from the garage to the garden over around 5-10 meters, I have straps attached to mine to make this more manageable without them it would be more cumbersome

The base as mine is a goto will be heavier but size wise its manageable so I suspect the same for the 14", I can get the base it through a standard sized door frame at the side of my garage with a few centermeters to spare

See pic showing the door I get the scope through 

Thanks, Paul. I found the 12" quite manageable. I really miss it, had no choice but to sell it when I bought our first house (and lost my job soon after  ). Mine was non-Goto, though. I've already got the Meade LX90 8", so I'd rather keep it Spartan, no electronics, with the 12". Curious, do you still use the stock focuser? That was the first thing I replaced. I even got carried away and ordered the Astrozap shield, which I found to be overpriced and not totally necessary. 

 

 

Is that the Meade 24mm 82-deg in the box?

[Charic]

5 hours ago, emadmoussa said:

Yes, there's that. I talked to him earlier. The counter offer was, he gives me half and the rest as monthly installments to me or towards a 12". 

Will the 14" wipe out his debt to you?  seems like a further stall in getting funds to you!
If you feel the debt will have been paid, then take the scope. Only you  will know if its right, and even if it doesn't fit/suit your needs, its still  a potential good buy for someone else, and you could still get that 12" .