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Equipment Discussions >> ATM, Optics and DIY Forum
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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
I am soooo portable now!
      #2601711 - 08/25/08 12:20 AM Attachment (699 downloads)
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Hello everyone!
After few months of secretely working in my garage, here it is - my classical dob conversion into a suitcase scope. Well, maybe a 'chest scope'
I took the main idea from S. Vieillard i P. Strock. The secondary cage design is based od Kriege & Berry book.
Some specs:
Optics: 8”(208mm) f/5.8

Base and truss tube: Baltic birch, aluminium poles 3/4" , Kydex

Bearings: virgin teflon vs. Ebony Star laminate

Dimensions after folding : 20 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 11 1/2 (cm: ~ 52 x 39 x 29)

Weight: 35 pounds (16kg)

Open floating cell, 9 points of support and sling

Frontal collimation

Clear skies

Edited by marcink (08/25/08 12:28 AM)

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601712 - 08/25/08 12:21 AM Attachment (311 downloads)
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More pics

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601714 - 08/25/08 12:22 AM Attachment (259 downloads)
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More

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601716 - 08/25/08 12:23 AM Attachment (217 downloads)
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Partially folded...

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601718 - 08/25/08 12:23 AM Attachment (200 downloads)
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What's under da hood?

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601719 - 08/25/08 12:24 AM Attachment (195 downloads)
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The mirror cell details...

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601722 - 08/25/08 12:25 AM Attachment (218 downloads)
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And truss tube attachement

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601723 - 08/25/08 12:26 AM Attachment (191 downloads)
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Bearings... I promise, this is the last pic!

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2601730 - 08/25/08 12:32 AM Attachment (185 downloads)
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Ok, one more - collimation

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jayscheuerle
Post Laureate
*****

Reged: 01/16/06

Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2602179 - 08/25/08 09:35 AM
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Nicely done! Looks like you put a lot of thought into it.

So, where you taking it first? - j

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rboe

*****

Reged: 03/16/02

Loc: Phx, AZ
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: jayscheuerle]
      #2602206 - 08/25/08 09:52 AM
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Well lookey there! Well done Sir.

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: jayscheuerle]
      #2602364 - 08/25/08 11:05 AM
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Quote:

So, where you taking it first? - j


Ahhhh somewhere far far away from orange night skies of Chicago!

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Mitchell
member


Reged: 05/19/08

Loc: USA
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2602435 - 08/25/08 11:36 AM
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Very Nice! Job well done, letm us know how first light goes.

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AstroRealtor
professor emeritus


Reged: 03/26/08

Loc: Terra Firma
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: Mitchell]
      #2603219 - 08/25/08 06:18 PM
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That looks great! Did you make it so you could expand it to accept a larger mirror at some point? The mirror box looks big enough to be able to accept at least a 10"

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: AstroRealtor]
      #2603330 - 08/25/08 07:21 PM
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No, the mirror box has to accommodate the secondary cage for transport - that's why it's oversized. The ID of secondary cage is 10", so there would be some vignetting for 10" mirror.
With some effort - meaning rebuilding the secondary cage and the cell - this setup could accept 10" primary indeed. Hmmm... you got me thinking!

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Owen
professor emeritus


Reged: 06/21/07

Loc: New Zealand
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2604152 - 08/26/08 06:38 AM
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Superb!


Owen

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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
*****

Reged: 01/25/07

Loc: Albuquerque, NM
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: Owen]
      #2606349 - 08/27/08 01:24 AM
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That is way cool. Good job!

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davidpitre
Post Laureate
*****

Reged: 05/10/05

Loc: Central Texas
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: Tom Andrews]
      #2606712 - 08/27/08 09:05 AM
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Very very nice. You should be proud.
That is a wonderful size packed up.
Was the mirror purchased?

Can you describe or show how the 2 sections of the poles secure?

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: davidpitre]
      #2606983 - 08/27/08 11:09 AM
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Thanks for all the kind words.
Quote:

Was the mirror purchased?


No, I ground, polished and figured it myself. I got a mirror making kit from Newport Glass.
Quote:

Can you describe or show how the 2 sections of the poles secure?


There is a 2 1/2 inch long 1/4-20 bolt with 2 threaded inserts and a nut in one section and a single threaded insert in the other. Two washers in between help sections stay straight and prevent material from bending or crushing. I'll take a picture and post it later.

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marcink
sage
*****

Reged: 08/01/07

Loc: Lombard (Chicagoland), IL
Re: I am soooo portable now! new [Re: marcink]
      #2608467 - 08/27/08 09:40 PM Attachment (134 downloads)
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Here it is... without washers though

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