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Source for Truss poles

weareborg

By weareborg
in DIY Astronomer

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weareborg

weareborg

Posted
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I am in the process of sourcing various parts that I am going to require to rebuild my scope and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good source of aluminium tubing for the truss poles???

As I am not sure of what size I need, I could do with some recommendations. The scope will be an 8" f5. I was thinking of this from B&Q FFA Concept Raw Aluminium Round Tube Aluminium Coloured (L)2000mm x (T)1.2mm x (Dia) 20mm, 2004.5206

Andy

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haitch

haitch

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I was ogling that when I was in B&Q t'other week. Always on the look out for the next project. :)

Have you considered the steel tube? It'll be a bit heavier but I think it's cheaper and, from my experience with tripods, is less prone to vibration

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weareborg

weareborg

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If I was to use stell tubing, wouldnt that add to making the UTA heavier, thereby requiring the need to add extra weights on the back of the mirror box????

I am trying to rebuid my Skywatcher 8" OTA into a portable truss dob, as based on the designs and ideas from 'The Dobsobian Telescope' book.

Andy

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callump

callump

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If you search around you can find TV arial masts that fit the bill quite nicely, and somewhat cheaper than the stuff from b&q.

Aluminium alloy is preferred to steel - the weight of steel changes the balance point a lot, and they are a lot heavier to lug around.

/callump

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callump

callump

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Will depend on the length, but for an 8 tube truss, a la Obsession, a 2" tube sounds overkill to me. On my 20" the tubes are 1", though admitedly as it is fast the tubes are not too long.

For an 8" f/5 dob, the tubes are not going to be longer than 3ft - 20mm, 1.2mm wall will be fine for an 8 tube truss.

/callump

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weareborg

weareborg

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Thanks for the comments and the links guys. Will take a look now. I am thinking along the lines of having 4 truss poles rather than 8. I love the design of the 'Alice' scope but fitting a light shroud to a 2 pole truss would be awkward I recon, and an 8 pole truss for a 8" dob would be alittle over kill. I think!!!! lol

Andy

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weareborg

weareborg

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Well that's certainly given me some room for thought. Never thought of those ideas guys. Cheers for that.

Well I guess its time to start laying out some good old fashioned drawings, onto paper, I might add. lol. I dont have a CAD drawing program, cause I can never seem to get my head around them, so I'll be sticking to the old fashioned way. Much easier I think.

Wish me luck!!!!! lol

Andy

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callump

callump

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I used to use paper and pen and Rotring drawing board - never could get on with the CAD programs either. Then i found OpenOffice Draw - really quite intuitive and easy to use...

Re. Banksticks - a good idea, i did some internet trawling on these as a possible source for carbon fibre truss poles (lighter and stiffer than Al), but have not progressed to actually looking at them in a shop!

/callump

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