Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> ATM, Optics and DIY Forum Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | (show all) Art Bianconi Post Laureate Reged: 03/06/06 Posts: 4659 Loc: Delaware River Valley, New Jer... Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: llanitedave]       #1703841 - 07/07/07 08:05 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Dave these stores run hot and cold on aluminum extrusions. You might be able to make do with a variety of large poles that are used to hold curtain rings. They are in a different department and come plated, painted and bare. Regards Art Post Extras:       Terry1229 super member Reged: 04/16/06 Posts: 144 Loc: North, Idaho Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Art Bianconi]       #1703952 - 07/07/07 09:50 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Also they sell metal broom handles that are colored red, yellow. black, blue etc -------------------- Terry: A 6" f8 dob with 14mm Anteres eyepiece Wixey Homemade EQ & stepper QC pro4000 spc900 homemade ele. focuser New [used] Meade 8" sc ota New [used]] CG5 Post Extras:       llanitedave Humble Megalomaniac Reged: 09/26/05 Posts: 10918 Loc: Amargosa Valley, NV, USA Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Terry1229]       #1704370 - 07/07/07 03:55 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've priced the curtain rods -- way over the top. And the broom handles are too narrow. It's not for my current scope, it's for my future 16", or else my future home-ground 10" . Both of these are a couple of years in the future, so there's no rush. -------------------- "S.O.E." (Sauron's Other Eye) 16" Royce conical mirror: A permanent work in progress. 10" Homebuilt dob, old Coulter mirror Next Project: The "Eye of Sauron" Observatory! Post Extras:       Art Bianconi Post Laureate Reged: 03/06/06 Posts: 4659 Loc: Delaware River Valley, New Jer... Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: llanitedave]       #1704682 - 07/07/07 08:15 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Dave a number of ATM's here at CN have purchased carbon fiber tubes from Aerospace Composites. The prices are right, the strength is phenomenal and they are easy to work with. Mike Jones is using them now for his big planetary scope. Art Post Extras:       Art Bianconi Post Laureate Reged: 03/06/06 Posts: 4659 Loc: Delaware River Valley, New Jer... Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: llanitedave]       #1704684 - 07/07/07 08:19 PM Attachment (55 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm in the process of building the sector drive for this pier which uses a frame head from a bicycle as the basis for a fork mount. Developing a second unit, a GEM, from two donor bicycles that will slip into this head so it can be either be a fork or a GEM. Art Post Extras:       Art Bianconi Post Laureate Reged: 03/06/06 Posts: 4659 Loc: Delaware River Valley, New Jer... Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Art Bianconi]       #1704695 - 07/07/07 08:23 PM Attachment (52 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   This what it will look like when completed. The sector drive (not shown in this image) will use a 1 RPM Hankscraft geared DC motor driving the sector via a 10 x 32 threaded rod. Speed control will be micro-adjusted with a Frequency Modulation Circuit. This unit has already been registered in both mechanical and optical contests at Stellafane this year. The scope, a 4.25" F/7.4 has seen a lot of use on a CG-4 mount. It's been so satisfying I've elected to build an almost identical scope around a 4.25" F/5 mirror. Art Post Extras:       mattyfatz Pooh-Bah Reged: 12/27/06 Posts: 1188 Loc: R E N O Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Art Bianconi]       #1704736 - 07/07/07 08:50 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   A "stellar" job as always Art. -------------------- *****MATTY****** Post Extras:       Mike Clemens Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/05 Posts: 3141 Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: mattyfatz]       #1704764 - 07/07/07 09:25 PM Attachment (57 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Here are the 4 TMB lensed scopes I've made. The first was a TMB130 in a Tak FS128 tube with an AP focuser in an AP155 tailpiece. (Following Jim Buchanans lead.) Post Extras:       Mike Clemens Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/05 Posts: 3141 Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Mike Clemens]       #1704766 - 07/07/07 09:26 PM Attachment (39 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The second was a TMB152 lens in a totally custom aluminum tube, fully threaded design. AP 2.7" focuser with FT. Post Extras:       Mike Clemens Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/05 Posts: 3141 Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Mike Clemens]       #1704767 - 07/07/07 09:26 PM Attachment (37 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The third was a TMB152 lens in a red tube identical in design to the