New Base For Bresser Dob

[johninderby]

Decided to replace the mdf & melamine base on my Bresser 10” dob with one made from marine ply. Will be more solid and will be very durable. Bought a 1220 by 2440 by 18mm sheet of top grade marine ply. Was cheaper to buy the whole sheet from my local,builders merchant and have then cut it into four rather than buying a couple of smaller pieces from a DIY place or online. 

I will be making the base 200 mm taller than the stock one plus with the large castors will make it about 300mm taller overall. Will be getting a teak stain followed by Osmo oil finish that when hardened is tougher than polyurathane. Frightfully expensive though but gives a great finish.

Have rough cut out the pieces using a circular saw and jigsaw. Will use the stock base parts as templates and a router with a template bit to trim the ply parts down to the finised size.and will be making a few circular curouts.

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by johninderby

[markse68]

Looking good- good luck with the build John. I'm working on a much needed base upgrade for my scope too

[Stardaze]

Look forward to seeing the finished job John 👍

[Stardaze]

How's it all coming along @johninderby? 

[johninderby]

Not had chance to touch it this week. 🙁

However have the few last bits needed and have decided on the final design and ready to start using the router to finish shaping the parts. 

[Fozzie]

It's good stuff is that Polyx oil... wear gloves though, takes a bit to get the stink off!  My home made chair is finished in Polyx oil clear, two coats... then topped with 2 coats of clear finishing wax, looks lovely..  

be interesting to see the teak stain, are you useing a pre-stain primer... for the life of me i couldn't find one (i was happy to pay for at least)?

[johninderby]

Using Liberon Palette Wood Dye which doesn’t reccomend any wood stain primer. Will be testing on scraps of the ply of course first. 

 

[johninderby]

Toed the dye on a scrap pf ply and am impressed with how it went on. Colour is really even. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Few coats of the oil finish on the sample piece and I think the colour and finish will be just fine.

[johninderby]

After other things getting in the way managed to get some more work done on the new base. 👍🏻

The  base parts have  been routed to the finished size and holes cut in the front and sides. Some final trimming to be done to get the fit right. Then can fill any chips in the ply and get it ready for staining. Decided to go for two holes rach side as the base is taller than the stock one and thought it looked better.

Still have to build the eyepiece shelf to go on the front. Base will be bolted together using small cast aluminum corner brackets on the inside. Was going to screw it together than decided bolts would be stronger.

Taped together with masking tape to see what it would look like. 🙂

Edited July 4, 2020 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Test assembley before it all gets taken apart and stained and oiled then put back together and the fit of the panels adjusted properly.

Tall enough to use standing up now.👍🏻

Bolted together instead of screwed together. Not a good idea to screw into the end face of the ply. Used cast aluminium corner brackets bolted through the sides. Made an eyepiece shelf for the front.  🙂

Edited July 7, 2020 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Just realised I’d never posted pics of the finished base on the thread so better late than never. 😁

 

Edited July 29, 2020 by johninderby

[Stardaze]

Nicely done John 😀

[AstroMuni]

Looks great @johninderby Is there some kind of a bracket that prevents the rockers from slipping off the mount base (sideways)?

Did the rockers come with your previous mount? or were they DIY

Edited August 3, 2020 by AstroMuni

[johninderby]

It’s standard Bresser alt bearings and they have adjustable tabs on the inside the keeps the bearings in place. 

Edited August 3, 2020 by johninderby