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Whats your next project!

Doc

By Doc
in DIY Astronomer

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Doc

Doc

Posted
Posted

Whats your next project for your scope.....

Mines to make an observing table. It will carry the laptop and most of my eyepieces. It must also be easily folded away and be able to be carried easily.

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Joel

Joel

Posted
Posted

mine is to install a converter in my car so i can use my laptop in there so when i drive to places for a look up a can use stellarium, i think tonight im going to look for clusters

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centroid

centroid

Posted
Posted

Mine will be to widen the aperture (slot) in obsy roof, to give me more time before having to rotate the turret during imaging sessions.

This will entail making a new (wider) sliding roof hatch to go with the wider slot.

No rush, so sometime over the summer will do nicely :)

Dave

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

Posted
Posted

Joel - I prefer to use a 12V laptop PSU rather than runnng the laptops mains PSU from an inverter some laptop mains psu's wont run of the cheaper inverters...

Dave - the only problem I have found with the much wider aperture is you get a lot less protection from the wind... can't have everything I suppose... perhaps a folding shutter design so you can vary it?

My summer project - blackout blinds for the bedroom so i can get a decent kip...

Peter...

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Helen

Helen

Posted
Posted

Obs: get the roof runing more smoothly and quietly, set up the USB hub, run 12v cable from Maplins transformer to the pier (and tidy it up a bit in there!)

Pimp the Dob:

- get the az bearing working smoothly (I found on the weekend that the metal bearing plates must have been misaligned in the past and one has buckled a bit - which might explain the not-so-smooth movement!);

- get the shroud fitting properly

- flock the tube, blacken all white bits

- wash the mirror

- get the wixey attached and sort out the PDA and programme

- fine tune the counterweights

- add wheels!!

Get the SP mount set up so that it can take a dovetail

Should keep me busy for quite a while :)

Helen

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Reggie

Reggie

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Posted

My current project is learning enough C# so I can write some drivers for a couple of hardware projects I've got.

the satcatcher looks cool, I've got one of those lenses too.... I did want an observing table for the laptop but hopefully when I finally move I will have access to a 'swiss chalet' which has 'lectric plumbed in already which will be an ideal warm room.

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philj

philj

Posted
Posted

Loads of em

Line the inside of the obs with plywood

Run a mains supply to teh obs, purely emergency backup as primary leccy in the obs is solar power.

Sort ventilation out for the obs

Sort a finder out for the ZS80 when I'm using it for visual on its own.

Make a bino braclet for fitting on my Giro mount as well as making a pier type extension for the Giro

etc...........

Phil

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acey

acey

Posted
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I'm compiling my observing lists for autumn.

Will try making a longer dewshield for the 12" as standard camping mats aren't wide enough.

Maybe do some flocking too.

Looking for a nice box to put all my books, eyepieces etc in, as it takes me too many trips to load up the car.

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gliderpilot

gliderpilot

Posted
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I am nearing completion of an 8.5" reflector which will need a dob mounting. It has been designed to flat pack for travel in the back of the car. I really must write it up here one day as it is starting to look finished.

Mark

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themos

themos

Posted
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  1. Make a secondary dew heater for the 12" Dob, I think I have all the materials (wires, resistors, heat insulator, voltage regulator etc)
  2. Make a Bahtinov Mask for the Dob. I have plenty of "polypro plastic" from an unwanted art portfolio
  3. Make an artificial star so I can practice collimation
  4. Experiment with the primary fan baffle
  5. Clean the 12" mirror
  6. Rig up heater and external power for green laser
  7. Get guided piggyback shots sorted
  8. Print out and laminate star charts
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daz

daz

Posted
Posted

Get the pier cut to the right height

Mount the mount and get accurately aligned

Line the inside of the obsy with board

Construct an interior lightbox on one wall

Plan the power and lighting needed

Was going to run mains, but Phil - do you have more details on your solar power rig? I have a large leisure battery to run "stuff" on, but would be the charging that the solar power is needed for....

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NickH

NickH

Posted
Posted

Multiple parts

1: A Calibrated light box for CCD testing and flat fields (thermally stable flat field, cooled light box)

2: Taking the PST to 150mm in Cak and H-A

3: Sodium line filtering for Solar (Lunt have a prototype now)

4: Observatory in place (builder working on that in August)

5: Upgrade the imaging cameras ... :-) (something new coming got me excited)

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Beulah

Beulah

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Posted

I am going to fit a handle to the tube of my scope - being left handed, I have to "reach over" to nudge the telescope, and obviously the fine motor control is in my lefthand. I find myself gripping the top of the telescope tube, and I don't like it.

The problem I have is when I am wearing gloves, or holding an eyepiece, I am paranoid about fibres shedding from the gloves, or even something I am holding dropping into the scope and hitting the primary. I'll try and hold the finderscope bracket instead, it's just dayam awkward!

So a handle to the side or just below the scope will stop that nasty habit.

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acey

acey

Posted
Posted
I am nearing completion of an 8.5" reflector which will need a dob mounting. It has been designed to flat pack for travel in the back of the car. I really must write it up here one day as it is starting to look finished.

Mark

Please do - I have an 8-inch mirror set that I'm looking to use in something similar if I can.

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colinheath

colinheath

Posted
Posted

Put a decent guide scope/finder on my 127 mak as cant find anything at present:(

Pier for the scope as tripod is terrible for vibration

buy a good book on astro imaging with ccd vid camera (neximage) to read on hols:)

Build power box for dew shield I have (astrozap)

Learn my way round the sky!

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