Telescope Reviews: A bad case of the "whileyouratit's"

I pulled the mirror cell on my Dob to do "just one or two" minor improvements. It all started out innocently enough. I was going to reduce the size of the mirror clips. Easy enough, but then I noticed that the cut ends of the clips were now almost like chrome. Pull out a sharpie and that takes care of that.

Hmm, while I've got it out I can darken the edge of the mirror. Oh, and I can darken the edges of the mirror cell that point up - after all, gotta get rid of all the possible causes of internal reflections! Hmm, those bolts on the inside of the scope could use a bit of touch-up as well.

My, this sharpie doesn't really leave things flat black, I need to buy some flat black spray paint now. Darn, gotta take the mirror cell out again. OH! Now I can add that two and a half steel weight to help counterbalance the weight of the 80mm finder I added. Darn, the hole is too big for that fender washer. Aha!

I'll drill a hole right in the weight. Off to the drill press.

Speaking of finders, I did just get those real aluminum rings, so off with the PVC ones that I had made. Ah, that looks much better.

Oh, and since I had to spend the $ for that new Feathertouch focuser on xmas gifts, I can take the R&P focuser apart and see if I can get it to work better. Since the mirror will be out, gotta get rid of the re-inforcement ring and put an actual center spot on the mirror.

Better start a list. I could be here a while. Let's see, I really should flock the inside of the tube, replace the regular washers that hold the mirror cell in place with lock washers, maybe I can borrow the money for that new focuser from house fund - just this once. Oh, I can paint the finder black to match the rest of the scope...

I heard a noise outside the shop so I stopped and stuck my head outside. Nothing. Then I decide to look up. Nice and clear for once. Oh well, back to the scope.

It was at this point that I looked at the clock. What was supposed to be a ten minute tune-up has turned into four hours. If I do everything that I've come up with I'll never get out under the stars again! I've got a really really bad case of the "whileyouareatit's".

It's all your fault! Yes, you, the one reading this thread. I used to be happy looking at Orion and other "neat stuff" in the sky. You just had to do it didn't you. You've been posting out such interesting ideas for improving your scope to get the most out of it. Getting me all involved and worked up. Curved spiders, flocking, focuser upgrades, blackening edges, adding cooling fans...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... (runs screaming from the keyboard)

--------------------
Rocco

13.1" F/4.5 Discovery Dob
Nextstar 102 refractor
Celestron C4.5
Astroscan (for the kids

)
Mixed bag of EP's
GO 12x60 binoculars

"Time is more important than money. You can always make more money, but you can never make more time."
Too bad I don't have enough of either!