Whats your next project!

[Doc]

1st on the prototype, well the one after yours and Steves...

On a more serious note Carl if you need help making one just ask and I'll walk you through it.

[dark knight]

Mick, if you could sort it out in the software and email the generated pdf that would be fantastic mate.

[Doc]

Mick, if you could sort it out in the software and email the generated pdf that would be fantastic mate.

OK leave it with me.

Can you measure the 12" base. I need to know the exact diameter.

[angusb1]

1 Spreader plate for my tripod because it didn't have one when I bought it.

2 Tube rings for my 10" reflector so I can mount one of my refractors on it.

3 A wooden chest to keep and transport my reflector in, another one for my mount and tripod, and a box to keep all my eyepieces and nicnacs in.

[gary1968]

My next project, I'll have to chop a bit of my Pier, and then weld it up again, to suit the reflector I have just bought. The pier was set up to suit refractors and a sct I used to have.

Following that I'll have to make a suitable box for the reflector.

Busy, busy, busy. Roll on the dark nights so that I can relax and use the astro kit for what it was intended........

Gary

[Moonshane]

I am going to make a 'proper' parallelogram mount for my small bins (but that will be able to handle larger bins eventually).

I made one out of bits and bobs http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/105230-home-made-parallellogram-mount.html#post1444296 but want to make a stronger all timber one with a little more 'finish' to it eventually.

[yeti monster]

My main summer project is to have the 10" SNT all ready and sorted for the autumn. I have a 2" SCT Crayford to adapt to fit, finish painting the Dob mount/frame and attach assorted bracketry and shelves etc.

Also I want to get the TAL-1 all focussy and then have a bit of a clear out of stuff that isn't required.

Also ye olde Prinz is in need of some refurbishment.

So plenty to do but nothing too taxing (as yet).

Seeing as I have so many other interests, I'll be up to something all day every day.

[Doc]

My next project is a huge one and will take some time.

1. Sell the Dob

2. Build a pier in the garden near the conservatory.

3. Buy a Celestron CPC 925.

4. Buy a Watec 120N video camera

5. Run wires into the conservatory through conduit underground.

6. Operate Scope/Watec via my laptop.

7. Grab frames onto laptop via USB grabber

8. Join Laptop to 32" TV via HDMI

9. Sit back and enjoy.

[Moonshane]

wow Mick sounds like you'll be busy!

[OzDave]

1. Writing EQMOD-like software for my EQ mount to run on Mac.

2. Writing some guider/webcam software to run on a Mac.

3. Writing an iPhone app to assist with polar alignment.

4. Might build myself a pier at my country villa. Would like an obsy, but can't see the wife allowing it.

There is quite a dearth of Mac software for astronomy, so I'm writing my own stuff and will hopefully make it available for others once it's ready and useful. Plus as a professional software engineer, its pretty fun to do also.

[Peter Drew]

Build a 80mm or larger Ha binoscope, rebuild the 30" and mount it equatorially, finish the 18" F3.5 astrovideo reflector and fit up the 8" Camera Obscura. Ask again in a couple of years!

[yeti monster]

Camera obscura? Cool!

[cdd2455]

Hi

I have an thought that may turn into a project.

I use my TV101 almost exclusivly for Halpha, I love it, started out with a SM40 and BF10 then after a couple of years, in 2005 bought a SM90.

Occassionaly to get that bit more resolution I carefully lay the old SM40 on top of the SM90 ( a poor mans double stack ) and I do get better surface detail but at the cost of a lot lot less aperture, and it looks silly and it's unstable. As you can hopefully see in attached pictures.

My thought is to design and build a optical system where the SM90 stays at the front but the SM40 is mounted closer to the BF10 intercepting the light cone where it is 40 mm in diameter.

Perhaps / maybe I'll get around to it this year, I certainly have the urge, dont know if I have the ability.

Best Regards and Clear Skies

Carl

[John]

I'm spending the Summer fine tuning the performance of my 6" F/8 achro refractor fitted with an Aries Chromacor corrector. It's an iterative process but I've taken a big step forward now that I've managed to get the scope in good collimation (not as easy as it sounds as mine does not have the collimatable objective cell). Getting and keeping the Chromacor exactly centered on the optical axis within the so so tolerances of the standard R&P focusser is the next challenge - I may have to invest in a new focusser for the scope if I can't nail this in the standard item.

