Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Some of you may have seen my Redneck Astronomy Chair (R.A.C. 1000).
http://www.tulsawalk.com/projects/rac1000/index.html
It works great but I hate not having a finder for it and having to hunt around by approximation, especially since I insist on trying for dim fuzzies like M33 just to see if I can do it. Having a method to make sure I'm at least in the general area would sure help so this afternoon a trip to the shop and I built a fixture for my green laser out of scrap odds and ends laying around.
This first picture shows the parts:
1. Part of an adjustable craft clamp for elevation
2. Piece of aluminum channel mounted to an oak block with screws - PVC held inside channel with JB Weld - hole drilled in the end of the oak block to attach a clamp
3. A piece of PVC conduit cut to accomodate my green laser
4. A clamp that holds my corner clamp down to the bench
5. A rubber foot used as a plug to hold the laser into the PVC so it doesn't slip out.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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|
Pic #2 showing the finder mounted to the chair. Elevation adjustment is provided by the jack in the small angle on the front. Azimuth is adjusted by loosening the rear clamp and simply twisting the block.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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|
Final pic showing the finder from the users perspective.
There is some twisted part of me that just loves finding an opportunity for the redneck side of this geek pursuit. Puts some sort of machismo infusion back into my veins before going to my favorite dark sky location tonight that always brings out the oooohhhh, aaaawwwwww look at that side of me.
Planning an all nighter tonight so will see how it works.
I also filled the open sides of the twisting plastic adapter that came with the Skymasters with epoxy. Stiffened it right up.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Ever since Jeff Morgan turned me on to a green laser I thought about using one with my binoculars too. I was trying to figure out a way to use the mounting hole on the front of the binoculars - perhaps a small hung of bent metal. 
Bino's and lasers seem to be naturals together.
By the way, Pentax makes a binocular mounting arm that is the best I've ever used. Doesn't loosen like the Oberwerk model and not even close to a twisting wiggle like the cheap unit it came with. Highly recommended.
Can't wait for a field report!
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Quote:
I was trying to figure out a way to use the mounting hole on the front of the binoculars - perhaps a small hung of bent metal.
Why didn't I think of that???? Aaaarrrggghhhh.... geeky engineering type coming out in me I'm afraid.
No fancy mechanism to adjust it either, just bend to suit! A couple of velcro straps to secure it in place. Strip of old inner tube glued to the top of the metal strip to stop the slip.
It's even more natural to peek over the top of the binos to line up the laser than over to the right like I have to do.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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It's tough being a redneck ain't it? 
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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What's tough is being so ate up with this hobby that even while I have been loading the truck this evening I've been thinking about this and on my way out the door logged in here to post my thoughts.
It's really easy with your idea. Replace the bolt that comes in the adapter to mount your binos with a longer one. You can get one at Lowe's or any hardware store with a nice knob on the end.
While you are at the hardware store buy TWO 90 degree angle brackets and place them back to back and bolt them on when you mount your binos. This will give a longer surface to support the laser. Again, old piece of inner tube and don't forget to pick up some velcro straps.
And now.......... I'm driving over towards Arkansas to one of my three dark sites to observe with three fellow ATM buddies of mine.
I'll let you know how the laser works, you get started on the simpler one. I'll be looking for your report now which you owe me since you exposed my over engineering. 
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Me and my big mouth.
I like the double angle bracket - now you're cooking with gas! 
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
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Tele
sage
Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 206
Loc: Eastern Oklahoma
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Well Mike brought it out last night and it was a real hit. You could activate the laser and observe the termination point of the beam in the binos. It looked like you were shooting at the stars. Very star wars. Was a good navigational aid for the rest of the field. There were 4 of us here last night at a private star party in Hulbert OK. A total of 7 scopes, ranging from 4 inch f5 to a 14 inch f4.5 and stars down to 6th mag. Mike took some pictures I expect him to post them here later.
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The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!", but "That's funny..."
-- Isaac Asimov
14" f4.56 Homemade dob w/ Raycraft Optics
8" f5 Homemade dob w/ Orion Optics
4" f10 Homemade off axis dob w/ DGM optics
10 x 60 Apogee Binos w/ neb filters
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rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Very cool! 
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Here is a shot of set up, a four seconde exposure under two security lights before we extenquished them for observing.
The laser finder worked great. Made it real easy to show some astronomy first timers some sights in the binos. Sat them down in the chair, adjusted the binos to their eyes and I could stand behind the chair and guide them right to objects using the laser in its' mount. The star wars affect was a big hit with the boys. Way cool.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Well I hope you're happy, I bought a laser today.  I just hope I can live with one and not need a complete set (you know, one for wide field viewing, one for high power and one for vaporizing tailgaters  ).
So, you going to post a pic of your new mount or what?
Nice dog by the way.
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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|
Quote:
(you know, one for wide field viewing, one for high power and one for vaporizing tailgaters )
I'll just stay with the one that's legal for John Doe citizen to own without a permit.
Quote:
So, you going to post a pic of your new mount or what?
The laser mount? Three pictures at the top of this thread.
The dog is Cookie, along with Missy and Molly they guard the chicken farm our friend owns where we were observing last night.
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Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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I thought you changed the mount to a couple brackets, no?
Jeff Morgan has his laser mounted on his bino's - I gotta ask him about it. He has his mounted in turn on an adjustable mirror so you look down. Very easy on the neck. I have the fixed version from Oberwerk. Anyway, the laser bounces off this mirror into the sky and works just fine. But the mount was very slick but I seem to recall some problem turning the laser off and on. Other than that, worked very nice. Just can't visualize it right now. 
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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|
Nah, I said it would have been simpler to mount it that way but by the time you made me think of it I was done with the other one. It works well and I'll probably just stay with it unless I get bored and need to make something else.
--------------------
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Nothing succeeds like success so if it works - there you go.
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Chriske
Kijkerbouw Urania
Reged: 08/15/04
Posts: 1953
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Ron,
Just read this thread, what about this way of mounting that laser. You need to drill two holes in your bino... 
When instructing a larger group of people and have to point out faint galaxys, this unit is a real timesaver.
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Chris
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Way cool. Where did you find that? Any info on where to get them or was it home built?
--------------------
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
- Ptolemy,c.150 AD
Mike Moffatt
6" f8 Coopered Newt/Dob
15x70 Celstron Skymasters
www.tulsawalk.com/telescope
|
Chriske
Kijkerbouw Urania
Reged: 08/15/04
Posts: 1953
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Mike,
Home built, made out of resin.
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Chris
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rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39712
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Well that just looks way too professional for the likes of us. Nice job there.
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
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