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[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 | (show all) erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. pictures of my base, and a first light report!       #302449 - 01/06/05 08:04 PM Attachment (107 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   well, all of the lousy weather has at least enabled me to finish building my base. i finally got to take it out the other night, and, wow, what a difference! despite the 90 lb ota, the base moves nice and smooth. high power viewing is no problem, and even though the whole base comes apart in about a minute, it's MUCH sturdier than the meade particle board base, and quite a bit lighter. it's not going to win any awards for perfect craftsmanship, but it looks decent and does the job. here's a picture... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302452 - 01/06/05 08:05 PM Attachment (81 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   here's a closeup of the base... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302454 - 01/06/05 08:06 PM Attachment (84 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   and here's my unique (i think!) design that allows me to remove the side boards w/o taking any bolts out... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302459 - 01/06/05 08:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   as you can see, there are notches that allow the sideboards to removed by loosening the hand knobs located on the "slots" where they fit into. the rear board is the same, except i used c-clamps as well to hold the 3 panels in place. this makes the base very sturdy, and it acts like it's screwed together. it can also be lifted by the side boards without the base falling apart... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302462 - 01/06/05 08:12 PM Attachment (59 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   oh, and the other thing i did was to install the "hub holder" on the sides. i put 2 magic sliders in each one, and it really helps smooth things out even more. and there's no slop in the azimuth movement... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       MMICKELS Aluminum Knight Reged: 01/20/04 Posts: 25192 Loc: The Land of Shake and Bake Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302470 - 01/06/05 08:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very nice job Erik! So when are you going to let me have a view through it? -------------------- Mark "The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever." Herb Caen Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: MMICKELS]       #302479 - 01/06/05 08:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   anytime, mark! we should set up a star party at coyote or somewhere else nearby when the weather clears up... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       MMICKELS Aluminum Knight Reged: 01/20/04 Posts: 25192 Loc: The Land of Shake and Bake Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302490 - 01/06/05 08:31 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   With the gas prices let's shoot for something close to both of us. -------------------- Mark "The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever." Herb Caen Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: MMICKELS]       #302511 - 01/06/05 08:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   sounds good, mark! know of any good dark sites in marin? -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       rboe Numbfinger Reged: 03/16/02 Posts: 39737 Loc: Phx, AZ Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #302540 - 01/06/05 09:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Well ain't that an ugly contraption! At least the base looks first rate. Yup, at this point I bet you can't wait to tackle that tube! -------------------- Ron NS11GPS Pronto 16" dob 15X70 Obies Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: rboe]       #302571 - 01/06/05 09:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   thanks ron! yeah, the tube isn't quite as pretty anymore... ... i just wish that i'd gotten a new jigsaw before i started building the base. some of the cuts using that lousy saw i burned up weren't terribly straight... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       Tom L Reged: 01/07/04 Posts: 29817 Loc: Sunny Oregon Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: rboe]       #302581 - 01/06/05 09:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ugly as sin! Great job, Erik! I especially love the C-clamps...very ingenius and the base looks great. -------------------- Tom Tele Vue 102mm f/8.6 on an EzTouch Vixen 80mm f/5 A80SSWT on a grab-n-go mount Post Extras:       Anonymous Unregistered Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: Tom L]       #302687 - 01/06/05 11:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Looking good Erik...nice work!! I need to move to the west coast so I can join some of you guys for some viewing sessions. So how much is gas out there these days? Post Extras:       rboe Numbfinger Reged: 03/16/02 Posts: 39737 Loc: Phx, AZ Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: ]       #302722 - 01/06/05 11:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You may want to check out an inexpensive router then. Clean up those cuts - if they bother you that much. The trouble with powertools is that you mess up a piece of wood so fast it ain't funny. They also make a product called woodtape, wood veneer with an adhesive back. Apply with an iron, trim with a knife. Good for hiding the end grain of plywood. You need a good square edge for it work out properly though. Smooth too. A flat mill file would help you get there. Just a thought if you happened to be thinking along those lines. The down side is that it's not very robust and can't take any hits very well. For your application I would recommend a solid wood strip at least 1/4" thick and glued on with Titebond. So maybe next time. -------------------- Ron NS11GPS Pronto 16" dob 15X70 Obies Post Extras:       rboe Numbfinger Reged: 03/16/02 Posts: 39737 Loc: Phx, AZ Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: ]       #302725 - 01/06/05 11:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You may want to check out an inexpensive router then. Clean up those cuts - if they bother you that much. The trouble with powertools is that you mess up a piece of wood so fast it ain't funny. They also make a product called woodtape, wood veneer with an adhesive back. Apply with an iron, trim with a knife. Good for hiding the end grain of plywood. You need a good square edge for it work out properly though. Smooth too. A flat mill file would help you get there. Just a thought if you happened to be thinking along those lines. The down side is that it's not very robust and can't take any hits very well. For your application I would recommend a solid wood strip at least 1/4" thick and glued on with Titebond. So maybe next time. -------------------- Ron NS11GPS Pronto 16" dob 15X70 Obies Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: rboe]       #302803 - 01/07/05 01:27 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   thanks guys! hey jeff, gas has come down drastically, it's under $2 a gallon at the discount stations. i almost feel like i'm stealing it when it's that cheap (NOT!) ....good suggestions, ron, i think that filing the wood would definitely help. sanding it didn't work. as for the edges where you can see the "plys", i'm okay with that. i put 3 coats of olympic outdoor satin stain on the whole base, so the weather shouldn't affect it too much.... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       Anonymous Unregistered Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #305817 - 01/10/05 12:32 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Great job Erik. Can't wait to see it in person. With the way the weather has been lately that might be a while though. Post Extras:       Jim Svetlikov Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/06/03 Posts: 2033 Loc: Crescent Beach Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: ]       #306007 - 01/10/05 09:54 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nice work Erik! It looks strong, portable and lightweight. -------------------- It is better to build a boy than try to mend a man. Post Extras:       erik telescope surgeon Reged: 01/30/04 Posts: 24019 Loc: Hawaii 19 N lat -155 Long. Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: Jim Svetlikov]       #306070 - 01/10/05 11:10 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   thanks guys! it is much lighter and sturdier than the old base. ...i'm looking forward to viewing through your scope again soon too, craig. i wonder if the rain will end by the the next new moon.... -------------------- -Erik Wilcox Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount Orion 10x50 binos Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor Post Extras:       Jeff Morgan Carpal Tunnel Reged: 09/28/03 Posts: 1532 Loc: Prescott, AZ Re: pictures of my base, and a first light report! [Re: erik]       #306073 - 01/10/05 11:19 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You did all that with a jig saw?! Nice job! I can't cut straight with one of those to save my life. -------------------- Jeff Morgan Prescott, AZ Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 14 registered and 9 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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