50" Dob Installation

[Wardr77]

Not sure if this has been highlighted before, but certainly worth a watch. You know the scope is big when its secondary is bigger than your 12" primary!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAfUBiWOjNc

[Whistlin Bob]

With apologies to Crocodile Dundee- "That's not a Dob, THIS is a Dob" 

[saac]

Anybody else nervous watching them lift the mirror?

Jim 

[Paul M]

It had me worried a few times.

Not the best machine for doing the lift to start with. Why take chances with the mirror lift? I've seen less delicate equipment ruined in better lifts than that!

And another thing, which I thought might become obvious as time progressed; why the distinct top and bottom trussed sections connected with just some bits of bar? Shirly that's going to sag? Why not have the diagonals full length?

And another other thing, shirley they knew it's stowed dimensions? I'd have had that shed opening the right size before all the bods arrived!

And another other other thing, the motors driving the base in/out! How noisy?  Sounded like my NEQ 6 mount

Other than that, I don't do heights these days, it wouldn't do for me! 

[paul mc c]

I actually just watched this last night on youtube.......not your typical grab and go set up.

[JamesF]

59 minutes ago, Paul M said:

It had me worried a few times.

Not the best machine for doing the lift to start with. Why take chances with the mirror lift? I've seen less delicate equipment ruined in better lifts than that!

And another thing, which I thought might become obvious as time progressed; why the distinct top and bottom trussed sections connected with just some bits of bar? Shirly that's going to sag? Why not have the diagonals full length?

And another other thing, shirley they knew it's stowed dimensions? I'd have had that shed opening the right size before all the bods arrived!

And another other other thing, the motors driving the base in/out! How noisy?  Sounded like my NEQ 6 mount

Other than that, I don't do heights these days, it wouldn't do for me! 

It seems the shed was originally designed for a different (smaller) telescope, but yes, it might have been easier to have had the opening the right size first :)

I think the design is intended to mean that you don't have to do heights.  The strange arrangement with the focuser axis being at a much smaller angle to the axis of the primary is I think meant to move the viewing position closer to the ground, which presumably explains the odd angle and large size of the secondary.

I did wonder if it would have been much easier (and perhaps safer) to attach the secondary cage if they'd tipped the rest of the OTA over to near horizontal, rested the secondary cage on its side at a matching angle and then just offered the two up.

James