white one except for the 4" AP focuser in place of the 2.7" focuser on the white one. Post Extras:       Mike Clemens Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/05 Posts: 3141 Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Mike Clemens]       #1704769 - 07/07/07 09:28 PM Attachment (42 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The fourth was a TMB175 lens in a fiberglassed phenolic high powered rocketry tube. This had a "space frame" design like the TMB CNC tubes did, where threaded rods pulled the focuser and lens adapters together, compressing the tube. You can also see the tailpiece of an AP155 in this shot, allowing easy compatibility with the AP 4" focuser. My 5th custom TMB is IN PROGRESS... it's a TMB105 lens in an AP Traveler tube with AP Traveler focuser and a custom machined dewshield. Post Extras:       Art Bianconi Post Laureate Reged: 03/06/06 Posts: 4659 Loc: Delaware River Valley, New Jer... Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: mattyfatz]       #1704785 - 07/07/07 09:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Matty! Will I see you at Stellafane? Art Post Extras:       NHRob Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/27/04 Posts: 2617 Loc: New Hampshire Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Art Bianconi]       #1705149 - 07/08/07 08:20 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Mike, How come you sold off those gorgeous TMB-lensed scopes? Great job on them!! Rob -------------------- Canon 12x36 IS binos AP130EDT f/8 (for sale) new 12.5" f/6 Royce conical mirror (for sale) no free time ... lots of clouds ! " Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" !! Post Extras:       MMICKELS Aluminum Knight Reged: 01/20/04 Posts: 25451 Loc: The Land of Shake and Bake Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: NHRob]       #1705278 - 07/08/07 10:30 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   To all: Please post only pictures of completed scopes. Scopes in progress should have their own thread so members can watch the progress and help as needed. Thanks! -------------------- Mark "Never eat more than you can lift" Miss Piggy Post Extras:       MrLunch professor emeritus Reged: 07/11/04 Posts: 674 Loc: San Jose, CA Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: MMICKELS]       #1707788 - 07/09/07 05:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Guess I need to catch up with y'all! -------------------- Post Extras:       Mike Clemens Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/05 Posts: 3141 Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: MrLunch]       #1708054 - 07/09/07 07:33 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   thats pretty Mr Lunch, what is the brass sleeve with two nylon screws? Post Extras:       mattyfatz Pooh-Bah Reged: 12/27/06 Posts: 1188 Loc: R E N O Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Mike Clemens]       #1708093 - 07/09/07 07:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Pretty scope Lunch! -------------------- *****MATTY****** Post Extras:       Clay super member Reged: 05/09/07 Posts: 104 Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: MrLunch]       #1708115 - 07/09/07 07:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Gorgeous scope (except for the missing strut, of course :-) ). Looks like you've visited with Albert Highe! Got any more photos? Clay San Jose CA Post Extras:       MrLunch professor emeritus Reged: 07/11/04 Posts: 674 Loc: San Jose, CA Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: Clay]       #1708161 - 07/09/07 08:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks all The sleeve is a counterweight - more info/pics here: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1121 Where's that confounded strut?! -------------------- Post Extras:       Tele sage Reged: 11/01/05 Posts: 206 Loc: Eastern Oklahoma Re: Post a picture of the scope you made [Re: MrLunch]       #1708471 - 07/09/07 10:50 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Where's that confounded strut?! Zep ref!? Cool!! Sorry I've been away, That's amazing Art that the ball scope actually fits inside the ball, Wow. I like your bike fork scope I also designed one of those a while back in college when I was dirt poor and yearning for an equatorial scope. Nice 10" er Dave. I was using square trusses last year when my scope was set up as a ultra-light. I thought they were easy to work with and very sturdy. Looks like you have the only thing that may be more important than aperture, dark skies!! I was out near Nevada in Utah earlier this year and the skies were amazing> M101 my favorite!! All of these scopes are a testimony to what skilled labor can create through passion. I am always impressed (and sometimes depressed at the level of excellence that has been established). -------------------- 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 Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 10 registered and 6 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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