I've invested in a couple of Circle-T ortho's to use with the scope as the Chromacor is said to dislike complex designs although it's not doing too badly with my Nagler T6's so far.

My aim is to get near-to-apo level performance from the scope which, from the reviews I've read is feasible if I perservere and pay attention to fine details

I seem to have "lucked out" in even getting hold of one of these things judging by the reactions I've had on the "Cloudynights" forum. Heres a few pics of the little beastie:

[Moonshane]

I told a white lie in my last post on this thread. I forgot that I had to fit the Skywatcher Dual Speed Crayford to my dob. I removed the old on (which I'm selling) and cleaned it all up. This also meant removing the base for the Telrad as it was in the way - the base of the Crayford is much wider than the old focuser.

I'll stick it back down with some more Halfords number plate stickers in due course.

The hole in the tube was more than adequate but as the fixing holes were much wider I had to drill four new holes in the OTA. Therefore I set the tube horizontally, removed the secondary and then set about marking and drilling. After cleaning out the odd shard that fell into the flocking, I fitted the base plate. This done I then fitted the focuser body to the base plate using the grub screws. Finally, I glued the flocking back down where I'd lifted it slightly to tighten the nuts and refitted the secondary, followed by a full collimation. Half an hour in total and a really straight forward job despite the drilling of the OTA - at least I didn't have to widen the large drawtube hole.

[albedo0.39]

Only one projects on the cards right now,

Build a new lightweight base for my Dob, with new bearings made from marine ply.

Oh, and finish the light-o-matic aperture increaser system (as designed by Wallace)

[yeti monster]

Build a new lightweight base for my Dob, with new bearings made from marine ply.

Not exactly renouned for it's low coefficient of friction, marine ply.

[jnp]

Wow I remember posting on this almost 1 year ago and to my astonishment I actually completed all the projects I mentioned at the time!

I suspect this next lot will be much harder:

1) Build a spectrometer for astonomical use

2) Build a pier (getting my 'planning permission' will be the main issue )

3) Develop a standalone telescope controller (slew, track, goto + guide) using an Arduino

cheers

John

[PaulC-I]

Mines going to be....a 7" F15! Not sure if a 16 sided lightweight wooden tube or open truss type.

Will post up as I progress.

[Stu]

Short term, fabricate a better accessory tray for my tripod which has proper slots for lenses and accessories so they don't keep falling off!

Medium term, sort out autoguiding on my mount, just need a few additional bits and bobs to get sorted

Longer term, build myself an Observatory. Plans are done (in my head!), garden is now available, just need to crack on with it....

[albedo0.39]

Not exactly renouned for it's low coefficient of friction, marine ply.

Depends if it's been on the Cod Liver Oil.

[The Warthog]

Don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but I have a 11/5" f/6.2 mirror to make into a dob. I'm planning to use 3/4" birch ply for the base and mirror box, maple dowel for the struts, and laminated birch ply for the top end. Should be fun.

[George]

1. Change from wifi to ethernet in the observatory.....done

2. Motorise the roll off roof ...... done

3. Build a PC controlled focuser ......done, software in progress

4. Repaint the observatory

5. Lap the EQ6 RA gearing.....part done, needs a re-lap with fine polish

6. Supercool the DSLR (definitely will be done this year)

7. Collimate the focuser on the ED80 .....done

8. Clean the optics on the 250PX .....done

TBH with only 3 images to show for the whole of winter 09/10 I don't know why I bother

[Gill Rockwell]

to have a decent chat with mr. weatherman.

[Dante]

Mine - This summer I have a list to do:

Strip and re-build my HEQ5 - sounds like it needs a bit of TLC.

During the HEQ5 strip fit an LED illuminator to the Polar Scope which will be controlled by a pot.

Carry out a mod to the control handset (SimpleGpUsb coutesy of Sam the Eagle)

Perhaps mopdify my SPC900NC webcam for long exposures, not sure yet.

Setup autoguiding using my AZ70 and link everything to my laptop.

Dew control - last winter my kit looked like it had been in the shower.

Arduino ? If I make the grade then I will be following (aping) Guy Webb's progress here. Dew Control, Focus control and perhaps GoTo capabilities. Depends on the learning curve and Guy of course.

Housing everything - Now that is a longterm project which my beloved will have a great deal of input - you know what I mean:D

Maybe Astro Society Sec AGM coming up soon, so that will keep me busy I suppose

Learn the sky and read lots and lots of books.

Yup, I think I shall be busy:)