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Equipment Discussions >> Equipment

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reddog15
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/09/09

Loc: Wyoming

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: Jack Tripper]
#3590173 - 01/28/10 07:42 PM

Dont know if this has happened to anyone But I have had my visual back "Stuck" where I could not get it off the back of the scope or out of the crayford focuser I had to go and buy Rubber wrenchs to get them loose and even that took some yanking,well if this has happened I have the cure PVC tape on the threads since I put that on I have never had that nightmare again

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Booji
member

Reged: 10/12/07

Loc: North Carolina, USA

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3590231 - 01/28/10 08:15 PM

Don't know if it has already been mentioned, but I use Tyvek house wrap as a scope cover.

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reddog15
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/09/09

Loc: Wyoming

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: Booji]
#3590239 - 01/28/10 08:20 PM

Nice this has been a good thread

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DaemonGPF
Redonkulous

Reged: 03/22/08

Loc: Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3590242 - 01/28/10 08:22 PM

Out of necessity to be able to travel to distant locations for remote star parties I had to improvise some important items:

1) Power supply to handle 2 CCDs, 1 mount, 1 laptop, 1 powered USB hub for several nights in a row without recharge. Those "Power Tanks" don't provide enough juice to run my rig for maybe 2 hours stable. So I got a 125AH deep cycle marine battery from Walmart, some terminal rings, an inline fuse holder, a float charger, some fuses, and a cigarette lighter DC plug adapter, all for under $70 new, and assembled a power supply that would hold stable for 3 nights easily.

2) A transport box that allowed me to move a coupled pair of imaging newtonians without having to break down the whole setup. Ended up using some leftover MDF from one of the Arcades I built, bought a few bucks of hinges and metal brackets and built a shaped trunk to hold everything in it, mount included.

3) I wanted a way to pilot my mount in a more simplistic and precise fashion while talking to both children and adult viewers rather than standing within 2ft of my mount hunched over at the controller at all times. So I wrote a new .ini file in NexRemote, hooked up my spare Sidewinder joystick that was collecting dust in the closet, and set up slew speed, menu actions, axis control, and every function possible form the hand controller could be manipulated through the Sidewinder.

4) Not really formulated from the same needs as above, but my LPI is the only planetary cam I have right now. I could never get good contrast on solar or lunar imaging. Then I discovered by accident one morning that the casing is translucent as the contrast on the live view changed as I stood over and shadowed the LPI. So I covered it and concluded that was the problem through a little trial and error. Solution: Black electrical tape. Wrap the casing. Problem solved. Sorry I don't have a pic of it right now.

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TONGKW
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 01/16/07

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: csa/montana]
#3590247 - 01/28/10 08:24 PM Attachment (262 downloads)

I have installed a simple "push-to" system to my C6 on a home made AltAz mount. A digital level (use by builders, the one shown is from Smartool)is used to indicate the altitude angle and a protractor (plastic, use by school children) for the horizontal angle. In use, the angles (both altitude and horizontal) of the sky object are obtained from a software stored in a laptop or Palm. The OTA is then hand pushed to the required coordinates.

K W TONG
C8+CG5 GT, TSA102+HEQ5 PRO, MK67+Voyager, NexStar 6SE, C5+Mizar K, WO ZS80FD+Kenko NES, Megrez 72FD+Kenko KDS, Mini Borg 50, PST

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reddog15
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/09/09

Loc: Wyoming

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: DaemonGPF]
#3590249 - 01/28/10 08:25 PM

Wow

way to go Dude you have a nice set up there and I totally like the joy stick How does that work for you?

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Jack Tripper
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 05/10/09

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: TONGKW]
#3590821 - 01/29/10 04:51 AM

Quote:

I have installed a simple "push-to" system to my C6 on a home made AltAz mount. A digital level (use by builders, the one shown is from Smartool)is used to indicate the altitude angle and a protractor (plastic, use by school children) for the horizontal angle. In use, the angles (both altitude and horizontal) of the sky object are obtained from a software stored in a laptop or Palm. The OTA is then hand pushed to the required coordinates.

K W TONG
C8+CG5 GT, TSA102+HEQ5 PRO, MK67+Voyager, NexStar 6SE, C5+Mizar K, WO ZS80FD+Kenko NES, Megrez 72FD+Kenko KDS, Mini Borg 50, PST

WOW! Now I've seen it all. A home-made Push-To would never have occurred to me in a million years. And it's so amazingly simple. But then again, the best ideas are often the simplest. I could have used that idea a long time ago, when I couldn't find M31 because I couldn't afford Push-To. (Back then it was called Digital Setting Circles - and they cost a fortune!)

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RogerRZ
Whatta you lookin' at?

Reged: 01/09/06

Loc: West Collette, NB, Canada

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: Jack Tripper]
#3590840 - 01/29/10 05:19 AM

I used a fiberglass water treatment plant tank for the dome on my observatory.

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rinalmj
sage

Reged: 11/23/09

Loc: Saxonburg, PA

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: RogerRZ]
#3591224 - 01/29/10 11:02 AM

Quote:

I used a fiberglass water treatment plant tank for the dome on my observatory.

Nice!

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DaemonGPF
Redonkulous

Reged: 03/22/08

Loc: Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3591704 - 01/29/10 02:34 PM

Quote:

Wow way to go Dude you have a nice set up there and I totally like the joy stick How does that work for you?

