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 space_cowboy member Reged: 09/22/07 Posts: 55 DIY Club Projects       #2592019 - 08/20/08 12:11 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi, I've been racking my brain to think of some DIY projects that can be done during an astronomy club meeting. My intent is for it to be fun, but useful to get the members more involved. I would like us to build something that each of us could possibly use. Thanks for any ideas. Space Cowboy Post Extras:       HandyAndy sage Reged: 01/11/08 Posts: 396 Loc: West Midlands and around Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: space_cowboy]       #2593922 - 08/20/08 07:57 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi, Tube extensions for Newtonians to improve contrast. Sight tube with a cross-hair for Newtonian alignment. Vacuum cleaner Aliminium pipes are 1.25". Observing log and list of objects. Sun dial. Solar filter. Club buys a large sheet of Mylar to share out. Use a double layer in case of pin pricks. Cheers. Andrew. -------------------- Monarch 8x42, Zeiss 10x50 WA 10mm F2, Pentax 60mm F5 City: 7" MN78, 10" F6.3: MK4, 16" F5 ParaCorr Country: 5" F9.5, 8" VISAC: GP2 Car: 6" F5 MPCC: SP, 5" 127mm F7.5 TV 55mm, Paragon 40mm, UO Pretoria 28mm B&L 32 Pl, Clave's 25, 8, 6, 2x Hyperions 5, 8, 13, 17, 24, 31 Nagler1 9mm, Meade 14mm 4000 UWA Antares 1.6x, 0.7x, 0.5x Post Extras:       Stefan Rostyne scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 10/19/04 Posts: 937 Loc: Assenede, Belgium Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: HandyAndy]       #2594644 - 08/21/08 06:39 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Dew heaters -------------------- Stefan Van de Rostijne 4.5" F4.5 newt 5°widefield/finderscope 8" f/5.6 travel dob old 12.5" F5 dob (used to look better...) 30 cm f/30 Classic Cassegrain (polishing primary) 23" f/4 dob project Post Extras:       tjmck super member Reged: 10/06/07 Posts: 117 Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: Stefan Rostyne]       #2594740 - 08/21/08 08:22 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Telrad blinker mods! tjmck -------------------- 10" F4.7 Dob - home built Meade ETX-125PE, 1247 Focuser, DSI Colour Pentax 20x60 PCF WPII w/ home made parallelogram mount Numerous eyepieces (don't we all have them?) Home made accessories: power center, dew controller, observing chair, Hartmann mask, dew shields, counter weights, cases and storage solutions. Inspiration for most modifications and home made items from CN posts! Post Extras:       space_cowboy member Reged: 09/22/07 Posts: 55 Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: tjmck]       #2594961 - 08/21/08 10:15 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the ideas. I've found a couple of DIY forums as well since my post. Have any of you seen or heard of a eyepiece case warmer? I think that would be a nice easy project as well. Post Extras:       tjmck super member Reged: 10/06/07 Posts: 117 Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: space_cowboy]       #2595317 - 08/21/08 01:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have seen a couple of eyepiece case warmers detailed on various web sites. They vary from car seat heater pads (run from a standard car lighter plug @ 12V - popular items up here in Canada)to nichrome wire loops similar to dew heaters and often run from a dew heater controller. I am planning to use the nichrome loop when I get around to building a new eyepiece case. Up until then I will continue to use disposable hand warmers. tjmck -------------------- 10" F4.7 Dob - home built Meade ETX-125PE, 1247 Focuser, DSI Colour Pentax 20x60 PCF WPII w/ home made parallelogram mount Numerous eyepieces (don't we all have them?) Home made accessories: power center, dew controller, observing chair, Hartmann mask, dew shields, counter weights, cases and storage solutions. Inspiration for most modifications and home made items from CN posts! Post Extras:       AstroRealtor professor emeritus Reged: 03/26/08 Posts: 538 Loc: Terra Firma Re: DIY Club Projects [Re: tjmck]       #2595335 - 08/21/08 01:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   An adjustable observing chair has recently come up on my radar. Everyone could use it from a child up to a centarian. -------------------- Clear Skies, Jim -------------------------------------------------- Discovering: Messier objects, Deep sky treasures, NGCs, Double stars, & Nebulae of all kinds. Televue 85 "Polaris" Mount Custom Crafted Newtonian Dob 8" f7 w/Feathertouch Celestron Cometron Reflector 114mm f8 Zeiss Diafun 8 X 30 Binos Zeiss 10 X 56 Binos Aldrich Astronomical Society Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 10 registered and 11 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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