Experienced ATM builds CarbonFiber Tubed 18" Newt

[Woodrow F Caul]

And so it Begin's.. 

Before I start, my Telescope making background on the 3 largest scopes I've done.

This white 20" Cassegrain, I didn't build, but I dismantled at University of Colorado Boulder and moved it (with the help of Riggers)  to a bed and breakfast Observatory called the Star Hill Inn, and Reassembled + aligned, and tuned the Worm gear drives. 

Anybody recognize Gene Shoemaker?

[Woodrow F Caul]

2nd:  This is a 20" Classical Cassegrain at The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton, Ohio. Originally installed in 1969, it was unusable in 1993 when I spent 8 months Restoring it.

[Woodrow F Caul]

#3 in 88 I built this 12.5 " F/11 Planetary Newtonian for the Miami Valley Astronomical Society's John Bryan State Park Observatory. Using the mirror & Secondary that they owned. It features 2.25 Stainless Steel axels in Pillow Block Bearings & Rotating Rings.

Best view of Mars's Polar Ice Cap I've ever had... Was in this!

Colors were left to my discretion so it's Scarlet and Grey ! O-H

Edited September 6, 2020 by Woodrow F Caul

[Woodrow F Caul]

So, I buy Astro stuff at the Amazon freight Auction in Wilmington Ohio.

I saw this 18" Skywatcher Stargate mirror at the Auction.. I actually was prepared to go as high as 1400, but I was fortunate enough to get it just  $330 usd

[CraigT82]

46 minutes ago, Woodrow F Caul said:

#3 in 88 I built this 12.5 " F/11 Planetary Newtonian for the Miami Valley Astronomical Society's John Bryan State Park Observatory. Using the mirror & Secondary that they owned. It features 2.25 Stainless Steel axels in Pillow Block Bearings & Rotating Rings.

Best view of Mars's Polar Ice Cap I've ever had... Was in this!

Colors were left to my discretion so it's Scarlet and Grey ! O-H

Amazing scope, but how on Earth do you look through that eyepiece?! 

[Woodrow F Caul]

I ordered Seamless Carbon Fiber tube material 5.8oz/yard to make it 1 layer thick, Very Strong and it's optimal size is 21" Diameter at 45° fiber angle. This Braided Sock has a +/- 20% diameter size depending on the braided strands intersect angle.

By my Calculations  this 6.8 ft X 22 in Diameter O.D. tube will weigh around 5lbs.

Next step is to build a Rotating Mandrel to put the Carbon Fiber Sock on to infuse the Epoxy resin into it.

Gonna be FUN !

 

[Woodrow F Caul]

32 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Amazing scope, but how on Earth do you look through that eyepiece?! 

I KNOW, RIGHT!?? LOL

There's a Nice roll around Ladder , AND it has rotating Rings, so the tube rotates putting the eyepiece at the best Angle for viewing, relative to what you're looking at in the sky , on the big German equatorial Mount .

Edited September 6, 2020 by Woodrow F Caul
forgot to mention rotating rings

[markse68]

On 06/09/2020 at 21:16, Woodrow F Caul said:

I ordered Seamless Carbon Fiber tube material 5.8oz/yard to make it 1 layer thick, Very Strong and it's optimal size is 21" Diameter at 45° fiber angle. This Braided Sock has a +/- 20% diameter size depending on the braided strands intersect angle.

By my Calculations  this 6.8 ft X 22 in Diameter O.D. tube will weigh around 5lbs.

Next step is to build a Rotating Mandrel to put the Carbon Fiber Sock on to infuse the Epoxy resin into it.

Gonna be FUN !

 

 

 

Hi Woodrow, amazing scopes you’ve built already and this new project will be very interesting to follow i’m sure. Just out of curiosity, what made you choose a solid tube over the more common truss dob format?

Mark

[Woodrow F Caul]

Thank You! Its My Labor of Love.

I'm going to try something new and I haven't said it because I don't know if I can do it , or not. But I'm going to TRY TO incorporate 2 linear bearing races in circumference of the actual carbon fiber tube. So then all it takes is a fairly thin cast aluminum outer bearing race (with rod braces to the other rotating rings)  so basically it's a low profile rotating ring system where the bittom race is built into the tube and it's going to be either aluminum u channel or possibly stainless steel, molded directly into the carbon fiber Tube.

And then, it goes on a eq8.. if I can keep the weight down..

I ordered 4 boxes of the Double wide, plastic caged linear needle bearings FF3555ZW

So , long story short-

"TOO LATE!!" 

not a Dob, going to try to make low profile rotating rings and put it on a German equatorial.

Edited September 9, 2020 by Woodrow F Caul