New 14" Skywatcher Synscan

[pvaz]

I want one too...

[Moonshane]

Shane - I recommend the Kriege & berry book which tells you how to build an obsession-style scope (like I did), plus lots of other practical advise incl. how to make a mirror-cell, Amazon link below:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dobsonian-Telescope-Practical-Building-Telescopes/dp/0943396557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287524038&sr=1-1

Alan

fab. cheers Alan!

I really fancy having a go at this but suspect I will end up buying the glass and making the rest but we'll see!

[Trevor-Austin]

Very jealous, and there I was pleased with my 6"!

[Moonshane]

Very jealous, and there I was pleased with my 6"!

hey the old adage, it's not how big it is but what you do with it also counts with scopes. a well used 6" scope will see a lot more than a 14" that's too big and heavy to be used and stays in a cupboard!

that said, I suspect Stuart's scope will be far from unused!!

[Beulah]

I'm desperately trying to ignore this 14" Dob related thread...

However much I'd like a 16 inch telescope (considering the largest scope in the SW range), what returns me to sobriety is the amount of mods I had to do to my 12" to make it portable in one piece. I think that's my limit.

I know my limits; it's like having the fourth kid...you need a bigger house, a bigger car...a telescope of that size would require relocation with a bigger garden for an observatory. I'm not willing to make that many changes just for a larger telescope, let alone a fourth kid...

[Albireo380]

Sam, the 14" Flextube is MUCH bulkier and heavier than the 12". I have seen and handled both. The Base unit of the 14" weighs about 26Kg and wont fit (just) through a standard internal doorway. The OTA id lighter (18Kg) and easier to handle.

The problem with the base unit is the bulk, as much as the weight. Stuart (Rossco72) disassembees the base into 4 pieces when he transports his. I will load up the car tonight and see if I can manage without doing that. But it will be a struggle.

The 16" must be massive and not really a one man transport 'scope.

Tom

[Moonshane]

I am going to start to look for a 16" lightbridge in the new year when funds allow but will be making a square base for it in the style of an Orion Optics base. this will be 18-19" square and made from 10mm thick sheet ali so will be much easier to carry and transport than the usual base. constructed it will readily fit through a standard door and in the back of the car (a standard hatch) with the scope. this is the main drawback of these larger scopes in my view, they seem badly designed (or rather use cheaper materials which need strength and width) but the new ones seem better with the quick dismantling.

the problem with eg the OO ones though is that the 16" base is £700 on its own! (hence my decision to make one!).

[Beulah]

Thanks for that information, Tom. It makes me feel much better...and I hope everyone buying them enjoys the aperture and not get too frustrated with transportation.

Shane - that's not a bad idea. I didn't know how expensive those OO bases were...I have heard they are built like brick outhouses but are much smaller than the SW bases. I think OO have the edge not just on optics, but on engineering.

Good luck with your plans - I have thought about building a square base myself, but solved the problem with my dob by bandsawing part of the circlular bases off to fit flush on a sack trolley, and refitting the black protective banding across the newly sawn part.

With regards to the 16" LB - hope your ship comes in.

[Moonshane]

Shane - that's not a bad idea. I didn't know how expensive those OO bases were...I have heard they are built like brick outhouses but are much smaller than the SW bases. I think OO have the edge not just on optics, but on engineering.

Good luck with your plans - I have thought about building a square base myself, but solved the problem with my dob by bandsawing part of the circlular bases off to fit flush on a sack trolley, and refitting the black protective banding across the newly sawn part.

With regards to the 16" LB - hope your ship comes in.

cheers mate I agree there's always several options - including making a 3/4 external ply base rather than the ali which would be a lot cheaper but maybe heavier.

I am starting to save like mad for the LB - and hope too I can one day enjoy one!

[titanikk]

Hello Tom sure l ota only 18 kilos weights, because on the Web site in Germany is written about 32 kilos

[gustavo_sanchez]

Very nice scope! Hope you enjoy it!

[pleiades]

One question: What is the height of eyepiece when 14" telescope pointed at zenith?