Setting Circles for Dobsonians

[tony4563]

Does anyone know any company that makes the self adhesive digital setting circles for a Dobsonian?

Have you made one for yourself? If so, would you be happy to make one for me (would of course pay for materials and time)

Looking for one for my 12" GSO

Cheers

Tony

[Pixies]

Useful resource here:

https://www.blocklayer.com/protractor-print.aspx

But you will still need a way of getting them printed on adhesive-backed material.

[oscar_camilleri]

this should also help. He also has another video on installing it . 

 

[tony4563]

29 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Useful resource here:

https://www.blocklayer.com/protractor-print.aspx

But you will still need a way of getting them printed on adhesive-backed material.

Thanks for the template. Just what I needed but I don't have a clue about who would do this online or on the high street

[Pixies]

4 minutes ago, tony4563 said:

Thanks for the template. Just what I needed but I don't have a clue about who would do this online or on the high street

Just google for a local copy shop. Perhaps one that does signage/vinyl work. Somewhere like this, perhaps:

https://www.yorkprintcompany.co.uk/?UTM_source=GMB_listing&UTM_medium=organic

[tony4563]

Thanks Pixies. That's a great link to chase up. 👍

[Carbon Brush]

Following this thread with interest, having recently bought a 12" 'no frills' dob.
Perhaps if there are several members in the market for circles, it will work out with better prices?

 

[tony4563]

I've messaged York Print Company and just waiting for a response.

Will update you regarding costs, as your scope is the same size as mine

 

[tony4563]

Quick update for anyone following and possibly wanting the same template.

Due to Covid, I messaged York Print Company  by Facebook Messenger, as the company requested, instead of ringing

The message and request has been seen by them as soon as I sent it, but to date, they couldn't be bothered to even reply.

I won't persue it with this company. They need to take a leaf out of FLO's book if they want to know what customer service is all about.

 

[apaulo]

keep us posted if you get any results. thanks.  paul

 

[tony4563]

1 hour ago, apaulo said:

keep us posted if you get any results. thanks.  paul

 

I will do Paul. 

Its on my tick list of a must have, now 👍

[tripleped]

Is it possible to make setting circles for a Heritage 150p? Has anyone done this?

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, tripleped said:

Is it possible to make setting circles for a Heritage 150p? Has anyone done this?

I thought about it , but never got beyond the thinking stage !

One of the more random thinks went like this : the bigger the circle, the more accurate it would be , yes ? A setting circle CARPET would be better than a little A3 thing on the dob base then ... why have it attached to the 'scope at all ? I observe from the garden, often right over the spot where the rotary drier socket is let into the grass, it's  obviously away from obstructions ...

So , how about turning the entire garden into a giant setting, er , rectangle , by marking the fences at, say,  10 degree intervals ... worked out empirically by observing a star at the required az, according to stellarium, panning the 'scope  down, and marking the fence with glow in the dark paint, or glow in the dark cord, or reflective material ...

 

 

[tripleped]

I actually just received my heritage 150 today and it doesn’t look to me that a setting circle could be attached as I saw in the video referenced above. I don’t see anyway to remove the upright part of the mount in order to allow for adhering the circle to the base   But I’m wondering if a setting circle “strip” wrapped around the outside perimeter of the base with some sort of adhesive would work?Just sort of thinking on the fly here. 

[Stu]

7 hours ago, tripleped said:

I actually just received my heritage 150 today and it doesn’t look to me that a setting circle could be attached as I saw in the video referenced above. I don’t see anyway to remove the upright part of the mount in order to allow for adhering the circle to the base   But I’m wondering if a setting circle “strip” wrapped around the outside perimeter of the base with some sort of adhesive would work?Just sort of thinking on the fly here. 

Seek and yee shall find, on SGL of course!

Not a 150p but a 130p so it shows that with a bit of patience and ingenuity it can be done!

 

[apaulo]

try making the protractor slightly bigger than the base, attach it to the bottom facing up. as long as the numbers and degree marks are slightly over the edge.   should work.

[tripleped]

Of course! Cut out the inside of the circle leaving a circumferential strip on the base with cutouts for obstructions. I knew there would be some clever folks with a solution. Will have to give it a go. 

[Lee from ERA]

I'm a big fan of a setting circle and inclinometer combination for a push-to Dobsonian.  My setting circle is on a plastic disc that allows for a 20+ degree adjustment so once the base is roughly aligned with North I simply find a bright star, check the coordinates on my tablet and adjust the setting circle to match.  For a year or more I always aligned with Polaris  before I realised that any star you have the AltAz coordinates for will do!  I've attached my guide to this in case it helps.

Adding a setting circle to my Dobs.pdf

[apaulo]

when i decided on a setting circle, i went to a local sign makers. i picked the stuff i wanted it printed on, they even offered to print it on alluminium.  they would have cut it to shape but i done it on the band saw at home and left the centre intact. it cost me either 20 or £25. good job works well. 

[saac]

Here's the setting circle we use on the school's 16 inch Dob.  The setting circle measures about 86 cm diameter and is free to rotate around the base. The laser pointer was misappropriated from a hand held circular saw - needs to be permanently fixed to the base.  It's used in conjunction with a digital angle finder,  easy to use and accurate enough to get most targets in the wide field of view eyepiece.   The protractor is laser cut from 3mm ply in individual segments which were glued to a ring of 8 mm ply. 

 

Jim 

Edited January 23, 2022 by saac

[Guest]

I have always wondered why venders don't offer setting circles as an accessory.  They would sell one with every scope.

[tomato]

On 01/11/2021 at 15:16, Pixies said:

Useful resource here:

https://www.blocklayer.com/protractor-print.aspx

But you will still need a way of getting them printed on adhesive-backed material.

+1 for blocklayer, resource used to print base protractor for retro fitting a setting circle to a 16” SW flextube.

 

[Guest]

I had this one custom made out of birch.  The scope will sit inside of it.  Now I just have to make a pointer for it.  

[apaulo]

i found that to get the most accuracy set the dob up as level as possible, it dosnt need to be bang on, i use a very cheap round bubble  level of ebay i think theyr used for caravans, this was brought about after setting up 1 night and after eventually finding the first target i realised my set up was 5-7 degrees out. simple remedy though.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, apaulo said:

i found that to get the most accuracy set the dob up as level as possible, it dosnt need to be bang on, i use a very cheap round bubble  level of ebay i think theyr used for caravans, this was brought about after setting up 1 night and after eventually finding the first target i realised my set up was 5-7 degrees out. simple remedy though.

I made a leveling board.  It serves 2 purposes.  The first obviously to give me a level surface and secondly to raise the scope up higher.  Now I just need an alt guage and I will be set