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Equipment Discussions >> Reflectors

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | >> (show all)

Thunderhead
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/27/05

Loc: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: Dave.]
#2432425 - 05/31/08 10:58 PM

^^ Hey Dave haven't see you around here before! That's a hot looking setup

Seeing as I've practically bought your entire astro suite, can I have that aswell?

My two dobs:

Edited by Thunderhead (06/01/08 06:53 PM)

Post Extras:

jhors
Riddle me this

Reged: 07/16/07

Loc: Mesa, AZ

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: Tinker]
#2433610 - 06/01/08 04:44 PM Attachment (350 downloads)

Quote:

Just your basic Chinese Dob under a soon to be dark sky.

Mine too

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dav1d89
member

Reged: 07/30/07

Loc: Dorset, England

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: jhors]
#2438882 - 06/04/08 08:30 AM

My scope and observing assistant

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EJN
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/01/05

Loc: Highway 61

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: dav1d89]
#2446631 - 06/08/08 01:41 AM Attachment (452 downloads)

Starsplitter 8" f/6, repainted and refinished
by me.

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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/25/07

Loc: Albuquerque, NM

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: EJN]
#2447300 - 06/08/08 01:34 PM Attachment (426 downloads)

Quote:

Starsplitter 8" f/6, repainted and refinished by me.

Very nice work!

Here's my two: Discovery 12.5" split-tube (2007) and 8" Coulter Odessey (1988).

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Sean Cunneen
Let Me Think

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Blue Island Illinois

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: Tom Andrews]
#2454219 - 06/11/08 04:20 PM Attachment (590 downloads)

Here is my newly finished (but they never really are, aren't they?) 8" f/8 Newtonian mounted on a CG5 Pier. With the exception of the finder and focuser, The scope is almost entirely handmade and/or Heavily modified. The build is documented in the ATM forum as the " 8" f/8 newtonian project started!" thread. I'd post a link, but I am better with a saw than with a keyboard. The scope features a 3 vane curved spider, adjustable depth mirror cell. The mirror is a Discovery Plate glass, 1/13 RMS. the secondary is a 1/10th wave 1.6" diameter pyrex mirror. The mount is a motorized Cg-5 mounted on a TAL pier. The cords have been removed just for the photo. Images are wonderful and collimation is a piece of cake. It took me outside of 3 months start to finish and my wife couldn't be happier!

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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 07/25/04

Loc: Iowa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: Sean Cunneen]
#2456890 - 06/12/08 09:24 PM Attachment (583 downloads)

Two pictures - first one is the "just out of the shop - first light" shot

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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 07/25/04

Loc: Iowa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: rnabholz]
#2456896 - 06/12/08 09:26 PM Attachment (551 downloads)

Three years later......can you say Project Creep?

Are they ever done?

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Don W
demi-god

Reged: 05/19/03

Loc: Wisconsin, USA

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: rnabholz]
#2456916 - 06/12/08 09:38 PM

Very nice, but it looks somehow unfinished.

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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 07/25/04

Loc: Iowa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 new

[Re: Don W]
#2456923 - 06/12/08 09:41 PM

Maybe a pair of Fuzzy Dice hanging from the focuser?

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jayscheuerle
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/16/06

Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: rnabholz]
#2457587 - 06/13/08 09:51 AM

Rod, what's the secondary arrangement on that like? Do you have a pic?

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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 07/25/04

Loc: Iowa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: jayscheuerle]
#2457711 - 06/13/08 11:01 AM Attachment (500 downloads)

Here was the original. 1/8" aluminum.

In the end I found that the aluminum slotted plate that the secondary attached to was not as stout as I would have liked and tended to bend during transport.

So back to the drawing board and .........

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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 07/25/04

Loc: Iowa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: rnabholz]
#2457732 - 06/13/08 11:11 AM Attachment (416 downloads)

....a curved spider is the replacement. Same 1/8 material, but the secondary mounting bracket is steel this time and very solid. Seen here just after fabrication and before painting.

If you are considering a similar style of scope, I would point you to Ron Ravneberg's 10" (about half way down the page) as a model. He has combined the function of a curved spider and the behind the secondary light baffle into a single piece. Very elegant and very convenient.

I was strongly considering this approach when looking to replace my V shaped spider, but in the end, the specific particulars of my scope's design did not lend itself well to a retrofit.

Rod

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frankcf5
member

Reged: 09/27/05

Loc: Carbondale, Colorado

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: rnabholz]
#2457978 - 06/13/08 01:04 PM Attachment (487 downloads)

Nice scopes everyone. Heres my Astrosystems 12 1/2" "Telekit", Ostahowski primary, Feathertouch focuser, Stellarvue f50 finder, Sky Commander.

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frankcf5
member

Reged: 09/27/05

Loc: Carbondale, Colorado

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: frankcf5]
#2457981 - 06/13/08 01:06 PM Attachment (339 downloads)

Another view- upper end w/ F50 finderscope

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Shawn H
Postmaster

Reged: 05/16/07

Loc: Equatorial Guinea, West Africa

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: frankcf5]
#2458008 - 06/13/08 01:27 PM

Frank
Are you comfortable with the focuser on top?

I'm use to having them on the side where your Telrad is. Shawn

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frankcf5
member

Reged: 09/27/05

Loc: Carbondale, Colorado

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: Shawn H]
#2458303 - 06/13/08 04:15 PM

Hi Shawn, as I recall the focuser is about 20-25 degrees down the side from vertical. At zenith my feet straddle the back corner of the scope, and at the horizon I am still looking down into the into the eyepiece. I find it pretty close to just right for me, however next time I may want the focuser a few degees down more towards the side. I think somewhere between where I have it now and where the Telrad is would be ideal for me. The reason being that with a tall eyepieces(Ethos) or a tall eyepiece and a barlow/powermate I am just an inch or 2 short of flat-footed viewing when the scope is just a little ways tilted from zenith. An upper cage that could rotate a bit either way would be a wonderful thing for my situation were the scopes eyepiece height (at zenith) and my eyeheight are about equal. Frank

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Juha
member

Reged: 06/13/08

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: Jason B]
#2458437 - 06/13/08 05:32 PM Attachment (409 downloads)

And my 200mm/1000mm/F5 Dobs, Helios.

Edited by Juha (06/16/08 01:40 PM)

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Deep13
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/25/05

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: Dave.]
#2458549 - 06/13/08 06:40 PM

Those refractor folks are way ahead of us in photos! I've got one I can post a little later.

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Steem
member

Reged: 02/01/07

Loc: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

Re: Post a picture of your reflector - PART 2 [Re: Thunderhead]
#2460341 - 06/14/08 05:33 PM

Here's a picture of my 200mm GSO on the Losmandy GM-8. The GSO is fitted with a single speed crayford focuser and a red dot finder (don't know which brand). A motorfocuser is on the way. Visually I use the Vixen LVW's and they keep down the coma, when photographing I use the Baader coma corrector. It does quite a good job but there is still some coma visible. Nevertheless, I like it!

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