Thanks. I've since sold all of the scope/mount gear shown above to make room for a new rig. But I still use my sidewinder with Nexstar 4SE I have. It will again be used with my new setup once purchased. It's not much benefit when sitting there imaging, but it's very slick when talking to groups and doing visual work due to the simplicity and extended reach.

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DaemonGPF
Redonkulous

Reged: 03/22/08

Loc: Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: TONGKW]
#3591707 - 01/29/10 02:36 PM

Quote:

I have installed a simple "push-to" system to my C6 on a home made AltAz mount. A digital level (use by builders, the one shown is from Smartool)is used to indicate the altitude angle and a protractor (plastic, use by school children) for the horizontal angle. In use, the angles (both altitude and horizontal) of the sky object are obtained from a software stored in a laptop or Palm. The OTA is then hand pushed to the required coordinates.

K W TONG
C8+CG5 GT, TSA102+HEQ5 PRO, MK67+Voyager, NexStar 6SE, C5+Mizar K, WO ZS80FD+Kenko NES, Megrez 72FD+Kenko KDS, Mini Borg 50, PST

This is brilliant! It's so straight forward and effective. Great example of improv. Well done!

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reddog15
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/09/09

Loc: Wyoming

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: DaemonGPF]
#3591717 - 01/29/10 02:39 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Wow way to go Dude you have a nice set up there and I totally like the joy stick How does that work for you?

Thanks. I've since sold all of the scope/mount gear shown above to make room for a new rig. But I still use my sidewinder with Nexstar 4SE I have. It will again be used with my new setup once purchased. It's not much benefit when sitting there imaging, but it's very slick when talking to groups and doing visual work due to the simplicity and extended reach.

So dont keep us in suspense What is this "Big Rig"

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Doug Culbertson
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/06/05

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3591745 - 01/29/10 02:51 PM

I made a Telrad dew shield out of a Pringle's can and some duct tape. Used ankle weights to counterbalance a truss dob, in addition to the aforementioned Lowe's aluminum tool cases for accessories.

I'm kind of surprised that nobody has mentioned ladders at all. Most big dob guys use them, and I doubt that any of them were actually manufactured with astronomy in mind. Tom Clark's giant ladder excepted, of course.

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DaemonGPF
Redonkulous

Reged: 03/22/08

Loc: Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3591766 - 01/29/10 02:58 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Wow way to go Dude you have a nice set up there and I totally like the joy stick How does that work for you?

Thanks. I've since sold all of the scope/mount gear shown above to make room for a new rig. But I still use my sidewinder with Nexstar 4SE I have. It will again be used with my new setup once purchased. It's not much benefit when sitting there imaging, but it's very slick when talking to groups and doing visual work due to the simplicity and extended reach.

So dont keep us in suspense What is this "Big Rig"

Not telling until first light. Sometime in June, I just had my shoulder reconstructed so I can't do much anyway until then. But, rest assured, I'll find something to customize/fabricate for it to add to this thread LOL.

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reddog15
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/09/09

Loc: Wyoming

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: DaemonGPF]
#3591828 - 01/29/10 03:28 PM

Dang Josh I could be dead by then

Oh well just have to wait

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Dwight J
sage

Reged: 05/14/09

Loc: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: reddog15]
#3592404 - 01/29/10 09:10 PM

I have used surplus synchonous motors and strips of ABS pipe with a theaded rod as a telescope drive. I heated to rod on the stove until it was very hot and then pressed it into a strip of ABS pipe that I had softened in hot water so I could apply it to prebuilt wooden sector. The hot rod melted in a perfect set of teeth in the ABS wheel sector and I was able to use the rod as the worm. I simply attached
the sychronous motor to the end of the rod using a shampoo bottle top as an adapter and had a tracking drive with 75 minutes duration.I used this method to build a cheap Poncet mounting. Another cheap item is nichrome wire from an old toaster or hair dryer, a dimmer switch, and sew the wire between two layers of material and presto - a poor mans dew remover or eyepiece warmer. Just remember to use 12 volts as the power supply and trim down the output with the dimmer switch.

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starsoup
sage

Reged: 06/21/08

Loc: AR

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronomy? new

new

[Re: yowser]
#3592966 - 01/30/10 09:24 AM

I once used drumheads that are on acoustic drums as dust covers for reflectors. They come in many different sizes and colors.....Oh and they rock to!

Edited by starsoup (01/30/10 09:31 AM)

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csa/montana
Den Mama

Reged: 05/14/05

Loc: montana

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: Dwight J]
#3593409 - 01/30/10 01:02 PM

I use the Huggies wet wipe containers for filters, misc. adapters, etc. They come in all colors to please you!

I have several in my observatory. I mark the front or top with a felt tip pen as to what the contents are. They can be stacked, also.

Very, very handy for in the field, also!

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AlienFirstClass
Vendor

Reged: 02/13/09

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: RogerRZ]
#3593981 - 01/30/10 05:37 PM

Quote:

I used a fiberglass water treatment plant tank for the dome on my observatory.

Do you have any pictures of it?

Thanks

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csa/montana
Den Mama

Reged: 05/14/05

Loc: montana

Re: "Non-astronomy" equipment adapted for astronom new

new

[Re: csa/montana]
#3594895 - 01/31/10 04:00 AM

I also use a hunter's vest while observing. They are very handy to put red lights, filters, even eyepieces in. They now have them in mesh, so they wouldn't be too warm in the Summer.
This is like the one I have.

Vest

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